Math math

By Simon

This week I discovered that you can emphasize adjectives in Scottish Gaelic by repeating them. For example:
– bha e math math air faclan a chur ri chèile ann am bàrdachd (he was very good at putting words togther in poetry).

Emphasis can also be indicated with glé (very) – bha e glé mhath – with uabhasach (terribly) – bha e uabhasach math – or with fiadhaich (wild) – bha e fiadhaich math. Another example, which is mentioned in Leabher nan Litrichean by Ruairidh MacIlleathain, concerns an overheard conversation between two boys. One says “An robh an t-isag mòr?” (Was the fish big?), and the other replies, “Bha! Bha e mòr mòr mòr mòr mòr!”. (Yes! It was very very very very big!).

This doubling isn’t very common in English, though some people might use it. Alternatively you can elongate the adjective, it was biiiiig!. Do you double or enlongate adjectives at all, in English or other languages?

Petit chenapan!

By Simon

Last night at the French conversation group we were discussing how to say rascal in French, because one of the beers being served last night is called rascal. I found quite a few possible translations, each of which has slightly different meanings:

  • vaurien = good-for-nothing, scoundrel; (to child) petit vaurien ! = you little devil!
  • fripon = [n] rogue; [adj] mischievous, roguish; (to child) petit fripon ! = you little scamp/rogue!
  • polisson = [adj] mischievous, cheeky; saucy, naughty – une chanson polissonne = a racy saucy song; [n] little devil / rogue / scamp
  • gredin = rascal, rogue
  • maraud = rascal, rapscallion
  • chenapan = rascal, rogue, scoundrel (humourous)
  • bélître = rascal; dandy
  • canaille = [adj] roguish; coarse, vulgar; [n] scoundrel, crook – petite canaille ! = you little devil / rascal!

Sources: Larousse & Reverso.

The English word rascal, which I particularly like the sound of, comes from the Anglo-Norman word rascaile, from the Middle French rascaille (rabble, common people), possibly from the unattested verb *rasquer (to scrape).

Children are often the ones called rascals or little rascals in English. Is it the same in other languages, if they have similar words?

Les mots de la semaine

By Simon
français English Cymraeg Brezhoneg
coquin; fripon; polisson; vaurien rascal; scamp dyn drwg; cnaf; cenau; dihiryn lañfre; lachefre
petit chenapan! little rascal! y gwalch bach! y mawrddrwg! yr ellyll bach!
déchiffrer; décrypter decipher datrys; dehongli disifrañ
toutes les deux semaines every other week bob yn ail wythnos
un(e) … sur deux every other … bob yn ail …
la date/heure limite; le délai deadline dyddiad cau; adeg cau; pen set deiziad/eurioù diwezhañ; termen
le numéro d’immatriculation registration number rhif cofrestru niverenn-varilh
la plaque d’immatriculation number plate plât rhif plakenn-varilh
piloter (un avion) to fly (a plane) hedfan (awyren) pilotañ
voler to fly (planes, birds) hedfan nijal
aller en avion to fly (by plane) hedfan mont da karr-nij (?)
le tableau de bord dashboard borden flaen; panel deialau
la cachette hideout cuddfan; cuddfa kuzhiadell; kuzh; toull-kuzh

Latha leisg

By Simon

Rinn mi beagan obair madainn an-diugh, agus an déidh lòn chaidh mi chun an leabhar-lann gus leabhraichean a’ thilleadh agus leabhraichean eile a gabh air iasad. Cha do cheannaich mi móran leabhraichean anns an latha a tha ann gus airgead a chaomhnadh, ach leabhraichean le mo roghainn ùghdaran. Ansin dh’ionnsaich mi beagan Breatnais, agus rinn mi barrachd obair.

Rinne mé beagan obair maidin inniu, agus i ndiaidh lón chuaigh mé go dtí an leabharlann chun leabhair a thabair ar ais agus leabhair eile a fháil ar iasacht. Ní bím ag ceannach a lán leabhair an lá atá inniu chun airgead a choigil, ach amháin leabhair le na húdair is fearr liom. Ansin d’fhoghlaim mé giota beag Briotáinis agus rinne mé níos mó obair.

