Scottish Gaelic

Spoken in

• Indo-European languages Celtic languages Goidelic languages Scottish Gaelic

Gd

Gla

Gla

The Scottish Gaelic language ( Gàidhlig / ɡa ː l ʲ iɡ ʲ /, outdated and " Ersisch " ) is one of the Celtic languages ​​and is spoken in parts of Scotland, particularly on islands of the inner and outer Hebrides, in the West Highlands of Scotland and in Glasgow. Not all speakers, especially in Glasgow, however, are native or Erstsprecher, virtually all also master English.

The language belongs to the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages ​​island and is closely related to the Irish and Manx. The close relationship with the Irish language is explained by the immigration of Scots from Ireland to Scotland in the 4th century.

Scottish Gaelic should not be confused with the Scots, which has evolved from the Anglo-Saxon and therefore one of the Germanic languages. The obsolete term " Ersisch " refers to the fact that the Scottish Gaelic was called at least to the 17th century even by native speakers (eg, by Martin Martin) as " Irish ". This was for the then Speaker close probably because the Irish served as a written language for the Scottish Gaelic up to this time. The name " Ersisch " (English Erse ) itself is a corruption of the word Irish.

• 5.1 A- màireach
• 5.2 Translation: In the morning

History

• Scottish Gaelic
• Scots
• Norn

Around the 4th century Irish-speaking population groups, mainly from the little kingdom of Dál Riata in the north of Ireland are, emigrated to nearby Scotland and have settled there permanently. For centuries there were two small kingdoms of this name, one in Ireland and one in Scotland. Although the immigrants were able to capture the vast majority of the Scottish territory, but Scotland has been in its history never fully irish or gälischsprachig.

The cultural ties to Ireland remained very close to the 17th century. Throughout the Middle Ages the Irish largely standardized written language was used. The first evidence for independent development of the Scottish Gaelic are (probably 10th century ) included in the Book of Deer. From the irregular orthography are shown some evidence of an independent Scottish pronunciation. However, it can not be safely assumed that by this time by an independent language can speak. At this time the Scottish Gaelic probably merely forms a dialect of Irish. Only the so-called Leabhar Deathan Lios Moir ( Book of the Dean of Lismore ) from the early 16th century provides a secure document is that the Scottish has from the Irish Gaelic extent that two closely related but distinct languages ​​exist. This manuscript collection contains passages in Scottish Gaelic, which are written in an orthography which are heavily oriented to the former pronunciation of the Scots. This quasi "external" view of the language is direct insights arise in the pronunciation of the time, which would not be possible when using the common orthography. It is now generally assumed that the linguistic separation of the Scottish started by the Irish from the 10th to the 12th century, from a stand-alone language can be but only from the 14th or 15th century the speech.

While the Scottish Gaelic was ousted from the southern and eastern areas of Scotland in the 17th and 18th centuries, put the Anglicization in the Western Highlands one in the 19th and 20th centuries. This pushing back the ancestral language was mainly caused by external influences, starting with the collapse of the clan society after 1745 and particularly strengthened after the introduction of compulsory education in 1872 with the exclusive use of the English language ( the use of Gaelic in the classroom or on the school grounds was often punished ).

Today's distribution

The number of speakers is, according to the census of 2011 about 58,000 people. That's about 1.1 percent of the population of Scotland ( 1.1 % of the population that are older than 3 years). As a daily colloquial language is predominantly Gaelic in the Outer Hebrides ( Western Isles / Na h- Eileanan Siar ) used by about 75 % of the residents. Since the Gaelic Language Act 2005 Gaelic is officially used there also in the public language of the community ( Comhairle nan Eilean Siar ). The highest proportion of Gaelic-speakers there are in Barvas on Lewis, about 76 % of residents use the language. On the mainland, the north-west coast of the Highlands Gaelic is in any community used by more than about 25 % of the population. Most speakers live in Lochalsh in the Highlands. In Glasgow ( schott Gael. Glaschu, Ausspr. [ Glasəxu ] ), there is a city relatively many speakers of Gaelic. There also exists a Gaelic-speaking school (consisting of nursery and primary school and secondary school) Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu with about 630 students in the Woodside since 2006, it has taken on the task of promoting the Gaelic language even among the younger generation. All subjects are taught through Gaelic. English is only one subject. Since 2013 there is also a Gaelic-speaking primary school in the Scottish capital Edinburgh Federal sgoil Taobh na Pairce with about 230 students in the Bonnington Road. In addition to a handful of truly bilingual primary schools in the Outer Hebrides Gaelic in the classroom is mainly used in so-called Gaelic -medium units ( GMU ) to 61 primary schools with nearly 2,000 students (as of 2005). Of these schools, 25 were in the Western Isles, 18 in Highland and 6 in Argyll and Bute. The age structure and therefore the prognosis for the future of the language is still more unfavorable, since it is usually only used by people over 40 years in daily use. Nevertheless, there have been successful attempts to cultivate the Gaelic; it is from the BBC and Scottish Television regularly a Gaelic program (culture, children's programs, etc.) broadcast with English subtitles. Furthermore, the BBC maintains a gälischsprachiges radio program Radio nan Gaidheal. In Stornoway on Lewis the Grampian Television also radiates Gaelic broadcasts. The BBC launched 19 September 2008 the channel BBC Alba, which can be seen via satellite television in Scotland. The transmission via Freeview (DVB -T) and cable TV is planned. The daily news broadcast on Là ( The day ) can be received in the Internet world.

