Seachdain na Gàidhlig / World Gaelic Week

Torcull Macleod, Species on the Edge Youth Panel member, Outer Hebrides

‘I think therefore I am’.

An idea coined by Renè Descartes in the 17^th century where he affirms the one thing he can be absolutely sure of – he can think, therefore he must exist. This phrase translates quite well in other languages: in German, ‘Ich denke also bin ich’; in Descartes’s mother tongue of French, ‘je pense, donc je suis’; and of course, very concisely into Latin as, ‘cognito, ergo sum’.

However, when you try to translate it into Gaelic you may run into some trouble. It can be done, in many ways in fact, but you may struggle to make a succinct turn of phrase that will roll off the tongue. As part of Seachdain na Gàidhlig’s, ‘Say A Gaelic Phrase Day’, try come up with a neat translation to Gaelic that covers this famous phrase. Maybe you know of a phrase already that expresses this idea.

That is not to say that Gaelic isn’t good for phrases and expressions, in fact the opposite! In a Gaelic conversation with your shen you’ll hear many interesting expressions that carry across experience, knowledge, and even wisdom but that do not always translate easily into English.

A phrase that you will hear very often in Gaelic, ‘mo chreach sa thàinig!’, sounds very natural to a Gael’s ears but as soon as you translate it into English, ‘my destruction has come!’, it sounds over the top and cataclysmic. Can you think of other things we say in Gaelic that sound strange when put into English?

Here are a few of the sayings you can find in ‘Gaelic Proverbs’ by Babi Nic Leòid published by Club Leabhar in 1973:

• ‘Chuala mi chuthag gun bhiadh ‘nam bhroinn;
• Chunnaic mi ‘s searrach is a chùl rium;
• Chunnaic mi ‘n t-seileicheag air an leac lom;
• Dh’aithnich mi nach rachadh a’ bhliadhna ud leam.’

• I heard the cuckoo on an empty stomach;
• I saw a foal with its back to me;
• I saw a snail on a bare slab;
• I realised the year would not go well for me.

‘Bheir am feasgar dhachaidh gach duine is ainmhìdh.’

• The evening brings home each man and beast.

‘Tha itean bòidheach air na h-eòin fad às’

• Birds that are from faraway places have pretty feathers.

The book is a great resource to look at if you want to build an understanding of how the Gael thinks about things, particularly nature. You will find an endless number of phrases relating to nature and the relationship between mankind and animals. Take care with the translations though – as we can see, when translated the phrases can lose their rhythm and some of the meanings can become unclear. What meaning do you take away from the first proverb above?

Note the cuckoo in the first line. It gets its name from its call. Gaelic is filled with onomatopoeias that aren’t used in English such as ‘brag’ (used where English speakers might use plosive words like pop, bang, clang, etc) and ‘srac’ (the ripping of cloth or other material). Can you think of any creatures in Gaelic that are named after the noise they make (like the cuckoo in English)? Onomatopoeias show an overlap of languages across the world, with sometimes unexpected commonality. But language can demonstrate surprising cultural differences as well, particularly with respect to colour – the Ancient Greeks called the colour of the sky bronze and in Gaelic we traditionally refer to the grass as blue!

Folk knowledge and ideas can be carried forward through the centuries by the use of similes in common language. A common Gaelic phrase is, ‘cho gorach ri’ na faolieagan!’, translating to ‘as silly/stupid as the seagulls!’ But where did the idea that seagulls were stupid or silly originate from? What others have you heard? Keep in mind that a simile is not quite the same as a saying.

Returning to Descartes, Gaelic also has phrases that relate to philosophy and science. Take the Gaelic phrase as an example, ‘Cha tig às a’ phoit ach an toit a thèid innte.’ - nothing comes out of the pot except what you put into it. Clearly some clever Gaels were early pioneers of the conservation of mass and energy!

Looking ahead to this year, a new group of young pioneers from across Scotland will be delving into the first year of Species on the Edge’s Youth Panel. The panel was created to bring young people together from across the country to focus on and improve the future of vulnerable species found in their local areas.

The panel also aims to help build a better understanding of the target species through collaboration with other groups and individuals, and through the sharing of knowledge on species conservation.

Another aim of the panel is to empower people to feel a closer connection to the wildlife in their communities. The panel will be exploring several different ways of doing this, but what better way to get started than exploring the relationship between different Gaelic dialects and wildlife this World Gaelic Week?

‘Buthaid’ is likely the word you would hear the most when talking about a puffin, but there are many other phrases for this coastal bird. In Mull, you will find the word, ‘faicheach’ or ‘seumas-ruadh’. In Sutherland, you may find, ‘eun-breac’, or in Skye, ‘eun-giùirne’ and there is no doubt that there are many more words throughout the Gàidhealtachd used to name a puffin. Breaking down these words gives an idea of what aspects of the animal different communities focused on; ‘eun-breac’ means ‘speckled/spotted bird’ and ‘seumas-ruadh’ means ‘red/ginger Seumas’.

This is just an example of one species, but you will find a similar variation of words used for other animals and plants. Have a look at the list of Species on the Edge priority species that are found in your area and ask a member of your community what Gaelic word they use to describe the species. Ask a grandparent or older neighbour and there will no doubt be a story and a new phrase for you that goes with it. ‘S iomadh rud a chì duine tha fada beò!