Hey all,
I'm a bit confused as to which "anything" I should use when. Sìon or Dad? Does it depend on tense? Mood? Or is it just personal preference?
Tapadh leibh!
sìon vs. dad
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Re: sìon vs. dad
I'm not sure... it might depend on the expression as well. Have a look at the expressions on Faclair Beag, they might help give you a feel for it.
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Na dealbhan agam
Na dealbhan agam
Re: sìon vs. dad
In Teach Yourself Gaelic Unit 19 Page 231, it says that 'càil' is used maily in Lewis and Harris, 'dad' in Skye, the Uists and Barra. 'Sgàth' is an alternative in Barra, and 'sian' in Uist. 'Ni' in Argyll, and 'stuth' in Islay.
So take your pick.
I have the impression that certain expressions tend to stick to certain versions, eg 'Tha càil a dh'fhios agam'. 'Dad sam bith'.
So take your pick.
I have the impression that certain expressions tend to stick to certain versions, eg 'Tha càil a dh'fhios agam'. 'Dad sam bith'.
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- Rianaire
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Re: sìon vs. dad
Hm I'm generally wary of these geographic indications, they're often based on the author's personal experience. Which may of course be right but it can also be wrong.
The maps in AFB are of course not giving the complete picture either but I would put more confidence in them because they're an aggregate of different sources and generally not impacted by personal experience beyond a voters knowledge of their OWN variant.
Looking at the maps for sìon/dad/nì/sgath (short vowel by the way) and càil, only sgath seems to have a strong Hebridean bias (though from Lewis to Barra), càil seems a northern form though not unheard of further south. Dad in particular seems common across all areas except Argyll. Sìon appears absent from W Ross but we don't have that much data on W Ross yet so that may change.
The maps in AFB are of course not giving the complete picture either but I would put more confidence in them because they're an aggregate of different sources and generally not impacted by personal experience beyond a voters knowledge of their OWN variant.
Looking at the maps for sìon/dad/nì/sgath (short vowel by the way) and càil, only sgath seems to have a strong Hebridean bias (though from Lewis to Barra), càil seems a northern form though not unheard of further south. Dad in particular seems common across all areas except Argyll. Sìon appears absent from W Ross but we don't have that much data on W Ross yet so that may change.
Do, or do not. There is no try.
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Re: sìon vs. dad
No difference...they all mean the same thing. Many of the varieties "càil, dad, sian, etc." tended to be focused on one island/area or another; however, the native Gaelic speakers I know don't usually focus on one equivalent themselves.caiptean wrote:Hey all,
I'm a bit confused as to which "anything" I should use when. Sìon or Dad? Does it depend on tense? Mood? Or is it just personal preference?
Tapadh leibh!
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Re: sìon vs. dad
The lewis woman I speak to uses càil almost exclusively.
That said, the man from Harris I speak to has a bit more variation, but not much.
I don't think I actually contributed anything there but there you go.
That said, the man from Harris I speak to has a bit more variation, but not much.
I don't think I actually contributed anything there but there you go.
Bhiodh gaol agam oirbh gu bràth, ma cheartaicheadh sibh na mearachdan sa' phost os cionn!
Sgeul aigeantach mòr ri linn,
Gu'm bi neart, agus ceart, mar ri treòir,
Do'n fhear sheasas còir an rìgh.
Sgeul aigeantach mòr ri linn,
Gu'm bi neart, agus ceart, mar ri treòir,
Do'n fhear sheasas còir an rìgh.