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A’ Ghalltachd

B1
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Na h–ainmean–àite a tha mun cuairt oirnn

The placenames which are all around us

Let’s have a look at this discussion. By the end of this section, you will have learned some valuable phrases that you can use in lots of different conversations.

Thathas ag ràdh gun robh Gàidhlig ga bruidhinn air feadh na dùthcha aig aon àm. It’s said that Gaelic was spoken throughout the country at one time.
Tha fios ’am, ach nach eilear den bheachd eile nach eil sin fìor? I know, but isn’t there an opinion that that’s not true?
Tha an fhianais air feadh Alba agus ‘s e sin na h–ainmean–àite a tha mun cuairt oirnn, bho dheas gu tuath agus bhon iar don ear. The evidence is all over Scotland, and that is the placenames which are around us, from north to south and east to west.
An canadh tu gur e mòr–chànan a bhiodh anns a’ Ghàidhlig aig an àm sin? Would you say that Gaelic was a majority language at that time?
Chanainn gur e, ach aig a’ cheart àm, ‘s e dùthaich ioma–chànanach a bh’ ann an Alba. Bhathar a’ cluinntinn seann Lochlannais, Cuimbris (seann Chuimris) agus Seann Bheurla. I would [say], but at the same time, Scotland was a multilingual country [it was a multilingual country that Scotland was]. Old Norse, Cumbric (old Welsh) and Old English were heard.
Cuin a bha seo? An deicheamh linn AD? When was that, the tenth century AD?
Mun àm sin. Ach aig a’ cheart àm bha na h–ùghdarrasan rìoghail is poilitigeach a’ tionndadh air falbh bhon Ghàidhlig. Round about that time. But at the same time, royal and political authorities were turning away from Gaelic.
Tha pàirtean dhen Ghalltachd far an robh a’ Ghàidhlig na bu làidire, mar Siorrachd Àir, ach cha robh i cho làidir ann an àitichean mar Lodainn. There were places in the Lowlands where Gaelic was stronger, such as Ayrshire, but it wasn’t as strong in other parts of the Lowlands such as Lothian.
A’ dol air ais ann an eachdraidh, thachair sgaradh mòr eadar a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus a’ Ghalltachd, a’ tòiseachadh le Rìoghachd nan Eilean agus a’ leantainn tron Ath–leasachadh. Going back in history, a great split occurred between the Highlands and the Lowlands, starting with the Lordship of the Isles and following through the Reformation.
Agus thug na thachair às dèidh Aramach nan Seumasach agus àm nam Fuadaichean buaidh mhòr air a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus air a’ Ghàidhlig. And what happened after the Jacobite rebellion and the time of the Highland Clearances had a huge impact on the Highlands and on Gaelic.
Tha fios agam gu bheilear a’ sgrìobhadh mu dheidhinn ann an mòran leabhraichean mar a thàinig na sluaghan dhan Ghalltachd airson beatha ùr dhaibh pèin agus an cuid theaghlaichean. I know that it’s written about in many books how the hordes of people came to the Lowlands for a new life for themselves and their families.
Tha thu ceart an sin. Thug na tachartasan seo uile buaidh air a’ Ghàidhlig air feadh Alba, agus air a’ Ghàidhlig anns na h–àiteachan ris an can sinn a’ Ghalltachd san latha an–diugh. You’re right there. All these events had an impact on Gaelic throughout Scotland on Gaelic in these paces in what we call the Lowlands today.