learning gaelic

**JS Sanders** · 28th May 08, 01:28 PM

Hey Daz,
Wee wifie & I spent a number of days on Lewis/Harris as consummate tourists. The CalMac ferry ride was a real hoot.

Saw the sights, drove on some of the most deserted highways I've ever seen, and did a bit of hiking. Very striking terrain too - much like the moon, only moister and with the occasional sheep.

You couldn't see the end of the world from where we stood, but a short walk across the scorrie and up a short rise, you sure could.

All that and we flew back to the mainland days earlier than planned. The locals just weren't anything like the inhabitants of the Scottish mainland.

Yep - that's just the way they are. Ain't no changing 'em.

Slainte,
steve

**highlander_Daz** · 28th May 08, 01:39 PM

To be honest I always suggest tourists avoid the islands there are much better things to see, if you want to see the islands, then rent the Big Yins tour fo Scotland.

**Nick the DSM** · 28th May 08, 02:13 PM

well, its mainly for the clan gathering there on lewis that we are heading there.

we do hope to hit the mainland as well.

thing is...where can i get a native speaker? its not like they come in a box...

or do they?

**highlander_Daz** · 28th May 08, 02:19 PM

Plockton, Gairloch, Lochalsh or your best bets probably the isle of Skye, unless your pretty good youll struggle to keep up with someone from Skye, Im not trying to put you off but if your prepared to work youll do it, Id say Skye is probable your best bet and listen to some recordings first ,the language flows and a fluent speaker sounds like he never draws breathe.

**Nick the DSM** · 28th May 08, 02:34 PM

do they speak fast? like rapidly fast?

**slohairt** · 28th May 08, 09:59 PM

English is a fairly slow, drawn-out language, so the Gaelic languages do seem fast in comparison, but I wouldn't say they're as rapidly spoken as many Romance languages.

You may want to look into some Scottish Gaelic resources out of Nova Scotia, as it is spoken by a minority of Cape Breton Islanders. I know they offer it (as well as Celtic Studies) at St. Francis Xavier University. Just make sure the resources you find (wherever they may come from) are Scottish Gaelic and not Irish or Manx. Though closely related, they really are separate languages. I've run into a few Scottish Gaelic-speaking Cape Breton Islanders over the years, and, as an Irish-speaker, I can rarely understand them!

**Nick the DSM** · 29th May 08, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by slohairt

English is a fairly slow, drawn-out language, so the Gaelic languages do seem fast in comparison, but I wouldn't say they're as rapidly spoken as many Romance languages.

You may want to look into some Scottish Gaelic resources out of Nova Scotia, as it is spoken by a minority of Cape Breton Islanders. I know they offer it (as well as Celtic Studies) at St. Francis Xavier University. Just make sure the resources you find (wherever they may come from) are Scottish Gaelic and not Irish or Manx. Though closely related, they really are separate languages. I've run into a few Scottish Gaelic-speaking Cape Breton Islanders over the years, and, as an Irish-speaker, I can rarely understand them!

thanks for the advice, man. i'll look into that.