Ag Ath-Ionnsachadh Gàidhlig - Re-learning Gàidhlig

Anns a’ bhlog mu dheireadh a bh’ againn leugh sibh mu dheidhinn dithis ùghdar a bha air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh mar inbhich. Tha an t-slighe chun na Gàidhlig aig Mòrag Law rud beag eadar-dhealaichte: bha Gàidhlig aice on ghlùn is bha i mun cuairt oirre nuair a bha i a’ fàs suas anns an Eilean Sgitheanach, ach bha a cuid Ghàidhlig air crìonadh on uair sin. Nuair a chuir i roimhpe Gàidhlig ionnsachadh a-rithist chaidh i dhan cholaiste agus fhuair i teisteanasan Àrd-ìre anns a’ Ghàidhlig an sin. On uair sin tha i fhèin air a bhith a’ teagasg Gàidhlig agus a’ seinn anns a’ Ghàidhlig aig ìre foghlam coimhearsnachd. A bharrachd air sin, tha i air cruinneachadh sgeulachdan goirid, Cuibhle an Fhortain, agus nobhail, A’ Fàgail an Eilein, a sgrìobhadh agus chruinnich i sgrìobhaidhean a màthar san leabhar Dìleab Cholbhasach. Tha e cudromach dhi gu bheil na sgrìobhaidhean aice freagarrach dha luchd-ionnsachaidh cho math ri duine sam bith eile aig a bheil ùidh annta.

In our last blog you read about two authors who had learned Gaelic as adults. Morag Law’s path towards Gaelic is a bit different: she was a native speaker and Gaelic was around her when she was growing up on the Isle of Skye, but her Gaelic had gone backwards since then. When she decided to learn Gaelic again she went to college and got her Highers in Gaelic there. Since then she has been teaching Gaelic and Gaelic singing herself at a community-education level. Besides that, she has written a collection of short stories, Cuibhle an Fhortain, and a novel, A’ Fàgail an Eilein, and she collected her mother’s writings in the book Dìleab Cholbhasach. It is important to her that her writings are suitable to learners as well as anyone else who is interested in them.

Dè thug oirbh a’ Ghàidhlig ath-ionnsachadh sa chiad dol a-mach?

B' ann nuair a chaochail mo mhàthair a chuir mi romham mo chuid Ghàidhlig ath-ionnsachadh oir bha mi airson obair a dhèanamh air na sgrìobhaidhean Gàidhlig a dh'fhàg i. B' iad na h-airteagalan a sgrìobh i airson na h-iris Gairm mu a h-òige ann an Colbhasa agus bha beachd agam an deasachadh is an eadar-theangachadh. Nuair a fhuair mi teisteanasan aig Àrd-ìre, chruinnich mi na h-airteagalan uile anns an leabhar dà-chànanach Dìleab Cholbhasach/A Colonsay Legacy – a’ chiad leabhar agam a nochd ann an clò.

What made you re-learn Gaelic initially?

When my mother died I decided to re-learn Gaelic because I wanted to work on the Gaelic writings that she left. Those were the articles that she wrote for the magazine Gairm about her youth in Colonsay and I wanted to edit and translate them. When I got my Highers, I collected all of the articles in the bilingual book Dìleab Cholbhasach/A Colonsay Legacy – my first book that was published.

Dè bha gur brosnachadh gus cumail a’ dol nuair a bha sibh ag ath-ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig? 

Rinn mise dà chùrsa-bogaidh airson mo chuid Ghàidhlig a neartachadh agus air sgàth ’s gun do leig mi dhìom mo dhreuchd is mo thuarastal mar thidsear airson an dèanamh, thug sin piobrachadh gu leòr dhomh airson a bhith soirbheachail leotha! Bha oide anabarrach math agam a thug iomadach brosnachadh dhomh agus bha e na chuideachadh mòr a bhith ag obair còmhla ri oileanaich eile anns na clasaichean.

What motivated you to keep going when you were re-learning Gaelic?

I did two immersion courses to strengthen my Gaelic and because I had quit my job and lost my salary to do them, that gave me enough motivation to be succesful with them! I had an extremely good tutor who motivated me a lot and it helped to work with other students in the classes.

Dè na rudan math a tha ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig air a thoirt dhuibh?

Iomadach rud:

Obair mar oide foghlam-coimhearsnachd a thug sàsachadh is sonas dhomh.

Eòlas nas doimhne air a’ chultar agus air a’ chiad chànain agam fhèin.

Comasan labhairt is leughadh anns a’ Ghàidhlig.

Ach ’s e a bhith a’ sgrìobhadh sa Ghàidhlig an rud as cudromaiche dhomh – a’ gabhail a-steach na h-airteagalan, na sgeulachdan is na trì leabhraichean agam a chaidh fhoillseachadh gu ruige seo. Is toil leam tweeteadh sa Ghàidhlig cuideachd!

Os cionn nam beannachdan uile seo, tha mi a’ faireachdainn gun d’ fhuair mi lorg air rud prìseil a chaidh air chall o chionn fhada. A-nis bidh a’ Ghàidhlig nam cheann, nam inntinn is nam chridhe gu siorraidh.

What things have you gained through learning Gaelic?

Many things.

Work as a community-education tutor which brought me fulfilment and happiness.

Deeper knowledge of the culture and of my own language.

The ability to read and speak Gaelic.

But writing in Gaelic is the most important thing to me – including my articles, stories and three books which were published so far. I also like to tweet in Gaelic!

Above all these blessings, I feel that I found a precious thing that was lost long ago. Now Gaelic will be in my head, on my mind and in my heart forever.

Mòran taing airson nam faclan brosnachail is àlainn sin, a Mhòrag!

Thank you for those encouraging and beautiful words, Morag!