Gaelic, who ‘guards’ it?

[Wapping]

One question for those who know, please.

Places in Ireland are displayed in Gaelic and English. Some locations are ‘modern’ in the sense of a trade or activity that wouldn’t have been conceived of when Gaelic was the de facto language. Who translates the words and records them as ‘official’?

I ask only as I saw a programme which detailed the work that goes into translating the Pope’s addresses into Latin. This involved the translation of words like ‘helicopter’, ‘motorcycle’, and (as a wild one) ‘chewing gum’.

I assume there is a body that ‘guards’ and ‘modernises’ (or opposes modernisation) Gaelic? The French have one for French, for sure.

 

[glenn2926]

One question for those who know, please.

Places in Ireland are displayed in Gaelic and English. Some locations are ‘modern’ in the sense of a trade or activity that wouldn’t have been conceived of when Gaelic was the de facto language. Who translates the words and records them as ‘official’?

I ask only as I saw a programme which detailed the work that goes into translating the Pope’s addresses into Latin. This involved the translation of words like ‘helicopter’, ‘motorcycle’, and (as a wild one) ‘chewing gum’.

I assume there is a body that ‘guards’ and ‘modernises’ (or opposes modernisation) Gaelic? The French have one for French, for sure.

I seem to remember that the Welsh had a similar problem when trying to make a word for ambulance. The same for microwave ovens, popty ping!! Jelly fish, piscod wibbly wobbly

 

[Mzokk]

téarma.ie

An Bunachar Náisiúnta Téarmaíochta don Ghaeilge · The National Terminology Database for Irish

www.tearma.ie

 

[Mzokk]

I'd say like all languages it will develop over time..........after all English....a Germanic Language is 1/3 french

 

[EPG_19]

I seem to remember that the Welsh had a similar problem when trying to make a word for ambulance. The same for microwave ovens, popty ping!! Jelly fish, piscod wibbly wobbly

The Welsh for microwave is Meicrodon

Popty ping is pinging oven

The Welsh for jelly fish is slefren fôr or some use cont y môr

 

[HxH]

In Scotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the principal public Board body in Scotland responsible for promoting Gaelic development. Goidelic Celtic language of Scotland.
Gaelic is still an active language, still being taught in some schools too. As for modern words for signage, it's an old language spoken and no new words being added or spoken, but rather English wording added to make coherent Gaelic sentences.
Some signs may only have an English wording due to the Gaelic wording being too long for the signage.

 

[Mzokk]

In Scotland, Goidelic Celtic language of Scotland, Gaelic is still an active language, still being taught in some schools too. As for modern words for signage, it's an old language spoken and no new words being added or spoken, but rather English wording added to make coherent Gaelic sentences.

I was watching old films made in the 50's and 60's by Fyfe Robertson and he was talking about primary school children going to (Barra i think) from outlying Islands and the first thing they had to do was teach them English. I think its in here somewhere.

 

[HxH]

Fyfe Robertson, was a brilliant journalist of his time, sadly missed.
My Grandfather, Merchant Naval Sea Captain, or a Master Mariner and his forefathers where all from the Outer Hebrides, mainly North Uist.
My father and his sister both born In Glasgow, in 1919 and 1916, had to move to live with an Aunt in North Uist after their mother passed away.
The aunt a spinster did not speak very much English, very strict and they both soon had to learn to speak Gaelic or be punished with a mouthful of Caster oil, usual punishment in those days.
Growing up must have hard for them both, place with strange accents, and stranger people with very religious ways, far from the back streets of Glasgow.
Myself born and raised in Aberdeen, used to listen to my father curse my older wicked brother out in Gaelic so we did not understand or repeat it afterwards.
Up here in Aberdeen, I recall being punished in school for talking Doric words, widely spoken to this day here and in the North east, that was back in the late 50's early 60's.
Barra ( Barr'ai ) still teach Gaelic as well as English to this day, with smaller school classes leading to a good education. Most older children, being sent to Portree high school, a boarding school, on a very far off Isle of Skye for an Outer Hebridien islander.
Much has changed over the decades since, and now the children have the internet and the whole world to explore daily.

 

[gspod]

The Irish speak Irish, the Scottish speak Scottish Gaelic. I’m not trying to be pedantic but when I worked with Connemara lads, in the early 80s, whose first language was Irish (indeed a few had no English) they were very particular about this.
In many ways it’s similar to saying that the English speak Germanic.

 

[glenn2926]

The Irish speak Irish, the Scottish speak Scottish Gaelic. I’m not trying to be pedantic but when I worked with Connemara lads, in the early 80s, whose first language was Irish (indeed a few had no English) they were very particular about this.
In many ways it’s similar to saying that the English speak Germanic.

I do wonder if the Scots, the Irish and the Welsh Gaelic speakers can understand each other. Anyone with actual knowledge care to comment?

 

[LOLGEOFF]

In Scotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the principal public Board body in Scotland responsible for promoting Gaelic development. Goidelic Celtic language of Scotland.
Gaelic is still an active language, still being taught in some schools too. As for modern words for signage, it's an old language spoken and no new words being added or spoken, but rather English wording added to make coherent Gaelic sentences.
Some signs may only have an English wording due to the Gaelic wording being too long for the signage.

I suppose a bit like Hindi or Urdu? I find it funny when you hear them speaking to each other at nineteen to the dozen with a fair smattering of perfectly pronounced English words.

 

[Chieftain]

One question for those who know, please.

