Bilingual transcription: Alba Nuadh

PÀDRAIG: Càit an robh thusa an-diugh?

Where were you today?

MÌCHEAL: Tha mi duilich. Bha mi trang anns an oifis, agus bha mo cho-ogha air a fòn à Ceap Breatainn. Tha i a’ dèanamh fiughair ri d’fhaicinn nuair a thèid thu a-null gu Alba Nuadh.

I’m sorry. I was busy in the office, and my cousin was on the phone from Cape Breton. She’s really looking forward to seeing you when you go over to Nova Scotia.

PÀDRAIG: Tha mi air a bhith air bhioran bhon a chuala mi gum bi mi a’ dol a-null còmhla ri sgioba a’ chùrsa chiùil.

I’ve been so excited since I heard I will be going over with the music course team.

MÌCHEAL: Bidh Ceap Breatainn glè thrang le luchd-turais anns an Iuchar.

Cape Breton will be very busy with tourists in July.

PÀDRAIG: Bidh sinn air tìr-mòr Alba Nuadh airson dà latha, ann am Baile Phiogto agus Antigonish, no Am Baile Mòr, agus an uair sin siùbhlaidh sinn gu Ceap Breatainn.

We’ll be on the mainland of Nova Scotia for two days, in Pictou and Antigonish, or the Big Town, and then we will travel to Cape Breton.

MÌCHEAL: Am bi sibh a’ fuireach anns an aon àite?

Will you be staying in the one place?

PÀDRAIG: Bidh sinn a’ fuireach ann am Mabou agus a’ siubhal air feadh an eilein.

We’ll be staying in Mabou and traveling all over the island.

MÌCHEAL: Chaidh bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig fhosgladh ann am Mabou, sin a’ chiad tè ann an Canada.

A Gaelic primary school opened in Mabou, the first one in Canada.

PÀDRAIG: Tha Colaiste Ghàidhlig ann an Ceap Breatainn cuideachd, nach eil?

There’s a Gaelic college in Cape Breton as well, isn’t there?

MÌCHEAL: Tha! Bidh cùrsaichean agus cèilidhean gu leòr an sin. Tha i ann am Bàgh Naomh Anna, mu uair a thìde ann an càr à Mabou. Siùbhlaidh sibh tro Hogamagh agus Badaig.

Yes! There will be plenty of courses and ceilidhs there. It’s in St Anns, about an hour by car from Mabou. You’ll travel through Whycocomagh and Baddeck.

PÀDRAIG: Tha na h-ainmean àite iongantach.

The place names are incredible.

MÌCHEAL: Chaidh àiteachan ainmeachadh le na Gàidheil a chaidh a-null às dèidh nam Fuadaichean agus cuid le Frangaich is Èireannaich, ach gu h-àraidh leis na Tùsanaich, na Mi’kmaqaich. Nuair a chaidh na Gàidheil fhuadach, chaidh mòran a-null thar chuan gu Canada. Chaidh a’ Ghàidhlig agus cuid de dh’ainmean àite a-null dhan an dùthaich ùràs an t-seann dùthaich.

Places were named by Gaels who went over after the Clearances and others named by French and Irish settlers, but particularly by native people. When the Gaels were cleared, many crossed the ocean to Canada. Gaelic and some of the place names went with them to the new country from the old country.

PÀDRAIG: An t-seann dùthaich. Is toil leam sin.

The old country. I like that.

MÌCHEAL: Sin a their mòran ri Alba, ged nach robh iad a-riamh ann! Stèidhich muinntir na seann dùthcha coimhearsnachdan a rèir ’s cò às a dh’fhalbh iad. mar Lèic Uibhist agus Gleann nan Sgitheanach. Chùm iad na dual-chainntean aca cuideachd.

That’s what many call Scotland, although they’ve never been there! Those who came from the old country established communities depending on where they had left from like Lake Uist and the Glen of the Skyemen. They kept their dialects as well.

PÀDRAIG: A bheil e mar sin an-diugh?

Is it like that today?

MÌCHEAL: ’S e na seann daoine gu h-àraidh a bha a’ cumail nan dual-chainntean beò. Tha òigridh a’ bruidhinn Gàidhlig ge-tà, agus tha iad a’ cumail a’ chiùil a’ dol.

It was the older people in particular who kept the dialects alive. Young people speak Gaelic though, and they’re keeping the music going.

PÀDRAIG: (le gàire) Chan eil mòran a’ cluich a’ bhogsa thall an sin. ’S fheàrr leotha fidheall is piàna. Bheir mi leam am meur-chlàr agus am bogsa.

(with a smile) There aren’t many box players over there. They prefer the fiddle and the piano. I’ll take the keyboard and the accordion with me.

MÌCHEAL: Dè mu na brògan dannsaidh agad? Tha muinntir Cheap Breatainn uabhasach measail air dannsa, gu h-àraidh dannsa ceum!

What about your dancing shoes? The Cape Bretons are very keen dancers, especially step dancing.

PÀDRAIG: Cuimhnich nach dèan mise ach Schottische!

I can only do a Schottische!

MÌCHEAL: Tha e dìreach mìorbhaileach gu bheil daoine a-null ’s a-nall eadar Alba agus Alba Nuadh. Agus cò aige tha fios nach till thu dhachaigh dhan “t-seann dùthaich” nad shàr dhannsair!

It’s fantastic that people go back and fore between Scotland and Nova Scotia. And who knows, you might even return to the old country as a pro dancer!