Docent

By Simon

I came across an unfamiliar word today in a book I’m reading – docent. From the context I guessed it referred to someone who leads guided tours, but according to my English dictionary it means ‘(in the U.S.) a lecturer in some colleges and universities’, and it comes from the German word Dozent (associate professor, tutor, academic, lecturer), from the Latin docēns, from docēre (to teach).

According to Wikipedia, ‘Docent is a title at some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks below professor (i.e. professor ordinarius). Docent is also used at some universities generically for a person who has the right to teach.’ It is used as an academic title in universities in a number of European countries.

There are also museum docents, who guide and educate visitors to museums and other institutions, usually voluntarily.

Have you come across the word docent before? What are such people called, if they exist, in your country?

In the UK they are known as guides.

Ooylyn as smeir

By Simon

Tra va mee ersooyl yn çhiaghtyn shoh chaie huitt cooid vooar ooylyn neose voish y billey ooyl ayns my gharrey. Jea Ren mee cooidjaghey ny troaryn lhieggit shoh fy yerrey, as ren mee cooidhaghey smeir chammah, as ren mee broit ad ry-cheilley lesh beggan dy vill. Ta mee gee y mestey-vestey ard-vlastal shoh ry dagh lhonghey. S’mie lhiam dy feer yn imbagh shoh jeh’n vlein er yn oyr dy vel ram mess seyr ry-gheddyn.

While I was away quite a few apples from the apple tree in my garden fell down. Yesterday I finally gathered up these windfalls, and also picked some blackberries, and I stewed them together with a little honey. I’m eating this delicious concoction with every meal. I really like this time of year because there is so much free fruit about.

Er ash ayns Bangor

By Simon

Haink mee er ash dys Bangor er y traen jea. Jimmee yn trean ayns Warrington voym er yn oyr dy daink y trean voish Lancaster dy anmagh, myr va mee ayns Bangor oor dy anmagh. Dy fortanagh va bee as red ri lhaih aym. Cha daink peiagh erbee agh mysh dys y possan coloayrtys yl-çhengagh riyr, agh ren mee beggan lheiltyssyn er y chooid sloo goll dys y thie oast Greagagh.

I came back to Bangor on the train today. I missed my connection in Warrington becuase the train from Lancaster was delayed, so I was in Bangor an hour late. Fortunately I had food and something to read. Nobody else turned up to the polyglot conversation group last night, but at least I got some exercise going to the Greek taverna.

Back in Bangor

By Simon

I’m now back in Bangor after a very enjoyable and interesting week at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. We learnt 15 songs during the week, so the course wasn’t as intensive as the one I did last year when we learnt twice as many songs, and we learnt about the background of the songs, and even saw some of the places about which they were written, or which are mentioned in them.

There wasn’t much Gaelic spoken in the class, which was mainly in English, but I spoke Gaelic with various other people and feel more confident about speaking it now. As well as Gaelic, I also got to speak some Japanese, French, German, Irish and Manx, which was fun. When I’m speaking Scottish Gaelic and I can’t think of words I often use Irish ones, which are usually very similar as the two languages are very close. I even had one conversation in a mixture of Irish and Scottish Gaelic with an Irish man who speaks both, which was a little confusing.

Silverdale

By Simon

Cheau mee jea ayns thie my voir karraghey reddyn as jannoo beggan obbyr er m’ynnyd-eggey. Cha dod mee buinn y faaie er yn oyr nagh dod mee doostey y buinneyder faaie, dy meeaighar. ‘Syn ‘astyr ren shin jeeghyn y çhellveeish.

I spent yesterday at my mum’s fixing a few things and doing a bit of work on my website. I couldn’t mow the lawn because I couldn’t get the mower to start, unfortunately. In the evening we watched telly.

Y turrys noal

By Simon

Daag mee y colaashtey moghrey jea ec lieh oor lurg hoght as hooar mee markiaght dys Armadale lesh carrey ben jeh ny studeyryn ‘sy vrastyl. Er yn assaig ren mee cooish yl-çhengagh lesh fer ass yn Rank va janoo y coorse ‘sy Flodigarry, ‘sy Ghaelg Albinagh, ‘sy Rangish, ‘sy Ghermaanish as ‘sy Shapaanish. Loayr mee lesh olloo y cholaashtey ‘sy Ghaelg Albinagh chammah, agh cha row fys aym dy row eh ny olloo ec y traa shen. Chionnee mee bee er son yn turrys ‘sy Mallaig, as loayr mee lesh yn olloo er y stashoon as er y traen. Daag eh y traen ‘sy Glenfinnan, as hoie fer elley sheese ‘sy aashag hoal. Loayr mee lesh, ren mee saveen, as yeeagh mee magh ass yn uinnag – va reayrtys yindyssagh ry akin.