Places in Ireland are displayed in Gaelic and English. Some locations are ‘modern’ in the sense of a trade or activity that wouldn’t have been conceived of when Gaelic was the de facto language. Who translates the words and records them as ‘official’?

I ask only as I saw a programme which detailed the work that goes into translating the Pope’s addresses into Latin. This involved the translation of words like ‘helicopter’, ‘motorcycle’, and (as a wild one) ‘chewing gum’.

I assume there is a body that ‘guards’ and ‘modernises’ (or opposes modernisation) Gaelic? The French have one for French, for sure.

It’s a complicated question.
The Irish language is the official language of the Republic, this is enshrined in the 1937 Constitution.
First of all this body is responsible for ensuring the government lives up to its responsibilities regarding the Irish language https://www.coimisineir.ie/?lang=EN
As the Irish language has a number of different dialects, an official standard was established in 1958.
This is the Irish taught in schools
You are absolutely right in relation to modern words. The official standard word for bicycle is rothar.
You’ll never hear that in Conamara, it will be incorporated into Irish speech as bicycle. And as the possessive case is softened, my bicycle is translated as mo bhicycle pronounced muh whysickle.
It was good to meet you on Friday evening.

 

[Mzokk]

Fyfe Robertson, was a brilliant journalist of his time, sadly missed.
My Grandfather, Merchant Naval Sea Captain, or a Master Mariner and his forefathers where all from the Outer Hebrides, mainly North Uist.
My father and his sister both born In Glasgow, in 1919 and 1916, had to move to live with an Aunt in North Uist after their mother passed away.
The aunt a spinster did not speak very much English, very strict and they both soon had to learn to speak Gaelic or be punished with a mouthful of Caster oil, usual punishment in those days.
Growing up must have hard for them both, place with strange accents, and stranger people with very religious ways, far from the back streets of Glasgow.
Myself born and raised in Aberdeen, used to listen to my father curse my older wicked brother out in Gaelic so we did not understand or repeat it afterwards.
Up here in Aberdeen, I recall being punished in school for talking Doric words, widely spoken to this day here and in the North east, that was back in the late 50's early 60's.
Barra ( Barr'ai ) still teach Gaelic as well as English to this day, with smaller school classes leading to a good education. Most older children, being sent to Portree high school, a boarding school, on a very far off Isle of Skye for an Outer Hebridien islander.
Much has changed over the decades since, and now the children have the internet and the whole world to explore daily.

Many of those Doric words and Irish words persist in this part of the world as "Ulster Scots". Hoose', 'moose' and 'coo, going for a dander (walk). It's a dreich day here (that's why I'm avoiding household chores). Being thran........ mixed in with Irish words like sheugh, brogue, sheebeen, hooligan, and slew.

Funny watching Skandi Noir TV and hearing Braw and Bairn in their original contexts.

 

[Mzokk]

I do wonder if the Scots, the Irish and the Welsh Gaelic speakers can understand each other. Anyone with actual knowledge care to comment?

I believe that Irish speakers in Donegal and the west of Scotland can understand each other (I'm no expert) but Welsh is not mutually intelligible. I think that Cornish and Breton speakers can understand each other??......but could be wrong.

 

[glenn2926]

Many of those Doric words and Irish words persist in this part of the world as "Ulster Scots". Hoose', 'moose' and 'coo, going for a dander (walk). It's a dreich day here (that's why I'm avoiding household chores). Being thran........ mixed in with Irish words like sheugh, brogue, sheebeen, hooligan, and slew.

Funny watching Skandi Noir TV and hearing Braw and Bairn in their original contexts.

I’m not sure Bairn is a Gaelic word. It’s used commonly in many parts of Yorkshire and whilst riding through a very small village in Norway there was a hand written sign warning of Bairns Lecking. This again is a common phrase used in many parts of Yorkshire.

 

[Mzokk]

I’m not sure Bairn is a Gaelic word. It’s used commonly in many parts of Yorkshire and whilst riding through a very small village in Norway there was a hand written sign warning of Bairns Lecking. This again is a common phrase used in many parts of Yorkshire.

No they are Doric words of Scandinavian origin.

 

[glenn2926]

No they are Doric words of Scandinavian origin.

Ahh, thanks for clearing that up. We seem to use a lot of Doric words here in Yorkshire. It was quite surreal seeing signs in Norway and knowing what they mean.

 

[gspod]

I do wonder if the Scots, the Irish and the Welsh Gaelic speakers can understand each other. Anyone with actual knowledge care to comment?

Welsh is not a Gaelic language.
Scottish, Manx, Irish, Cornish, Bretton and possibly Galician.
I was in Brittany this summer - be interesting to know how similar the language is. There was a program about some Irish speakers who rowed to Galicia - I must watch it again.

 

[HxH]

Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic are not the same; they are distinct languages that share a common ancestry. While they have similarities in vocabulary and grammar, they differ significantly in pronunciation, spelling, and some aspects of usage.
Interesting fact, the most common used Gaelic phrases and wording are best used by those that live and still speak Gaelic in Nova Scotia, in the America's,.
Many Scots felt abandoned by those that had to travel too far off places such as these, more words commonly used from that times lost forever, to those home bound back in, and on the Scottish isles.
Like dialects such as Doric is to normal Scots wordings, and sayings, Gaelic too has slight differences from one island to another.

 

[glenn2926]

I believe the Welsh are the only true descendants of the English people. Slowly driven west by the influx of the Saxons and the Vikings. So to that end is Welsh really old English?