I'm a Scot now living in Ireland, and just beginning to learn Irish. Everyone tells me they thought that Scots and Irish Gaelic are the same but there are subtle but definite differences between the two when it comes to pronunciation. I'm learning though! Tapadh leat! (Thank you!)
I lived in Ireland for 6 months few years ago, and it's been stuck inside me ever since. Funny thing is, my second day there, I was heading to college and needed directions; I asked an old lady, hoping to understand the answer (because english is not my first language) and she answered me very kindly but...I didn't get a single word. So I started thinking "God, what have I done, I'll never be able to learn english properly, and now how am I supposed to survive here 6 months?!" but in that moment a young girl approached the old woman and told me "My grandma speaks irish, I'll show you the way" and that I understood :-) that's how I discovered irish, and I think it's a very unique language, with a fascinating sound. I will sure return to ireland one day, "my second home" as I like to think about it, and I hope to learn also a little bit of irish before then :-) thank you 4 the video, very helpful. Alice.
We had a celtic language too in Asturias up to around 1500 according to some sources, but it was replaced with latin dialects. there are many celtic remains still
Brilliant moment: watching Scottish and Irish fishermen "converse", LOUDLY, and SLOWLY, with LOTS OF REPETITION (and laughter), in their "common language". Same people, at base.
RobMacKendrick I saw a programme from BBC Alba. It featured Scottish Gaelic speakers who came to Connaught. They were I think, fisherman. They had a series of conversations with Irish fisherman and by and large seemed to understand in broad terms what was said.
I have learned SO much from this discourse. As a Native American, with 25% Irish heritage, and a long time student of Sociology. I am enriched with learning, and appreciate, what this conversation provides. Thank you, to all of the people that have posted, and the people that have replied. All of the best, to each of you!
When I hear people speaking Gaelic from Scotland it sounds very similar, to me, as native American. I'm in California. So many theories of native Americans coming from Asia across the Berring sea but also the Nordics coming from Scandinavia to Greenland to Canada then south.. it's all fascinating
@@ranica47 I got what Ireland and Scotland each call Gaelic but are they the same language with different pronounciations or completely different languages linguistically??
Thank you for this video. I am becoming an English Teacher in Austria and talking about Ireland is always one important part of the lectures. So I wanted to get my facts straight. :)
As an American, this really blew my mind. I mean, I knew there was a general "Gaelic" language spoken up in those parts, but I had no idea it was this complex and diverse. What's even more surprising is how the language changes literally as you move up the road on the western coast. Great video! Thanks for posting and clarifying all this.
My husband spent some time in Innis Meain and no one spoke English. He loved it. He photographed some amazing things, and came home with a handmade wool sweater. He went back later because he loved it there so much. He eventually had a show of his photos in one of our art museums to educate us of an unknown place that is so incredibly beautiful. Everyone should experience this Emerald Isle!!!
I just appreciate the fact that you would break it down for the other cultures of the world that happen to be curious about our language if not culture. Thank you.
why all the nasty comments about tourists not knowing enough about the destinations they visit? what better way to LEARN about a place than by visiting it in person, meeting native people, eating the food, discovering the landscape, and experiencing its history? it's not like anyone gets an epic travel experience from youtube or google. you gotta actually GO places to experience the good stuff, so why the big deal? PS - we americans also deal with tons of tourists from all over the world. most of 'em are clueless about the US and its cultures/practices, regardless of how many books, travel guides, or videos they've studied...or how much they think they know about this nation. the difference seems to lie in nobody here caring about clueless tourists as long as they're spending $$$ and not creating public menaces.
The problem with americans can be summed up in two words: ignorance and arrogance (speaking from the position of being both a native born US citizen as well as UK). Just look down this thread. Even though the internet and subsequently youtube are global, americans like : "Alex Ryan2 months ago (edited)+Chick Norton And wow you are such a hypocrite. You Germans are pacifists? Yeah, I can totally tell by how you are trying to pick a fight with him just because you're racist against Irish people. Also, yeah, pacifist, because it's not like you Germans killed six million Jews or something." Then you have the americans who go to another country and demand a McDonalds on every corner, and everyone in that other country speak english. And if that weren't enough, wealthy americans have bought up a goodly portion of all the hunting and fresh water fishing areas in Scotland and Ireland, so the locals have nothing. Then there's the constant state of war the americans keep dragging Europe, and to a lesser degree, Asia, into. People don't drive aircraft into lower Manhattan buildings because Americans are so friendly or cheerful. Just sayin', you know?