Raink mee dys Silverdale, my valley dooghys, ec leih oor lurg shiaght as veeit mee rish my voir. Ta mee tannaghtyn ayns shoh cubbyl da laa roish ta mee goll er ash dys Bangor.

I left the college yesterday morning at half eight and got a lift to Armadale with a friend of one of the students in the class. On the ferry I had a multilingual chat with a French bloke who did the course in Flodigarry, in Scottish Gaelic, French, German and Japanese. I also spoke to a professor from the college in Scottish Gaelic, though didn’t know he was a professor at the time. I bought some food for the journey in Mallaig, and talked with the professor on the station and on the train. He got off at Glenfinnan, and another bloke sat in the seat opposite me. I talked to him, dozed, and looked out of the window – there were wonderful views to be seen.

I arrived in Silverdale, my home village, at half seven and met my mum. I am staying here a couple of days before returning to Bangor.

Deireadh an cùrsa

By Simon

Chrìoch an cùrsa an-dè agus dh’fhàg feadhainn againn. San oidhche chruinnich sinn ann an Cafaidh Ostaig agus sheinn sinn òrain le chèile. An uair sin chaidh feadhainn againn gu taigh-òsta Àird a’ Bhàsair airson deoch no dhà. Air an t-slighe air ais sheinn sinn òrain glè aisealaiche ann an Albais.

The course finished yesterday and some people left. In the evening those who were still around gathered in Café Ostaig and sang some songs. Then we went to the Hotel Ardvassar for a drink or two. On the way back we sang some very funny songs in Scots.

Roag, Port Rìgh agus Flòdaigearraidh

By Simon

An-dè an dèidh lòn chaidh sinn air sgrìob timcheall an eilean. An toiseach chaidh sinn gu Roag agus chunnaic sinn seann-chroit teaghlaich Màiri Anna. An uair sin chaidh sinn gu Port Rìgh gus dinnear a ith ann taigh-òsta, agus gu Flòdaigearraidh. Bha seòrsa de chèilidih ann ann am Flòdaigearraidh, agus sheinn sinn òrain agus fuinn le chèile agus ‘nan aonar. Air an t-slighe air ais dhan cholaiste sheinn sinn mòran òrain air a’ bhus.

Yesterday after class we went on a little trip around the island. At first we went to Roag and saw the Mary Ann’s family’s former croft. Then we went to a hotel in Portree for dinner, and to Flodigarry. There was a sort of cèilidh in Flodigarry, and we sang some songs and played some tunes together and individually. On the way back to the college we sang many songs on the bus.

Leabhraichean, seisean agus banais

By Simon

An-raoir bha tachartas chun leabhraichean ùra a’ chur air bhog – leabhar bàrdachd anns a’ Bheurla agus a’ Ghàidlig le Meg Bateman, ceachdadair ann an Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, agus nobhail ficsean saidheansail le Tim Armstrong, neach-rannsachaidh anns a’ cholaiste. Leugh iad bho na leabhraichean agus dh’fhreagair iad ceistean mu dhèidhinn na leabhraichean agus am pròiseas sgrìobhaidh. Bha cnuaspag agus deochan ri làimh cuideachd. Cheannaich mi an nobhail le Tim.

An déidh seo, chaidh sinn gu taigh-òsta Eilean Iarmain chun ceol agus òrain a sheinn. Bha pàrtaidh bainnse à Colorado ann cuideachd, agus bha iad gu math frogadach, agus aig deireadh an oidhche sheinn sinn òrain riutha.

Yesterday evening there was a book launch for two new books – a book of poetry in English and Gaelic by Meg Bateman, a lecturer at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and a sci-fi novel by Tim Armstrong, a researcher at the college. They read bits from their books and answered questions about the books and about the writing process. Nibbles and drinks were also provided. I bought Tim’s novel.

After that we went to the Hotel Eilean Iarmain to sing and plays some tunes. There was a wedding party there from Colorado who were very lively, and we sang a few songs with them at the end of the evening.