Percentage of Gaelic-speakers by age, Scotland, 2001 and 2011

The number of Gaelic speakers is only slightly decreased. It is positive that the proportion of speakers has risen less than 20 years. The numbers of speakers have stabilized in the last ten years hence.

All the speakers of Gaelic are bilingual ( with English ).

Despite the close relationship of the Irish speakers of the respective other language can not communicate with each other without any problems, which is why they are often forced, as a lingua franca to switch to English. Furthermore, a dialect of Scottish Gaelic, the Canadian Gaelic in Nova Scotia ( Cape Breton Island ) in Canada is spoken according to conservative estimates of about 500 to 1000 predominantly elderly.

Special features of the language

Among the peculiarities of the Scottish Gaelic language are similar to other Celtic languages ​​, particularly the Irish and Manx, including the lenition (such as " softening " ), the nasalization and the word order ( verb-subject - object). Questions are formed by certain interrogative particle. Similarly as in some northern European languages ​​voiceless plosives are präaspiriert ( vorbehaucht ): tapadh leat - ( " thank you " ): / l ʲ taxpa aet /

Lenition:

Grammar

The Scottish Gaelic is syntactically simpler than its direct precursor, the Old Irish. The syntax follows the pattern PSO, not as in English SPO. A key feature is the lenition, which is used eg for the formation of the Präteritalformen, the case or to illustrate the gender and plural formation.

Examples:

Unlike in most Indo-European languages ​​, a verbal noun takes over many tasks of the absence of the infinitive. A peculiarity is also the habitual concept for activities that recur regularly or general facts represent ( " the earth is round ", " she goes to work every day ").

Phonology

First 18 letters ( graphemes ) by pressing Graphemkombinationen 88 sounds (phonemes ) of:

The grapheme / bh / in the word inside can be dumb as in " Leabhar " (Book) - / ljioar /. The grapheme / fh / is mostly silent as in " Gle fhuar " (very cold). The grapheme / mh / sounds somewhat nasal as / bh /.

2 lenition (softening, one of the Anlautmutationen ) changed plosives (b, p, t), nasals (m) and fricatives ( f, s ): The Anlautmutation occurs, for example, after the possessive pronoun "mo" (my ) on.

3 In Irish, still recognizable nasalization exists only as an echo, eg on còmhnaidh [ ən ɡɔ ː ni ː ] instead of [ ən kɔ ː ni ː ] ʲ ɡ

4 voiceless plosives (p, t, c (k)) experienced in most Scottish dialects a Präaspiration ( tapadh: [ ta ʰ pə ]); on Arran, on the North Sea coast and in other dialects, however, this Präaspiration missing. As a result, there are a number of pronunciation variants: [hp, ht, hk ], [ xp, xt, xk ] (Lewis), [ p, t, xk ], [hp, ht, xk ].

5 Some sounds (phonemes ) are not common in German. Example: ao [ ɯ ] or dh / gh [ ɣ ], [ χ ]

6 Scottish Gaelic spelling is more conservative than the Irish, which has repaid some dumb graphemes to simplify: Scottish: " latha " (Day ) / la :/; Irish " la " (Day ) / la :/.

7 The emphasis in Scottish Gaelic on the first syllable, for example Alba (Scotland ) Gàidhlig (Gaelic), in words of English origin emphasizing the language of origin is often assumed, for example giotàr (guitar), piano ( piano).

Verbs

There is no infinitive; not finite verb forms are: verbal noun, participle and imperative. Verbs are determined by person / number (only in the subjunctive ), mode ( indicative / subjunctive ), genus Verbi ( Active / Passive) and tense; to exist alongside an independent and a dependent verb form (the latter, however, is different from the former only irregular verbs ).