I agree, I'm chinese but I'm american born. I have to say that americans are far too arrogant in thinking they are on top of the world without realizing it because they're used to the feeling in the culture, which is more real than 'white privilege' that liberal americans coined. Americans are generally friendly as any other country folk (folk from other countries i mean) but the problem is that there are always bad apples and really really really stupid and ignorant tourists no matter where they're from. Having said that...
How are they not? If their parents are both Chinese, then they are Chinese.Cliff Richard was born in India but everyone regards him as English and no one calls him Indian. Place of birth is not as significant as blood, ethnicity and culture!
I am Canadian and I am trying to learn some Irish. Both sides of my family came over from Eire in the late 1700's and early 1800's. My last name is Flynn and I know which places my ancestors came from. You were lucky to have the chance to learn the language when you were young. People learn the most, as far as language is concerned, before they are 5 years old. That is what I read any ways. Have you heard of any body able to pick The language fluently after they turn 50? It seems very complicated but I guess english is one of the most difficult languages to learn.
Daily practise, even 10 minutes a day. It's good for our brains to learn a new language. We create new neural pathways at any age when we learn something new. Practise, practise, practise until it becomes automatic.
I recently purchased the Pimsluer method of language in Irish. I am using it to self teach myself the language, being of Irish descent. I searched the web to find Irish speakers using basic phrases so I could watch them pronounce the words, which is something missing in the pure audio format. I discovered your site in my search. My comment is you have done a fine job, particularly in parsing the subtle differences in meaning between Scots Gaelic, and Irish. I take no note of the negative commentary above. Kudos to you on a fine job and your well phrased explanations. Best wished to you from New York City, here in the United States of America.
I just bought the bite-size Irish CD on iTunes. It’s wonderful and I listen to it every night for an hour before bed. Your voice is very calming. Thank you and i hope another one gets put out so i can get that one too.❤️😊
Mark Bauman speak to someone from the Scottish Hebrides or west coast of Scotland and he will tell you of our Norse history and how to pronounce Gaelic in Scotland. this is a tourist version without the true history blended with a little naivety, thus lovely Irish lad is doing his best but only dipping his toe into a large history that over runs even Ireland.
Do you get paid well being a linguist? I think it would be a fun job but I don't know of many jobs under it except for being a translator. I would love to speak many different languages though.
@@jrbrtsn1116 Linguists aren't historians. This video was about Irish vs Gaelic not The History of Ireland and Scotland and Their Languages. The point of the video wasn't to go over the history, just the languages. Not sure how you didn't pick that up.
@@maeleb6839 I guess no different when one makes a video on ancient languages, covering Latin and Ancient Greek. Someone will state, the content creator forgot all the other ancient languages, like Egyptian, Sanskrit, etc... Which makes no sense, since it is obvious the video was emphasizing Latin and Ancient Greek.
Thank you so much for this opportunity to study the Irish Language on bitesizeirishgaelic! I just signed up! Can't wait to start studying your beautiful language.
Thank you for the useful info. I can say that here in Canada we have two languages English the 1st and French the 2nd, and we are all taught french in school for about 10 years.
I thought you explained beautifully. I've been wanting to learn "Irish" for so long, but knew nothing about the distinctions between "Irish Gaelic" and "Scots Gaelic" apart from the accents. I can hear they are actually quite marked differences in your pronunctiations. I figured Gaelic was hard and it's unfortunately not offered in many places. Not to mention language speaking programs are expensive, so I appreciate you offering free lessons for beginners! I certainly hope Gaelic isn't a fading language. It's so beautiful I'd hate to see Irish or Scottish lose that part of their culture.
Thanks for your video. My 15 yr old son asked me what's Gaelic so we watched your video together. My 90 yr old grandmother came from Ireland to the U.S. 60 yrs ago and still has a lovely Irish accent. (Maiden names Smyth and Mulcahy)
I'm half Irish, half Scottish, raised in America, and am very interested to learn about my birth country as much as I can (and learn Irish Gaelic as well). I may be moving to Ireland after my military service as well. Thank you for the helpful video!
Very interesting video! It made complete sense what you showing the differences of. Also, not all Americans are dense. Some aren't as informed of culture in other parts of the world. Other "dense Americans" (as you've labeled us all) find culture and knowledge very refreshing.
This is the way I have always understood the different ways the language is referred to and the difference between Scots Gaelic and Irish.I think you explained it well and I will sign up for the course.Irish was my mother's best subject at school but she went to England and forgot a lot of it. She did teach me a few phrases though and I would love to be able to speak it fluently. We need to keep our language alive. Slan!
