Carson a bu chòir dhuinn Gàidhlig a bhrosnachadh? | Why support Scottish Gaelic?
Bidh cuid de dhaoine – a’ mothachadh nach eil a’ Ghàidhlig tùsanach ann an Ceanndachaidh, agus nach eil ach glè bheag de Cheanndachaidhich ga bruidhinn an-diugh – a’ faighneach carson a tha sinn feumach air ath-bheòthachadh na Gàidhlig an seo ann an Ceanndachaidh.
San fhìrinn, ged nach eil mòran daoine aig a bheil Gàidhlig a’ fuireach ann an Ceanndachaidh san latha an-diugh, is coltach gun robh a’ Ghàidhlig an làthair an seo on ochdamh linn deug, nuair a thàinig a’ chiad luchd-imriche Eòrpach thar nam Beanntaichean Apalàiteach. ‘S coltach gun robh cuid dhen na daoine sin à Gàidhealtachd na h-Alba; nan robh, b’ e Gàidheil a bh’ annta, no a bh’ anns na sinnsearan aca. Mar sin – air son cuid dhiubh, co-dhiù – is coltach gum b’ e Gàidhlig na h-Alba a’ chiad chànan a bh’ aca.
Nuair a ràinig na luchd-labhairt Gàidlig sin Ceanndachaidh, am measg daoine eile aig an robh Gàidhlig na h-Èireann, Cuimris, Gearmailtis, Fraingis, Beurla Gallda, Beurla, agus teangannan Eòrpach eile, bha daoine a fuireach ann mu thràth: na Tearagaidh, na Seathanaidh, na Iùitidh, agus na Tiogasàdh – is gach muinntir dhiubh leis a’ chànan tùsanach aice fhein.
Thar nan linntean, dh’fhàs a’ Bheurla na bu treasa na gach cànan eile, oir bha na Sasannaich (agus leotha-san a’ chumhachd dhen Ìmpireachd Bhreatanaich) – agus, às an dèidh, luchd nan Stàitean Aonaichte (leis an ìmpireachd aca fhèin) – an aghaidh nan tùsanach ‘s nam buidhnean-imriche eile. Chreid tòrr dhiubh anns a’ ghealachd, agus anns a’ Bheurla mar chànan na cinne-gile – baoth-chreideamh a tha sinne airson ceartachadh.
Mar sin, beag air bheag, chuireadh crìochd air a h-uile cànan Ceanndachaidheach eile a bha air bhith ann san ochdamh-linn-deug, gus nach robh ach cha mhòr a’ Bheurla a-mhàin air fhàgail aig toiseach an fhiceadamh-linn.
An-diugh, air sgàth imreachd san linn sin agus o chionn nas giorra, tha Ceanndachaidh, gu fortanach, iomadh-chànanach a-rithist – ach tha Gàidhlig fhathast a dhìth air a’ mheasgachadh.
‘S e an t-amas againne, ged-tà, a’ Ghàidhlig ath-bheòthachadh mar chànan Ceanndachaidheach!
Some people – observing that Scottish Gaelic is not an indigenous language of Kentucky, and that very few Kentuckians speak it today – ask why we need to promote Gaelic here in Kentucky.
In truth, although not many people who speak Gaelic live in Kentucky today, it is likely that Gaelic was present here from the eighteenth century, when the first European immigrants came over the Appalachian Mountains. It’s probable that some of those people were from historically Gaelic-speaking parts of Scotland: if so, they were Gaels, or the descendants of Gaels. Thus, for at least some of them, Gaelic might well have been their first language.
When those Gaelic speakers reached Kentucky, in the company of other people who spoke Irish, Welsh, German, French, Scots, English, and other European languages, people were already living here: the Cherokee, Shawnee, Yuchi, and Chickasaw – each with their own indigenous language.
Over the centuries, English grew stronger than every other language, because the English (and with them the power of their empire) – and, after them, the people of the United States (with their own empire) – opposed the indigenous people and the other immigrants. Many of them believed in whiteness, and in English as the language of the white race – a flawed belief system we hope to correct.
Thus, little by little, every eighteenth-century Kentuckian language died out, such that practically only English remained at the start of the twentieth century.
At present, because of immigration in that century and more recently, Kentucky is, fortunately, multilingual again – but Gaelic is still absent from the mix.
Our goal, however, is to revive Scottish Gaelic as Kentuckian language!
Tachartasan is Iomairtean | Events and Activities
1. Leasanan Gàidhlig air Loidhne | Online Scottish Gaelic Lessons
Am bu toil leibh Gàidhlig ionnsachadh? Thigibh, is bithibh nur oileanach dhomh, ma-thà! Tha leasanan de dh’uair no leth-uair ri reic, a’ cosgadh 25 notaichean Aimeireaganach gach uair. B’ urrainn dhuinn Skype, Zoom, Discord, Microsoft Teams no Facebook a chleachdadh. Ma tha ùidh agad ann, faighibh ann an conaltradh rium tro phost-d aig atdahm01@gmail.com. | Would you like to learn Scottish Gaelic? If so, come and be my student! Hour and half-hour lessons are on offer, at the rate of 25 US dollars per hour. We can use Skype, Zoom, Discord, Microsoft Teams, or Facebook. If you’re interested, get in contact by email at atdahm01@gmail.com.
