When visiting Scotland you may have noticed the different dialects in different regions and perhaps -like myself- struggled to understand one or the other.
If you travel north-west you will probably have noticed bi-lingual sign-posts. Those are providing English and Gaelic place names.
I am based in St Andrews and the Gaelic name for it is Cill Rìmhinn. If you struggle to pronounce this, so do I. “The town was first called Muckross (boar-wood), then Kilrymont (church on the royal mount), then Kilrule (church of St Regulus) and finally St Andrews after the church of St Andrews” (Quote from Fife Coucil Gaelic language page)
If you try pronouncing Kilrymont Cill Rìmhinn does not seem so far away.
Staying local; Aberdour is Obar Dobhair and means mouth of the river.
If you are looking into something more practical you could try some of these phrases
| English | Gaelic | Suggested Phonetics* |
|---|---|---|
| Good Morning | Madainn Mhath | matting vah |
| Good Afternoon | Feasgar Math | feskar mah |
| Good Night | Oidhche mhaht | EYE-che vah |
| How are you? | Ciamar a tha thu? | Kimura ha-u |
| I’m fine | Tha gu math | ha g’mah |
| I’m tired | Tha mi sgith | HAMee SKEEEE |
| Don’t worry | Na gabh dragh | na gav drugh |
| Thank you | Mòran taing | MAWran TANK |
I am a whisky lover and if you compare the word whisky with uisge you are close though the water of life is properly called uisge beatha.
If you wish to learn more Gaelic or Gaidhlig you could try duolingo, try the official website Learn Gaelic or just find out about your local place names “Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba“
You can also watch television in Gaelic on BBC Alba or listen to the radio.
There is also a 5 year Gaelic Plan