My Irish grandmother always calls it "Irish gaelic". She also told me that she wasn't allowed to speak English at school! And her father wasn't able to speak Irish because he wasn't allowed to speak Irish for some reason when he was young. So, she and her siblings would give him cheek in Irish and he was none the wiser to what they were saying. haha.
Outside of the context of nationality, Gaelic is referred to as Irish as so to distinguish the original language from Scottish Gaelic and Manx, but referring to all of them as Gaelic is not incorrect because they are all Goidelic languages and this distinguishes them from other Celts who speak the Brittonic languages of Welsh, Cornish and Breton.
+Addy C: 4:58 Gaelic speakers from Scotland and Ireland can understand what the other is saying, despite some word or pronounciation changes. I suppose it is because Scots gaelic is argued to have derived from Irish gaelic as they (Irish) migrated to the western isles of Scotland and eventually mainland of Britain. For the least nationalistic that want to state 'Irish Gaelic' instead of 'Irish', it's usually 'gai'-lic in pronounciation for Ireland, and in Scotland it's pronounced 'ga'-lic. The spelling of gaelic differs depending on language. The gaelic celtic languages = Irish Gaelic, Manx Gaelic, Scots Gaelic.
Addy C: sadly, many Irish Americans do not know this....I have a hard time explaining to Americans that the Irish speak Irish/Irish Gaelic, and that the language of Scotland is Gaelic. I hope I have this correct; Mam is from Dublin!
Thank you, Owen, for the Irish vs Gaelic explanation. I learned something new about a language and you explained it very well, as far as I'm concerned! Keep up the good work!
Thank you for this video! I have just a few things to add: 1. When we're referring to Irish Gaelic in English we usually pronounce it as "Gay-lick," whereas the Scottish variety is pronounced "Gal-lick." 2. When the Irish and the British say that kids "learn" a language, it's a little misleading, in my opinion--since "learning" a language implies that you learn it *successfully*, or even that you master it. 3. A few years ago, my brother (a man with a Masters Degree from a reputable American university!) visited Ireland, and he was confused when his guide said, "We have to learn Irish at school--as he was not even aware that an Irish language existed! He simply thought that "Irish" was English with an Irish "brogue"! I was dumbfounded!
Good explanation! I took a few Gaelic lessons in Glasgow for the purpose of furthering my study of Highland bagpipe music/piobaireachd... (the teacher said it "Gallick"; everyone was very adamant that it should not be pronounced "Gaylick" if one is referring to the language spoken in "Alba")... everything this gentleman says in this video is in agreement with what I was told in Scotland by native Gaelic (not Irish) speakers... the hardest part of the lesson for me was the rule of "lenition"... there is nothing like it in English.
Yes, even when speaking in English, in Scotland, the pronunciation "Gallick" is used and differentiates between the Scots dialect - "Gallick" - and the Irish "Gaelick". Apparently, it's for a similar reason that the Glasgow football team Celtic is pronounced "Selltick" as opposed to "Keltick" - the story is that it was originally supposed to be pronounced with the "K" sound but the Irish immigrants in Glasgow used the more Irish "S" pronunciation and that became the official name.
@@j9o9h9n9n9y9 Always wondered about that but I don't think it's true. The letter C is always hard in Irish even when followed by a slender vowel, always.
My mom's Irish and when I say she doesn't really speak Irish, Americans "correct" me and say it's "Gaelic". Americans of course know everything 🙄😏. Thanks!! And I'll definitely check out the website!!
my first language is irish the official first language of Ireland is irish ido not understand the word gaelic I think somebody may have wade this word up to suit their own purpose
I am myself but for some reason I cannot connect with the word gaelic I lived in the UK most of my life and knew many Donegal speakers my west of Ireland dialect was appreciated by them and at social gatherings we spoke Irish together is sin mar a raimh se
Ta an ceart agat: i mo thuaraimse, is as na canuinti uilig a tagann saibhreas na gaeige nua-aimsearach. Ta me i mo chonai i Londain anois agus ina mball do'n cumann "Ar an Drabhlas," (Connemara for "on the piss"). An seoladh ar fail ar Meetups 7rl. Ce nach bhfuilim de bhunadh na Gaeltachta ta suim go deo agam 'sna "cupla focail" - agus iad a labhairt.