I did a bit of work this morning, and after lunch I went to the library to return some books and to borrow some more. I rarely buy books these days in order to save money, except books by my favourite authors. Then I learnt some Breton, and did a bit more work.

Seisean

By Simon

Bha seisean ann nam thaigh feasgar an-diugh, agus thàinig Steve agus Magnus. Sheinn Steve an fhìdheall, an dhuiseal agus an t-organ-beòil; sheinn Magnus an concertina, an giotàr agus a’ fhìdeag; agus sheinn mise a’ fhìdeag, a’ fhìdeag ìseal, an giotàr, ceithir recorder eadar-dhealaichte, am melodica, an t-organ-beòil agus am mandoilin. Is mhòr a’ còrdadh rium iomadh innealean-ciùil a sheinn, agus a bhith a’ atharrachadh eatorra.

Bhí seisiún ceoil ann i mo theach an tráthnóna seo, agus tháinig Steve agus Magnus. Sheinn Steve an fhidil, an fheadóg mhór agus an orgán béil; sheinn Magnus an consairtín, an giotár agus an fheadóg stáin; agus sheinn mise an fheadóg stáin, an fheadóg íseal, ceithre fliúit Shasanach éagsúla, an melodica, an orgán béil agus an maindilín. Is maith a bheith ag seinm a lán uirlis ceoil éagsúla, agus a bheith ag athrú eatarthu.

There was a music session in my house this afternoon, and Steve and Magnus came. Steve played the fiddle, flute and harmonica; Magnus played the concertina, guitar and whistle; and I played the high whistle, the low whistle, the guitar, four different recorders, the melodica, harmonica and mandolin. I really enjoy playing many different instruments and switching between them.

Gàidhlig

By Simon

This month I am focusing mainly on improving my Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig). I’ve been listening to Gaelic radio, reading various things in Gaelic, writing and recording things every day in Gaelic on my other blog, and speaking and singing to myself in the language. I plan to make another animation in Gaelic sometime this month (you can see the first one I made on YouTube), and will make one in Irish soon as well. I might even try to write a song in Gaelic. I have yet to meet with any other Gaelic speakers or learners round here, but hope to find some who are willing to chat with me.

I’m really enjoying it and I think that Gaelic is one of my favourite languages at the moment – I particularly like the sounds of the language, and the more I learn it, the more I like it. I have no practical reasons for learning it, and this doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I would like to become as fluent in Scottish Gaelic as I am with Irish and Welsh, and if this takes longer than a month, I will continue with it and not switch my focus to another language at the end of this month.

Are you learning, or have you learned, any languages just because you like the sound of them, or because you find them interesting?

Spollagyn son tey

By Simon

An-dé chrìoch mi òran ùr agus rinn mi clàradh dheth. ‘S e òran dà-chànanach a th’ann anns a’ Mhanannais agus a’ Bheurla mu dhéidhinn faoileagan agus slisneagan, agus ‘s e “Spollagyn son tey / Chips for tea” an t-ainm a th’air. Seo an clàradh:

An-raoir thàinig cuideigin eile chun an cearcall còmhraidh iol-chainnteach air a’ chiad uair am mhìosan. ‘S i caileag a tha a’ fuireach faisg air Porthmadog a th’innte, agus tha a’ Bheurla, a’ Chuimris agus an Laitbheis aice. Bhruidhinn sinn anns a’ Bheurla agus a’ Chuimris mu dhéidihinn cànain, cànanachas, cànain a’ ionnsachadh, agus móran rudan eile.

Inné chríoch mé amhrán úr agus rinne mé taifeadadh de. Is amhrán dátheangach atá ann as an Mhanannais agus as Béarla faoi faoileáin agus sceallóga, agus an t-ainm atá air na “Spollagyn son tey / Chips for tea”.

