A journey to Lewis and Harris

[Shorio]

Hello everyone !

(I'm sorry if my English is bad, I do my best !)

First, I hope that my message will be seen As I said in my presentation, I want to go a journey in isles of Lewis and Harris. I will talk about it a bit more in this thread.
So, I'm a French 17 years old (soon 18), and I LOVE Scotland. I have never been there, so it may seems weird for you to hear that, but that's the truth. I'm really interested in Scottish's history, its landscapes, its mythes, its cities ... Since 2 years I want to go a journey in Scotland, and I found an assocation that helps us to go. Zellidja for French-speakers This association gives us some money (not so much) to go a journey for at least 1 month, alone, where we want to. I will send my project to this association, and I hope that I will be accepted.

But now let's talk about my project.
My journey's topic is ... Gàidhlig ! Yes, I want to know more about this language. I want to know more about people who speak that language. I want to know more about places where this language is spoken ! So I will, for 1 month, surely August -> September 2014, cross the isles of Lewis and Harris by my feet (yeah, I have 1 month for that, I think it's enough ). Starting from Stornoway, I will go along the coast, from north to south, and then come back to north (for Stornoway's airport).
My goal is to meet people. I want to meet you, if you're reading this message and you live in Lewis & Harris.I know that it must seems weird ... But I really want, and I need to meet people to talk.
In fact, I will sleep in a tent a lot of nights, but when I'll reach a village, I will do my best to spend some time with everyone who is ok with that !
I will take a lot of notes, a lot of informations about the language and the isles, and then I'll do a report of my journey for the association (and for me of course !)

Well, to sum up that, does someone here live in Lewis & Harris ? If yes, is this person interested by my journey ? I need some contacts to go on my journey, it's better to present my project to the association. And I would be really pleased to meet someone from this board !
Thanks for reading me.

If you have questions or something, feel free to ask !

Bien à vous,
Tony.

[Seonaidh]

Intéressante. Je suis certain que nous pouvons comprendre votre anglais - it's probably better than my French! Mais comment ça va avec gaelique? That is, how is your Gaelic?

Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh) is, perhaps, the only place in Lewis where most people cannot speak Gaelic. Even so, around 40% can. But there is a big difference between "can" and "do". For the Gaelic language - like your own Breton, Basque, Alsatian etc - has had no official recognition in Britain until very recently. This means that the language of government, of anything official, has always been English. Thus, even those who are brought up speaking Gaelic as a first language tend to use English for anything "official" - and always when talking with people they do not know.

The famous American academic Emily McEwan-Fujita, a fluent Gaelic speaker, found it very difficult to persuade the people of Uibhist she was staying with to speak to her in anything other than English. I believe Nancy Dorian, who did much pioneering work on East Ross Gaelic, found a similar situation.

Anyway, I am sure there are members of this forum who stay in Lewis (Leòdhas) or Harris (Na Hearadh) - I am not one. Indeed, most of us are probably found in Skye (An t-Eilean Sgitheanach) or on the Scottish mainland, with more than a few in the USA and even Australia. You see, this forum is really aimed at Gaelic learners - and people in the Outer Hebrides tend either to be native speakers anyway or not interested in learning.

Useful organisations you might like to contact are:-

Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Taigh a' Ghlinne Mhòir, Rathad na Leacainn, Inbhir Nis, IV3 8NW, Grande Bretagne
Fòn: +44 [0] 1463 225454 • Facs: +44 [0] 1463 716217 • oifis@gaidhlig.org.uk

Colaisde a' Chaisteil, Steòrnabhagh, Eilean Leòdhais, HS2 0XR, Grande Bretagne
t: +44 (0)1851 770000

Comunn na Gàidhlig, 71-77 Sràid Chrombail, Steòrnabhagh, Eilean Leòdhais HS1 2DG, Grande Bretagne
http://www.cnag.org/gd/

[Shorio]

Hi ! Thanks for the answer.
My Gaelic is actually around zero. I had some school tests and I stopped to learn. But before my journey I will get back to learn it.

These 2 organisations seem nice, I'm pretty sure that they will be useful for me !

[JamsO'Donnel]

During your journey you should try to stop in Orinsay, South Lochs, Lewis and see if you can walk over the moore and down to Steimreway, the abandoned village! I went there this past August, had a blast! Stayed with a family in Orinsay, great people. You'll love it.

[WilliamS]

Bithidh mi fhìn ann an Leòdhas an ath sheachdain. Mura bi na daoine deònach bruidhinn rium 'sa Ghàidhlig, cha bhruidhinn iad rium idir. Ma dh'fheuchas neach sam bith ri bhruidhinn rium 'sa Bheurla, cha fhreagair mi.

Cha cheannaich mi càil ann an bùth sam bith, no ann an taigh-òsda, no ann an taigh-bìdh, mura bi na daoine a bhios ag obair an sin deònach bruidhinn rium 'sa Ghàidhlig.

[An Gobaire]

Tha mi an dòchas gum faigh thu leabaidh airson na h-oidhche ma-thà! Tha tòrr dhaoine an sin aig nach eil facal Gàidhlig, agus gu math tric, 's iadsan a tha os cionn nan taighean-òsta, nam bùthan, 'nan taighean-bìdh agus mar sin air adhart.

Ma tha thu ag iarraidh àite leapa is bracaist math, reusanta agus le deagh bhean-taighe aig a bheil deagh Ghàidhlig Leòdhais, feuch agus gabh rùm ann an "Sùla Sgeir". Bha mis' ann an 2004, agus bha i deònach bruidhinn rium sa Ghàidhlig fad mo thurais.

[WilliamS]

Lol ... cha robh mi gu tur ann an dà-rireabh; ach tapadh leat airson do mholaidh agus do fhiosrachaidh.