Fòram na Gàidhlig

Hello -

I have just registered here in order to ask something specific; but I look very forward to deepening my and my family's appreciation for this language.

My daughters are taking part in a school function here in Canada celebrating the "Carnaval de Québec" and part of their presentation entails them wishing the audience "Happy Carnaval!" in the language of their heritage.

Might anyone be able to help me determine how one might wish someone a "happy" holiday or celebration? Using generic online translators tends to leave me with words for "happy" as in "content" or, better, "joyful"; but I am unsure if any of those (like "toilichte") are appropriate for a seasonal or celebratory greeting.

Thank you!

Càrnabhail sona dhuibh should work (visit cereproc.com, select Ceitidh and paste the text, she does a decent job). So literally that's "Carnival happy to you(plural)". It gets complicated if you try and go with happy holiday or happy celebration, there's no easy word for celebration and holiday tends to go in the direction of day(s) off work.

Thank you so much, akerbeltz!

You're welcome!

Is there maybe something equivalent to the traditional "Season's Greetings" in English...?

There is beannachdan na ràithe but I have only ever come across that in Christmas related stuff.

The "Carnaval" in Quebec is neither a religious observance nor a holiday, per se; but a weeks-long festival of ice, snow and other things having to do with freezing your backside off (https://carnaval.qc.ca/home). Hence, I didn't think anything as formal as "Greetings" would be appropriate.

I believe Quebecers say "Joyeux Carnaval!" with "joyeux" equating to "joyous" in English. They also say "Joyeux Noel" for "Merry Christmas" here in English-speaking North America.

This has been quite an adventure for my daughters and myself. They have gone from trepidation at having to recite something so unfamiliar in front of their whole school, to being curious. We are wondering if there are areas where this is the predominant language: eg. street signs, storefronts and casual social conversation. If so, do *those* folks speak passable English?

Everybody speaks English these days due do the school system, but some speaker have a strong Gaelic accent when they do.