There's an awful lot of this kind of willful ignorance on the net too!Some people will INSIST they are right about YOUR country even though they couldn't be more wrong and have absolutely NO evidence to back up their arguments.I came across one person who insisted that Ireland used to be called " Hibernia" because the Irish are a lost tribe of Hebrews!!?? I told them that Hibernia is nothing to do with Hebrews at all and was the Ancient Roman name for Ireland and means " Land of Winter" but he wouldn't have it! I still argue but I have to laugh at these types now, sure they are too stupid to see what eejits they are!
My mother, who grew up in Ireland in the 30s and 40s, would agree that it only popularly became known as "Irish" in the years following independence. She always referred to it as Gaelic. In fact, her generation were among the first to be educated in the language once home rule was established as it was forbidden to teach it in schools during British rule. The Brits also Anglicized Irish place names - Dun Laoghaire for example, was called Kingstown.
Informative video! I love languages. I love learning about how they have evolved over the centuries and it's always so sad to hear or read about native languages that are disappearing or have disappeared. There is so much history attached to these languages. A while back I read that Scottish Gaelic was declining and I thought what a tragedy.
Finally I understand. I would always say Gaelic to my Dad and aunts, and they would always say Irish. They never corrected me or explained it. This was a clear, concise explanation. Loved it. Thank you.
I'm an American who lived in Scotland for a few years (although I am an Irish citizen as well--a plastic "Biddy" as I was told by a work colleague in Roscommon during a tour--someone who says they're Irish, but they aren't really. The male equivalent is a plastic Paddy). No one said "Gaelic" with a long a sound in Scotland. They used Gaidhlig (basically "Gallik" with the "a" like the "a" in "cat.") I had wondered for years why there was the difference between the 2 pronunciations--although I did know they were slightly different Celtic languages. This was a perfect explanation! Thank you Owen.
I like that you mentioned the language continuum theory. I’d go as far myself as saying that French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian are not separate languages but different standards of the western romania. Same for everything from the alps up to the top of Norway.
I am Not Irish, but I have a Fascination with ALL Things Irish, EVERYTHING- History, Literature, Land, Music and the People . This video gives so much essential information. A college professor could Not have done a better job!
This all makes perfect sense to me. I'm American of Scottish descent. I've been studying Scots Gaelic for 15 years. I think your explanation is very helpful for people who live outside of Ireland. Slainte agus moran taing. (left out the accent marks)
Modern Irish is very anglecised. Much of this has to do with occupation. If you are studying the etymology of words it's always useful to look up Scott's gaelic. To me it has come under less pressure from the English language. Their famine was ethnically clensing in a different way. An other example of this would be our number system. We used to use a base 20 system. Fiche is 20 (fi = fifth, che = chead--> fifth of a hundred as opposed to 2x10 ) Like the french quatre-vingts is 80. The Breton celts like the old Irish were using a base 20 in their mathematics. 4 x 20 . Useful for time and angles. Lots of circular structures built 5-6000 years ago following the constellations. Ireland's language morphed from base 20 to 10 with occupation. I would argue that 'score' (scoru in old english most likely came from Africa "oru" means 20. Sc(or)u/gold was measured in forearm lengths in Egypt and the number 20 is at the end of forearm according to Aztec measurements. (Yes mesoamerican Aztecs) English language etymology out of some absurd snobbery or deception has always sourced their words to latin, french or german. Irish for 'she' is 'sí' which is the same phoenetically. Look up etymology of she you get: Old english Hēo I Hīe I She Wtf! There are around 6000 languages but these seem to be the prominent ones with Vigesimal/base 20 as opposed to Graeco-roman decimal base 10. Manx, Cornish, Breton, Irish, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Yoruba(W Africa), Tzotzil(Mayan 1800bc -250ad ), Alamblak (Papua New Guinea ), Supyire (Niger Congo) mix Danish(messy but 20 is fractioned after 50) Babylonian (base 60) Aztecs (1300 to 1521) Shigir Idol (siberia 11500 years old) French (from breton above?) Inuit languages (Kaktovik Inupiaq numerals) Khmer Cambodia language derived from sanskrit Basque Egypt Galician Possibly Ainu (japan) Uyghur Chinese Who was actually trading thousands of years ago? If you want to follow the paths of language follow the numbers.