Aréir tháinig duine eile chun an ciorcal comhrá ilteangach don chéad uair le tamall. Is cáilín atá ina conaí in aice le Porthmadog í, agus tá Béarla, Breatnais agus Laitvis aici. Labhair muid as Béarla agus Breatnais faoi teangacha, teangeolaíocht, teangacha a fhoghlaim, agus go leor rudaí eile.

Yesterday I finished a new song and recording it. It’s a macaronic song in Manx and English about seagulls and chips and is called “Spollagyn son tey / Chips for tea”.

Last night someone else came to the polyglot conversation group for the first time in ages. A lass who lives near Portmadog and who speaks English, Welsh and Latvian. We chatted in English and Welsh about languages, linguistics, language learning and many other things.

Spollagyn son tey

By Simon

Here’s a new song that I finally finished this week after fiddling with it for months. It’s a macaronic song in Manx (Gaelic) and English that I was inspired to write after seeing young herring gulls squawking away at their mothers. I wondered what they might be saying if they could speak, and this is what I came up with. On the short promenade near where I live many people eat chips from the nearby chip shop, and the seagulls will eat any leftovers.

This is the first song I’ve written in a language other than English.

Uisge

By Simon

Bha e ag uisge fad an latha an-dé, is tha an-t-uisge ann fhathast an-diugh, ach chan eil mi a’ dèanamh gearan ri sin. Chaidh Seaghan chun an Eisteddfod a’ mhadainn seo, is chaidh mise chun a’ còmhlain recorder (chan fhios agam a’ facal Gàidhlig air recorder). Bidh sinn a’ tighinn ri chéile dà uair ‘sa’ mhìos, is bidh sinn a’ seinn ceòl clasaigeach is ceòl traidiseanta na h-Éireann is na h-Alba.

Bhí báisteach ann an lá ar fad inné, agus tá báisteach ann inniu, ach níl mé ag gearan faoi sin. Chuaigh Seaghan chun an Eisteddfod an maidin seo, agus chuaigh mise chun grupa an fhliúit Shasanach. Bíonn muid ag teacht le chéile dhá uair gach mhí, agus bíonn muid ag seinn ceol clasaiceach agus ceol tíre as Éire agus as Alban.

It rained all day yesterday, and it’s still raining today, but I’m not complaining. Seaghan went to the Eisteddfod this morning, and I went to the recorder group. We meet a couple of times a month and play classical and folk music from Ireland and Scotland.

Tigh na Craoibhe

By Simon

Thàinig Seaghan, an Éireannach, feasgar an-dé, agus an déidh dìnnear chaidh sinn do chuirm-chiùil ag cafaidh Blue Sky. Sheinn seinneadair iondail air thùs, agus bha e go math, gu h-àraid air an giotàr. Ri a shàil sheinn còmhlan-ciùil House of Trees (Tigh na Craoibhe) ás an t-Suain, agus bha iad math dha-rìribh, gu h-àraid a’ seinneadair.

Bhruidhinn sinn ann an Gaeilge, gu beag-nithe, agus ann an Fraingis, agus ann an Cuimris.

Tháinig Seaghan, an Éireannach, tráthnóna inné, agus i ndiaidh dinnéar a fháil, chuaigh muid go ceol-chuirm ag an caife Blue Sky. Sheinn amhránaí áitiúla ar dtús, agus bhí sé go maith, go háirithe ar an ghiotár. Ansin sheinn banna ceoil as an tSualauin darb ainm House of Trees, agus bhí siad go hiontach, go háirithe an amhránaí.

Rinne muid comhrá as Gaeigle, go príomhe, agus as Fraincis agus as Breatnais.

Seaghan, the Irish guy, arrived yesterday evening, and after tea we went to a gig at the Blue Sky café. A local singer was on first and he was pretty good, especially his guitar playing. He was followed by a band from Sweden called House of Trees, who were excellent, especially the singer.