Watch this clip where Joy gives us some of her useful tips and favourite phrases.
JOY
You’ll have heard A’ Ghàidhealtachd, the Highlands, a’ Ghàidhealtachd mentioned in our programmes on a number of occasions now. But what defines it? Well, a’ Ghàidhealtachd brings together at least two elements:
It’s where Gaelic is spoken and includes all of the Hebrides. It’s also the geographical area of the Highlands, defined broadly by the Highland Boundary Fault Line between Baile Eilidh, Helensburgh, Baile Eilidh and Sròn na h–Abhainne, Stonehaven, Sròn na h–Abhainne.
All of mainland Scotland south and east of that Highland line is considered to be A’ Ghalltachd, the Lowlands, a’ Ghalltachd, encompassing the Central Lowlands and the Southern Uplands.
A’ Ghalltachd can also refer culturally to Lowland Scotland, where the Scots language is spoken. And in Gaelic, we call the Scots language A’ Bheurla Ghallta, a’ Bheurla Ghallta. But you’ll also hear Albais, Albais used.
When we talk about a’ Ghàidhealtachd, or a’ Ghalltachd, we use air to say where we are:
air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, on or in the Highlands, air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, and air a’ Ghalltachd, on or in the Lowlands, air a’ Ghalltachd.
Although air is usually used to mean on, in this instance it means you’re in the Highlands or the Lowlands.
Many of the placenames air a’ Ghalltachd had their roots in Gaelic originally, because Gaelic was also spoken in these areas in the not–too–distant past. Nise, tha iomadh sgeul air cùlaibh eachdraidh nan Gàidheal, the history of the Gaels, eachdraidh nan Gàidheal.
For a number of reasons, including the Clearances, economic survival and education; imrich, migration, imrich has been a feature of Highland life for centuries.
Because many Gaels continue to live air a’ Ghalltachd, mainly in the big cities of Dùn Èideann and Glaschu, they are considered to be Gàidheil a’ Bhaile–mhòir, City Gaels or Gaels of the city, Gàidheil a’ Bhaile–mhòir.
And we often refer to Glaschu as Baile–mòr nan Gàidheal. The large town of the Gael, Baile–mòr nan Gàidheal.
Agus tha sinn a’ dol a thadhal air Baile–mòr nan Gàidheal anns an ath chòmhradh. Saoil an aithnich sibh cuid de na faclan is na h–abairtean a nochdas?