"To be" The verb

There are "his" two forms of the verb: the verb substantive ( verbal noun, activity noun ) "bi" and the copula ( dependent form ) "is". The conjugated form of the verb "bi" is " tha " in the present tense ( verbal noun ) in declarative sentences and " bheil " in interrogative sentences. The dependent form ( copula "is" ) is used in negative sentences ( at, cha, chan, after )!

The verb noun or verbal noun is used for characterization of a noun by adjectives and phrases: "X is ... " ( happy, tired, lazy) Tha Tom toilichte. Tha i sgith. Tha thu leisg.

The copula is used to identify and define, connecting two nouns: " X is a Y " Is mise Tom (I'm Tom), 'S e (Is e) Gearmailteach a th'ann. ( He is German ). It is often abbreviated as ' s.

The affirmation and negation of verbs

The verb is used as the answer in yes / no questions by being repeated in the positive or negative form. If the question is introduced by a derived from the verb "bi " From such a form of this verb is used for the response.

Tempora

• Own verbs for past tense, future tense, (only for verb noun) present tense, subjunctive in these times, passive in these times, Relativfutur and impersonal form
• All other times are assembled: Perfect, Pluperfect, Future II
• Present tense is expressed by Progressive ( progressive form ): "X is at swimming" ( Tha X a ' snàmh, Literally: If X in swimming).

Nouns

• Nouns are determined by 4 case: nominative ( accusative is identical), genitive, dative and vocative and by two genera: masculine and feminine.
• Genitive and dative forms of some nouns and adjectives are formed by Vokalumlautung word in interior: old - uilt, clann - cloinn (s), gorm - guirm.

Adjectives

• With few exceptions, the adjective is placed after the noun it describes.

• A small number of adjectives is, however, before the noun and lenited this:

Präpositionalpronomen

• Many prepositions have not only a simple form with personal pronouns / possessives fused forms: ann ( at ) annam ( in me), nam (in my ).

Figures 1-10

The particle "a" is before the numeral, unless it is used in combination with a noun. The numerals 1 and 2 cause lenition ( aspiration ) of the noun and the Singuluarform is used for the plural. Feminine nouns have a dual form, the last consonant slim ( slender ) is: dà chois, but " aon chas " and "Tri Casan "!

The numbers 11-1000000

For some time there in the numbers from 20 to 99, two systems side by side: a relatively modern decimal system ( decimal ) and a traditional twenties System ( vigesimal ). At school, however, usually the decimal system is now taught and used. For over twenty Numerals usually the vigesimal system is used especially to dates or data. For numbers 21-39 of Singuluar of the noun is used. The noun precedes the numeral " fichead " (twenty): "Two cats to twenty " ( = 22); " A cat ten to twenty " ( = 31); two (times) twenty cats and a ( = 41 ) or " four (times) twenty thousand - four hundred - two (times) twenty and thirteen " ( = 80 453 )! Thousand is " Mile " and a million is " muillean ". In the decimal system, only the Singuluar of the noun is used in principle.

Nouns with number word vigesimal and decimal

• Next to cardinal numbers and ordinal number words for there own people from 1 to 10
• The Indo-European dual is still recognizable: on the word for "two" dà the dative singular follows in, if possible, lenierten form. (eg aon phiseag: a kitten; dà phiseig: two kittens; Trì piseagan: three kittens. )

Samples

A- màireach

Èiridh useful aig seachd uairean ' s a' mhadainn a- màireach agus gabhaidh meaningful air bracaist anns a ' chidsin. Ithidh mise agus ugh tost. Ithidh mo charaid at Duine agam hama agus ugh. ' S toil leamsa uighean ah cha toil leam hama. Òlaidh mi cofaidh bainne gun, gun siùcar agus òlaidh e tì làidir le bainne agus dà spàinn siùcar. Tha useful GLE shona seo! Tha e grianach agus on - diugh to latha Breagha! Tha makes a ' falbh anns a'sgoil a- màireach. Coimheadaidh useful air to tidsear Fhad ' sa sgrìobhas ise rudan air a' chlàr - dubh.

Translation: In the morning

We get up at seven clock in the morning and take a our breakfast in the kitchen. I eat eggs and toast. My friend eating some ham and egg. I love eggs, but I do not like ham. I drink coffee without milk, without sugar and he drinks strong tea with milk and two spoons of sugar. We are very happy here. It's sunny and a beautiful day today. We go in the morning to school. We see our teacher, who writes all the time about something in the class register.

Language code

The language code is GD ( ISO 639-1 ) or GLA ( ISO 639-2 ).