I was just listening to a video titled "monolingual Irish speaker"- it is I think, one of the most beautiful languages I've heard- I think it's so important for the Irish people to speak their own language, for a number of very important reasons, but if only because it is just too beautiful to die. I speak pretty good Cornish and it's improving all the time, my Grandmother spoke it and used a lot of Cornish words/phrases with other people in the small town I grow up in. I grow up using Cornish words for a number of different things- I am so pleased a few years ago I make a choice to learn it properly and to become fluent (or I'm nearly there). incidentally, just out of interest, in Cornish we call Irish, the language "Werdhonak" (Ireland is Werdhon) and an Irishman "Godhal".
Thank you for speaking slowly and carefully. I am hard of hearing and the closed captioning is not always accurate, but I had no trouble understanding you.
I am a member of Bitesize Irish Gaelic and I would highly recommend it if you want to learn the language. You can speak directly with Eoin if you have any questions or concerns and the lessons are broken down in a very easy to pick up manner.
I grew up speaking Scottish Gàidhlig. We called it Gàidhlig when speaking English and we got pissed off when people called it "Gaelic". We said "No, we speak Gàidhlig. Gaelic is Irish!" Apparently this isn't the case and neither language is called Gaelic by its native speakers. I propose that we just drop the word Gaelic from our vocabulary and simply refer to the languages as Irish (Or Gaeilge depending on which you prefer) and Gàidhlig.
+nakyer Even in English there is a tendency to call it "the Gaelic". If you check this article out, it gives more details. I posted it before but it was removed. 'Gàidhlig agus Gaeilge- ouch!! ' In Ireland we do call it just Irish but that is short for Irish Gaelic.
im a ukrainian canadian. Im glads theres videos of people talking about stuff like this about different people. Most assholes are just like "Google it" leaving you up to hours of research for simple things you dont have hours of time for but 10 minutes maybe
Mariia Palchyk Well, asking everyone to be perfect is a lot to ask don't you think? Furthermore, my Ukrainian friends who grew up in Ukraine speak a different version of Ukrainian than everyone's Ukrainian grandparents brought here before Stalin... Maybe you are even less Ukrainian than me even for speaking a version of Ukrainian that has been Russified for decades ;) ...I recommend this book for you: images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/611GMNCQZ7L._UY250_.jpg
I started that mini course and I've actually learned a lot. Thank you so much, its a really interesting language, and I've had a hard time finding something to help me learn it, but this site is actually really great help!
Very interesting! Thank you. I remember watching with a grandson "Thomas the Tank Engine", which was taking place in "Sodor", and I remembered the name of "Sodor and Man" for the Island. Good for them, and thanks again.
ok...so if my ancestry is from Northern Ireland, McLaughlin is my maiden name, what would we speak? gaelic? gaeligh? I can't trace my heritage past 1796, This is where I am stuck. Do I need to start looking for another language?
Gaeilge is the native language of all 32 counties of Ireland. Gaelic is the English translation but in Ireland It's known as either Irish or Gaeilge. Gaelic in the language sense refers to Scottish Gaelic. However Ireland's national sport is called Gaelic Football so in Ireland when we say Gaelic it's sport related and Gaeilge for our native tongue. Sláinte 🍺 Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste (Broken Irish is better than clever English) 🇮🇪 ☘️ 💚
You explained it exactly how I've learned about it. I read up on it for school. I've always been interested in English, and when I was somewhere in my teens I got a taste for accent as well, like Scottish and Irish and Aussie English. And it continued with the Irish language and Gaelic. So when I was studying to become a journalist and making ready to travel to Ireland with my fellow classmates I studied up on Irish. I find it so cool, Gaelic as a whole is wonderful to listen to!
1:56: "I'm no historian." Very true. If you went to the Gaeltacht in the last half of the 20th century and talked to the old men who learned the language at home, before it was "allowed to be" taught in school, they all referred to the language ONLY as Gaelic. The name "Irish" for it is a recent invention...and a bit of snobbery, in truth. It's like those of us in the United States saying we speak "American" when we speak a dialect (okay, a LOT of different dialects) of English.
The Real O'Donovan Exactly. My mother and aunt and uncle emigrated from Ireland and they were raised to call it Gaelic or Irish Gaelic, as did all my relatives still living in Ireland from the same generation. They are in their late 70s and 80s for reference. It’s complete snobbery of a modern source to blame the use of “Gaelic” on Americans or tourists. This is what it was referred to for years.
