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Alba Nuadh

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Gàidhlig ann an Alba Nuadh

Gaelic in Nova Scotia

There is one other place outside of Scotland where Gaelic is still spoken in the community and that is Alba Nuadh in the east of Canada.

The Gaels from Scotland went [Gaels went from Scotland] to stay/live in Canada at the time of the (Highland) Clearances and they brought Gaelic and their dualchas Gàidhealach (Highland heritage and tradition/s) with them.

Usually, they stayed with their own people, the people who (had) left the same island or the same place in Scotland.

At one time, around 1850, there were almost 100,000 people in Nova Scotia who had Gaelic.

GÀIDHLIG ANN AN ALBA NUADH

GAELIC IN NOVA SCOTIA

Eilean A’ Phrionnsa no Eilean Eòin

(Saint) John’s Island

Bronsuic Ùr

New Brunswick

Talamh An Èisg | An Talamh Ùr

Newfoundland

Ceap Breatainn

Cape Breton

Baile Shidni

Sydney

Màbu | An Drochaid

Mabou

Antaiginis | Am Baile Mór

Antigonish

Alba Nuadh

Nova Scotia

Glaschu Ùr | Am Baile Beag

New Glasgow

Halafacs | An t-Àrd-bhaile

Halifax

Today, one person out of every three has Highland heritage, but there are only about 2000 who have/speak Gaelic now.

As is happening in Scotland now, new people are learning Gaelic in Canada.

The first Gaelic school outside of Scotland opened in Ceap Breatainn (Cape Breton) in 2021 and there is also the Gaelic College in Cape Breton.

The Gaels in Nova Scotia have kept alive some of the traditions that we had in Scotland, an fhroilig-luaidh (the milling/waulking frolic) agus dannsa-ceum (step-dancing), for example.

NAS CUMANTA ANN AN ALBA NUADHNAS CUMANTA ANN AN ALBA:
Dè an saoghal a th’ agad?Dè do chor? | Dè do bheò?
How’s it going? How’s life?How’s it going? How’s things with you?
A bheil deoch bhuat?A bheil thu ag iarraidh deoch?
Do you want a drink?Do you want a drink?
gàbhaidhuabhasach
dangerous, perilousterrible
cuimseachmeadhanach
accurate, fairmiddling
(a) theagamh‘s dòcha
perhapsperhaps

Why don’t you have a go at this task! If you have a Gaelic–speaking/learning friend, you could do this together. If you don’t—no problem—you can have double the fun!

Have a conversation or think about the things we have a-bhos an seo (over here) in Scotland and the things which they have thall ann an Canada (over in Canada). We’ve given you a couple to start you off.

A-bhos an seo an Alba tha tòrr sgoiltean Gàidhlig againn.

Here in Scotland we have lots of Gaelic schools

Thall ann an Canada tha tòrr iomairtean cultarach aca.

Over in Canada they have lots of cultural initiatives