Saoghal Fada na Gàidhlig / The Wide World of Gaelic

Saoilidh mi gu tric cho tlachdmhor 's a tha e bhith 'g obair ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig, agus 's e a' phrìomh aobhar a th' ann na daoine gasda ris an tachair thu.

Mar a bhios mi teagasg na Gàidhlig air loidhne leis an Acadamaidh Gàidhlig an Atlantaig, cuiridh mi an aithne air iomadh duine á àiteachan céin, eadar Aimeiriaga a Tuath, Roinn Eòrpa, an Deas Roinn agus Aisia – agus a h-uile neach aca ri ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig!

'Nuair a theagasgas no a dh' ionnsachas duine cànan, fàsaidh sibh car eòlach air a chéile le bhith bruidhinn mu dheidhinn teaghlaich, àite-fuirich, cuir-seachadan, 's msaa.. Agus bidh e 'na mhor-thoileachadh dhomh 'nuair a thig cuid aca gu Ceap Breatainn air cheilidh, no air gnothaichean eile.

Cha mhór cho luath 's a thòisicheas duine air a' Ghàidhlig ionnsachadh, tionndaidh a smaointinn gu Ceap Breatainn, far a bheil a' Ghàidhlig fhathast beò 's ri cluinntinn siud 's seo. Bidh iomadh aca deònach air an eilean fhaicinn agus cothrom a bhith aca Gàidhlig a chluinntinn aig luchd fileanta ann an suidheachadh nàdurra. 'S e ruitheam a' chànain a 's tarruingiche dhaibh, agus chuala mi aig caochladh dhaoine gun sguir iad ri smaointinn 's ri tuigsinn, an sàs agus air chall ann am bòichead a riutheam.

'Nuair a bhithinn ri teagasg aig a' Cholaisde Ghàidhlig, cha deigheadh bliadhna seachad nach d' thàinig roinn de na sgoilearan an AGA asteach airson clasaichean pearsanta. Bidh iad airson A' Chlachan Ghàidhealach fhaicinn, an Taigh Staile Glenora, an Daingneach Louisbourg agus àiteachan eile. Bidh iad cuideachd airson ceangladh ás ùr a dheanamh eadar 'ad fhéin agus an sinnsearan a dh' fhuirich ann an Alba Nuadh bho shean.

Bho chionn ghreis choinnich mi ri boireannach ris a bheil mi air a bhith bruidhinn air Skype ( ann an clasaichean AGA ) o chionn bhliadhnaichean. Thàinig ise 's an teaghlach aice gu Alba Nuaidh agus rinn sinn coinneamh aig an Tim Horton's faisg air Baddaig. Bha còmhradh air leth againn fad corr 'is uair a thìde. Fhuair i an taigh anns an do dh' fhuirich a sinnsearan, an cladh far an do chàirich 'san ùir iad, agus fios orra anns an Tasg-lann an Hailiafags. 'S i a bha toilichte!

Tha toil-inntinn mhór agam cuideachd fios a bhith agam gu bheil meas air a' Ghàidhlig aig daoine á iomadh ceàrna dhe 'n t-saoghal agus faighinn amach na bhios 'ad ri deanamh gus dualchas 'is cànan nan Gàidheal a bhrosnachadh 's a' leasachadh ann an cuid choimhearsneachdan fhéin. Chan ann ann an Alba Nuadh a mhàin a gheibhear muinntir aig a bheil moit mhór air a' Ghàidhlig, agus anns am faighear daoine innleachdach lùthsmhor 'ga h-ùr-bheòthachadh anns an dòighean fhéin. Gé mór an t-astar, 's e teaghlach a th' annainn uile. Cha ghabh e bhith na 's fheàrr.

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The Wide World of Gaelic

I often think of how pleasant it is to be working in the Gaelic world, and the foremost reason is the exceptional people you meet.

As I teach Gaelic online for the Atlantic Gaelic Academy, I get to know people from many distant places, from North America, Europe, Australia and Asia – and all of them learning Gaelic!

When a person teaches or learns a language you learn a bit about each other by speaking about family, where you live, pastimes, etc. And I especially enjoy it when some of them come to Cape Breton for a visit or on other business.

Almost as soon as someone starts to learn Gaelic their thoughts turn to Cape Breton, where Gaelic is still alive and can still be heard here and there. Many of them want to see the island and have the chance to hear Gaelic being spoken by fluent speakers in a natural setting. It's the rhythm of the language that most attracts them, and I've heard from various people that they stop thinking and understanding, caught up and lost in the beauty of that rhythm.

When I'd be teaching at the Gaelic College a year never passed that a group of students from the AGA didn't come to the College for in-person classes. They want to see the Highland Village, the Glenora Distillery, the Fortress Louisbourg and other places. They also want to re-connect to their ancestors who lived in Nova Scotia long ago.

Recently I met with a woman who I'd been speaking to for years on Skype (in AGA classes). She and her family came to Nova Scotia and we met at the Tim Horton's near Baddeck. We had an excellent conversation for more than an hour. She found the house her ancestors lived in, the cemetery where they were buried and learned more about them at the Archives in Halifax. Wasn't she happy!

I also enjoy knowing that people from so many different places have a high regard for Gaelic, and finding out what they are doing to encourage and improve Gaelic's status in their own communities. It isn't only in Nova Scotia that you'll find people who are proud of their Gaelic or where you'll find energetic inventive people revitalizing it in their own ways. Although the distance is great, we're all one family. Can't get better than that.