2. Teanal Teagasg na Teanga | Language Teaching Retreat
As t-samhradh seo – o 4mh latha an Òg-mhìos gu 7mh latha an Òg-mhìos, 2023 – bidh ball SPLANG! an t-Ollamh Àdhamh Dàmaireach agus caraid SPLANG! (agus sgrìobhadair ainmeil na Gàidhlig) Seusan Bond a’ teagasg na Gàidhlig aig Oilthigh Stàite Thanasaidh an Ear, ann am Baile MhicIain, Tanasaidh. Bidh clasaichean ri fhaighinn air gràmar na Gàidhlig, còmhradh na Gàidhlig, agus òrain na Gàidhlig – agus air dannsa cèilidhe, agus luaidh cuideachd! Airson barrachd fhiosrachaidh, cuir teachdaireachd thugainn tro mheadhan phuist-d aig atdahm01@gmail.com. | This summer – from June 4th to June 6th, 2023 – SPLANG! member Dr. Adam Dahmer and friend of SPLANG! (and famous Gaelic author) Jason Bond will be teaching Gaelic at East Tennessee State University, in Johnson City, Tennessee. There will be classes on Gaelic grammar, Gaelic conversation, and Gaelic song – and on cèilidh dancing and wool-waulking, as well! For more information, email us at atdahm01@gmail.com.
3. Grigne Gàidhlig Ghlaschu | Glasgow Gaelic Gathering
As t-samhradh seo – 16 an Òg-mhìos gu 18 an Òg-mhìos, 2023 – bidh dà bhall SPLANG! an t-Ollamh Àdhamh Dàmaireach agus Dàinia Nic a’ Bhàird a’ teagasg na Gàidhlig aig Talla Iansaidh, ann an Glaschu, Ceanndachaidh. Bidh clasaichean ri fhaighinn air gràmar na Gàidhlig, còmhradh na Gàidhlig, agus òran na Gàidhlig – agus air dannsa cèilidhe, agus luaidh cuideachd! Airson barrachd fhiosrachaidh, cuir teachdaireachd thugainn tro mheadhan phuist-d aig atdahm01@gmail.com. | This summer – from June 16th to June 18th, 2023 – SPLANG! members Dr. Adam Dahmer and Dhanya Baird will be teaching Gaelic at Yancey’s Ballroom in Glasgow, Kentucky. There will be classes on Gaelic grammar, Gaelic conversation, and Gaelic song – and on cèilidh dancing and wool-waulking, as well! For more information, email us at atdahm01@gmail.com.
4. Guth na Coimhearsnachd | Voice of the Community
‘S e buidheann-òrain a th’ ann an Guth na Coimhearsnachd – còisir Gàidhlig neo-fhoirmeil (uill, ‘buidheann òrain’ ann an da-rìribh), a bhios ga cruinneachadh dà thuras sa mhìos airson òrain Gàidhlig ionnsachadh. Ma tha sibh air son pàirt a ghabhal, lorgaibh duilleag a’ bhuidhinn air Leabhar nan Aodann fon ainm ‘Guth na Coimhearsnachd’! Coinneachaidh sinn air Zoom a’ chìad DihAoine den mhìos aig 8f (TaE) agus an treas DihAoine den mhìos Di-Màirt aig 3f (TaE). | Guth na Coimhearsnachd (Voice of the Community) is a Scottish Gaelic song group – an informal Gaelic choir (well, really a song group) that meets twice monthly to learn Gaelic songs. If you want to take part, find the group’s page on Facebook under the name ‘Guth na Coimhearsnachd’! We meet on Zoom the first Friday of the month at 8pm (ET) and the third Friday of the month at 3pm (ET).
Seo an ceangal: | Here’s the link:
5. SPLANG!: Gàidhlig ann an Ceanndachaidh (buidheann Leabhar nan Aodann) | SPLANG!: Scottish Gaelic in Kentucky (the Facebook group)
Seo buidheann air Leabhar nan Aodann leis an aon amas a th’ aig an làrach-lìn seo. Tha e ri sìreach air Leabhar nan Aodann fon ainm ‘SPLANG!: Gàidhlig ann an Ceanndachaidh’. | This is a Facebook group with the same goal this website has. It’s searchable on Facebook under the name ‘SPLANG!: Gàidhlig ann an Ceanndachaidh’.
SPLANG! Gàidhlig ann an Ceanndachaidh | SPLANG! Scottish Gaelic in Kentucky 