Grumpy Cat
04-14-2010, 09:15 PM
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/25/Gaidhealtachd-chanadach.svg/682px-Gaidhealtachd-chanadach.svg.png
Canadian Gaelic or Cape Breton Gaelic (Scottish Gaelic: A' Ghŕidhlig Chanadach, A' Ghŕidhlig Chančideanach, Gŕidhlig Cheap Bhreatainn), locally just Gaelic or The Gaelic) refers to the dialects of Scots Gaelic that have been spoken continuously for more than 200 years on Cape Breton Island and in isolated enclaves on the Nova Scotia mainland. To a lesser extent the language is also spoken on nearby Prince Edward Island, Glengarry County in present-day Ontario and by emigrant Gaels living in major Canadian cities such as Toronto. At its peak in the mid-19th century, Gaelic, considered together with the closely related Irish language, was the third most spoken language in Canada after English and French.
Features:
The phonology of Canadian Gaelic has diverged in several ways from the standard Gaelic spoken in Scotland. Gaelic terms unique to Canada exist, though research on the exact number is deficient. The language has also had a considerable and well-known effect on Cape Breton English.
Phonology
l̪ˠ → w
The most common Canadian Gaelic shibboleth, where broad /l̪ˠ/ is pronounced as [w]. This form was well-known in Western Scotland where it was called the glug Eigeach ("Eigg cluck"), for its putative use among speakers from the Isle of Eigg.
n̪ˠ → m
When /n̪ˠ/ occurs after a rounded vowel, speakers tend to pronounce it as [m].
n̪ˠ → w
This form is limited mostly to the plural ending -annan, where the -nn- sequence is pronounced as [w].
r → ʃ
This change occurs frequently in many Scotland dialects when "r" is realized next to specific consonants; however such conditions are not necessary in Canadian Gaelic, where "r" is pronounced [ʃ] regardless of surrounding sounds.
Vocabulary:
feirmeireachd verb to farm.
lodan noun a velvet offering pouch for church.
mogan noun a term which refers to a heavy ankle sock sold with a rubberized sole that was sold in Cape Breton four decades ago. The term also refers to a pull-on leg warmer for use when wearing the kilt in cold climates.
pŕirc-coillidh (or pŕirce-choilleadh) noun a wooded clearing burnt for planting crops, literally "forest park".
dreag noun a will-o'-the-wisp.
sgeatadh verb an gaelicization of the English verb "to skate".
seant (pl. seantaichean) noun a gaelicization of the English noun "cent".It should be noted that the term "dolair" is used in Canada and the U.S. instead of the word "nota", which refers to a British pound. "Sgillinn" is used both in Canada, the US, and GB to refer to coins.
smuglair noun a gaelicization of the English word smuggler.
ponndadh verb a gaelicization of the English verb "to pound". That this may have been used in Cape Breton instead of "bualadh" is evidence of the heavy reliance on English loan words
trě sgillinn phrasal noun a nickel. (literally “three pence”).
sia sgillinn phrasal noun a dime. (literally “six pence”).
tastan phrasal noun twenty cents. (literally “a shilling”).
dŕ thastan agus sia sgillinn phrasal noun fifty cents. (literally “two shillings and six pence”).
cňig tastan phrasal noun a dollar. (literally “five shillings”).
stňr noun a gaelicization of the English noun "store". Although the word stňr does refer to a storage building as well as wealth, the Gaelic term "bůth" is far more common among Gaelic speakers in Cape Breton today.
taigh-obrach noun workhouse (penitentiary).
bangaid noun a banquet.
Na Machraichean Mňra noun The Canadian Prairies.
buna-bhuachaille noun common loon.
Contributions to Canadian English:
boomaler noun a boor, oaf, bungler.
sgudal noun garbage (sgudal).
skiff noun a deep blanket of snow covering the ground. (from sguabach or sgiobhag).
Canadian Gaelic or Cape Breton Gaelic (Scottish Gaelic: A' Ghŕidhlig Chanadach, A' Ghŕidhlig Chančideanach, Gŕidhlig Cheap Bhreatainn), locally just Gaelic or The Gaelic) refers to the dialects of Scots Gaelic that have been spoken continuously for more than 200 years on Cape Breton Island and in isolated enclaves on the Nova Scotia mainland. To a lesser extent the language is also spoken on nearby Prince Edward Island, Glengarry County in present-day Ontario and by emigrant Gaels living in major Canadian cities such as Toronto. At its peak in the mid-19th century, Gaelic, considered together with the closely related Irish language, was the third most spoken language in Canada after English and French.
Features:
The phonology of Canadian Gaelic has diverged in several ways from the standard Gaelic spoken in Scotland. Gaelic terms unique to Canada exist, though research on the exact number is deficient. The language has also had a considerable and well-known effect on Cape Breton English.
Phonology
l̪ˠ → w
The most common Canadian Gaelic shibboleth, where broad /l̪ˠ/ is pronounced as [w]. This form was well-known in Western Scotland where it was called the glug Eigeach ("Eigg cluck"), for its putative use among speakers from the Isle of Eigg.
n̪ˠ → m
When /n̪ˠ/ occurs after a rounded vowel, speakers tend to pronounce it as [m].
n̪ˠ → w
This form is limited mostly to the plural ending -annan, where the -nn- sequence is pronounced as [w].
r → ʃ
This change occurs frequently in many Scotland dialects when "r" is realized next to specific consonants; however such conditions are not necessary in Canadian Gaelic, where "r" is pronounced [ʃ] regardless of surrounding sounds.
Vocabulary:
feirmeireachd verb to farm.
lodan noun a velvet offering pouch for church.
mogan noun a term which refers to a heavy ankle sock sold with a rubberized sole that was sold in Cape Breton four decades ago. The term also refers to a pull-on leg warmer for use when wearing the kilt in cold climates.
pŕirc-coillidh (or pŕirce-choilleadh) noun a wooded clearing burnt for planting crops, literally "forest park".
dreag noun a will-o'-the-wisp.
sgeatadh verb an gaelicization of the English verb "to skate".
seant (pl. seantaichean) noun a gaelicization of the English noun "cent".It should be noted that the term "dolair" is used in Canada and the U.S. instead of the word "nota", which refers to a British pound. "Sgillinn" is used both in Canada, the US, and GB to refer to coins.
smuglair noun a gaelicization of the English word smuggler.
ponndadh verb a gaelicization of the English verb "to pound". That this may have been used in Cape Breton instead of "bualadh" is evidence of the heavy reliance on English loan words
trě sgillinn phrasal noun a nickel. (literally “three pence”).
sia sgillinn phrasal noun a dime. (literally “six pence”).
tastan phrasal noun twenty cents. (literally “a shilling”).
dŕ thastan agus sia sgillinn phrasal noun fifty cents. (literally “two shillings and six pence”).
cňig tastan phrasal noun a dollar. (literally “five shillings”).
stňr noun a gaelicization of the English noun "store". Although the word stňr does refer to a storage building as well as wealth, the Gaelic term "bůth" is far more common among Gaelic speakers in Cape Breton today.
taigh-obrach noun workhouse (penitentiary).
bangaid noun a banquet.
Na Machraichean Mňra noun The Canadian Prairies.
buna-bhuachaille noun common loon.
Contributions to Canadian English:
boomaler noun a boor, oaf, bungler.
sgudal noun garbage (sgudal).
skiff noun a deep blanket of snow covering the ground. (from sguabach or sgiobhag).