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A' Ghàidhlig ann an Canada

Gaelic in Canada

Though the Gaels left Scotland for places all over the world at the time of the Highland Clearances, many of them went to Canada.

At the time, Gaelic was the third biggest language in Canada, after English and French.

It was to Alba Nuadh (Nova Scotia) that most of the Gaels went and Gaelic is still spoken there today.

MÒR-ROINNEAN CHANADA

PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES OF CANADA

Nunabhut

Nunavut

Iucon

Yukon

Talamh An Èisg is Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador

Roinnean An Iar-Thuath

Northwest Territories

Coluimbia Bhreatannach

British Columbia

Manitòba

Manitoba

Cuibèic

Quebec

Ontario

Ontario

Ailbearta

Alberta

Eilean Eòin no Eilean A’ Phrionnsa

Prince Edward Island

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan

Alba Nuadh

Nova Scotia

Bronsuic Ùr

New Brunswick

Gaelic in Canada is still very like Gaelic in Scotland, and you will still hear the different dialects that the Scottish Gaels took with them.

But they have particular words that you will not hear too/very often in Scotland.

stòr (m)

store ‘bùth’

còbh (m)

cove

pòn (m)

pond, loch

dolar (m)

dollar

seant (m)

cent

mogan (m)

moccasin

cucaidh (m)

cookie ‘briosgaid’

cuimseach (adj)

accurate, fair

malpais (f)

maple

tùsanach (m)

indigenous person

In Scotland, we hear people talking about GOC (Gaelic Orthographic Conventions).

That is the guidance which the SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) created on how we should spell Gaelic.

You can find the Gaelic version here and the English version here.

In Canada, they didn’t follow the GOC system, and so we still see the seann dòighean litreachaidh (old spelling conventions).

In Scotland the stràcan (accents) are all trom (grave), but in Canada we still see stràcan geur (acute accents), for example: mór instead of mòr, céilidh instead of cèilidh.

DÈ DO BHEACHD? | WHAT DO YOU THINK?

An deach thusa a-riamh a Chanada?

Have you ever been to Canada?

Ma chaidh, càit an deach thu?

If you have, where did you go?

An cuala tu a’ Ghàidhlig an sin?

Did you hear Gaelic there?