Fòram na Gàidhlig

CelticSpice wrote:So if I'm understanding this correctly, if I were to refer to "Gaelic Music," I should say, "Ceòl Gaidhealach?"

As far as I've been told.

Caveat emptor: I'm a learner too....

here is a difference in meaning:

Ceòl Gàidhlig = music in Gaelic language

Ceòl Gàidhealach = music after the fashion of Gaelic people

English grammar doesn't differentiate between a people and its language (unless you use an entierly different word for the two), Gaelic grammar does.

e.g. German = Gearmailteach (people) or Gearmailtis (language)

GunChleoc wrote:Ceòl Gàidhlig = music in Gaelic language

Except that music doesn't have language -- songs do.

Except that music doesn't have language -- songs do.

That's just nit-picking the semantics of English.

For example, if you had a heavy metal band singing in Gaelic, that would be ceòl Gàidhlig but not ceòl Gàidhealach. A band singing seann nòs in Manx or Irish on the other hand would be ceòl Gàidhealach but not ceòl Gàidhlig (as in, wrong language - yes, there's a bit of a grey area depending on your usage of Gaeilge/Gàidhlig na h-Èireann). Overall, gàidhealach is wider and more culture-focussed, Gàidhlig less culture-focussed but more language focussed.