Carson a Dh' ionnsaichear a' Ghàidhlig?

'S e obair mhór a th' ann an ionnsachadh cànan sam bith - obair bheatha chanadh cuid. Carson a bhiodh e feumail obair cho mór a chuir ann gus cànan eile a bhruidhinn?

Tha mi creidsinn gum bi daoine na 's eòlaiche ann an Roinn-Eòrpa air fiach nan cànanan eile air sgàth 's gum bi móran daoine ann aig a bheil a' bharrachd air aon chànan, seach mar a tha a mhór-chuid de dhaoine ann an Ameireaga a Tuath, far an urrainn do chuid de dhaoine fuireach fad am beatha gun ach aon chànan a chluinntinn, ach gu ìre glé bheag.

Chuala mi rosg-rann ùigheil air a' chraolan bho chionn ghreis aig boireannach aig an robh ceithir cànanan, agus i eòlach air a bhith ag obair ann an iomadh dùthaich 'is dualchas. Thuirt i, " 'Nuair a bhruidhneas tu ann an cànan eile, fàsaidh tu 'nad dhuine eile." Agus 's fhìor sin.

An sàs anns a' h-uile cànan bidh an dualchas anns an do dh' fhàs i... na bha cudtromach dhaibh, na chreid iad, na rudan anns an robh fiach agus anns nach robh. Cuirear ciall air gnothaichean ann an dòigh eile agus, le brìgh nam facal, bidh tuigse diofaraichte aig daoine.

Chluinnear an dràsda 'a rithist, " Cha ghabh sin eadar-theangachadh." Ma 's fhìor sin ( agus 'sann a tha. ) carson nach gabh? Cha ghabh air sgath 's gum bi ciall air a cuir air smaointinn diofaraichte ann an cinn nan daoine sin, nach deach an ciallachadh a riamh anns a' chànan eile.

Bidh iomadh dualchas a' cuir cunntadh, meas, agus ciall air an t-saoghail 'na dhòigh fhéin, agus chan ann co-ionnanach idir a tha iad. Gheibh na smuainteanan aca dealbh ann am faclan agus ann an abairtean an cànain, smuainteanan 's dòcha nach fhaighear ann an cànan sam bith eile.

Ma dh' ionnsachas duin' a' Ghàidhlig, gheibh e sealladh air saoghal fada na 's nàdurra na saoghal na Beurla. Mar a chanar ann an corpeòlas, bidh a' Ghàidhlig suidhichte ann an nàdur agus a' Bheurla ann an deas-ghnàth. 'S e sin leis fhéin, gu leòir airson diofar uamhasach a chuir eadorra.

Carson a dh' ionnsaichear a' Ghàidhlig? Airson a' chiùil. Airson 's gum faigh thu sealladh air saoghal na 's ùigheachail ann an iomadh dòigh. Airson toinisg 'is geòiread neo-chumanta na cànain. Airson 's gur ceòlmhor i. Airson a pongalachd. Airson a' chomas air dealbh-chunntas a th' innte. Airson fìor eachdraidh nan Gàidheal a leughadh gun i bhith 'ga criathradh tro phriosm ( agus ma dh' fhaodas mi innse, tro bhreugan ) na Beurla.

Dhomh fhéin, dh' ionnsaich mi mo chuid Ghàidhlig airson 's gum b' urrainn dhomh bruidhinn ann an cànan mo mhuinntir 's mo shinnsre. Chaidh mi an sàs anns a ceòl, a bàrdachd, a bòichead ' s a blàths. 'S e an rud a b' fheàrr a rinn mi ri m' bheatha. ( Ach gun do phòs mi mo bhean-ghaoil! )

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Why Learn Gaelic?

It's a lot of work to learn any language - a lifetime's work some say. Why would it be useful to put so much work into speaking another language?

I think people are more knowledgeable in Europe about the value of other languages since many people speak more than one language, compared to North America, where some people can live all their lives hearing only one language almost exclusively.

I heard an interesting sentence on the radio recently from a woman who had four languages and was used to working in many countries and cultures. She said, " When you speak another language, you become another person. " And that's true.

Embedded in every language is the culture in which it grew.... what was important to them, what they believed, the things in which they placed value and didn't. Things are explained in different ways and, through the meaning of the words, people have a different understanding.

You'll hear now and then, " That can't be translated." If that's true ( And it certainly is. ), why not? Because the thoughts of those people have been explained in a different way, a way that was never expressed in the other language.

Many cultures take account of, judge, and understand the world in their own way, and they are not at all similar. Their thoughts take form in the words and phrases of their language, concepts that perhaps are not to be found in any other language.

If someone learns Gaelic they see a world much more natural than the world of English. As is said in anthropoly, Gaelic exists in nature, English in ritual. Just by itself, that's enough to make a huge difference between them.

Why learn Gaelic? For the music. To see a world that is in many ways more interesting. For the exceptional sense and wit of the language. Because it's musical. Because of it's precision. Because of the power of description that's in it. To read the true history of the Gaels, unfiltered through an English prism ( and if I may say, through it's lies )

For myself, I learned Gaelic so I could speak the language of my people and my ancestors. I became caught up in her music, her poetry, her beauty and her warmth. It's the best thing I've done in my life. ( Except for marrying my wife! )*