The Real O'Donovan It’s a fair point, and no doubt true, that some people decades ago had a different word. My grandfather (95) says Father Christmas and that doesn’t change the fact that everyone else knows him as Santa Claus or just Santa (and unfortunately sometimes by the nickname Santy). In Ireland today, Irish is what everyone calls the language. I grew up in Ireland and attended an all Irish speaking school age 4-13 in the ‘80s. From my experience, it’s not snobbery. It’s fact that the language is called Gaeilge, which translates to Irish in the English language. In Ireland, the majority of kids attend English speaking schools and take Irish as a subject in the same way they take English, Math, German, Science etc. The reality is, if you come to Ireland and use the word Gaelic referring to language, be willing to explain what language you mean exactly because it won’t be clear to Irish people (we don’t use this word for the language with each other, and we would probably assume you’re mixing up Irish with the Scottish or Welsh language. Don’t worry though, you’d likely get a polite smile as we like tourists to feel welcomed ...though inside we’d think you’re a bit of a gobshite). I think that’s the point of this video, it’s not a history lesson - it’s a living language lesson. The word Gaelic in Ireland today is most closely associated with the sport called Gaelic football e.g. “my nephew plays Gaelic on Mondays and soccer on Thursdays”. Test it out for yourself... road signs in Ireland have both our official languages, if you ask any average random Irish person ‘what language is that above the English’, the answer will be “Irish”.
Love these tutorials!!! Learning a lot about my Irish heritage.....God bless my Bros and sisters from Ireland! ......from your friendly neighborhood Woodstock!!! ♒👽💫✨🔮🌞🖖🤘🙏🕊🐚🐋🐳🐠🐟🐡🌊💨📡💡☮❤🙇🌴🌱🌿☘🍀🍀🍀🌻🌎🌏🤔💭📈💵🇮🇪
Here's a similar situation. We speak Taiwanese in Taiwan (besides Mandarin Chinese). And some people in China speak Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Amoy, and Chaozhou (Tiochiw). All these languages (dialects) are under a general term as Southern Min. They may or may not be mutual intelligible to each other, depending on how different they are. So, precisely, I can say: we speak Taiwanese Southern Min in Taiwan. But usually in Taiwan we just call this language Taiwanese, without bothering with the tongue twisting lengthy term.
Richard Smith What is interesting is that names are arbitrary. In this sense, there is no real misnomer. For example, the noun 'French' as a name for the language cannot be deemed precise and objective, for French is not the only language spoken in France. There are French languages (or languages spoken in France).
Seng-hian Lau Thank yuo very muhc fo' da informatiohnez. ( `__´ ) Praise chwina! (No, really. Thank you, you taught me something new about Chinese linguistics!) Taihwan chwina is onleh reel chwina! May you live a long life, sir. And I wish you the best of luck in dealing with mainland China. May Taiwan prosper! (Pst! ... They think they're the "only" China. Hah-ha... Funny, right? And some of them seem pretty pissy about this situation. Enjoy!)
Seng-hian Lau A misnomer is like calling a person a 'white hat hacker'. The term is used incorrect, but it still holds a meaning that gets the point across. In case you are unaware of this particular misnomer, the color of the hat is defined by the position one holds at the time. 'Hat' is used because one can change their hat at will, and is the very point of the term, to point out the 'hat' that a person was sporting at the time they are referencing, and in this, a person is not a hat, so the term is used incorrectly, so it is a misnomer. Additionally 'white' is assigned to 'good', when in reality, it means they are doing something legally, in reference to scientific testing. Regardless, it still gets the idea across that someone is trying to express when it is used wrong, so it usually doesn't matter.
Gaelic in Scotland probably had some influence from the Brythonic languages of the Britons (in the south --- later Cornish and Welsh) and Picts (in the north). Ultimately all of Pictland became Gaelic speaking after the merging of the Gaelic kingdom of Ral Diata and the Pictlands, although some remnants of the older Pictish language are still there in names like Aberdeen, Pitcullo, etc This, of course, had nothing to do with Latin or Anglo-Saxon, which were in the southern parts of the island of Britain, although 'Scots' (Lowland Scots) is a Germanic language related to Anglo-Saxon.
also, id hardly call modern english germanic, its been butchered by superstitious alien religious nuts that is essentially a hex on anything germanic is their superstitions on the magic of the alphabet are true,,, english is butchered.
I spent a few months in South Ayrshire Scotland and once had an Irish friend from Dublin. The accents are similar and as you said, it changes gradually as you visit different places. I had a difficult time understanding the pronunciation of Scottish Gaelic and actually English in Gladgow with their very thick accents but people were very nice wherever I travelled in the UK as I'm sure they would have been in Ireland had I visited there like I wanted to. You mentioned seeing Scotland from Ireland. Well while I was at Culzean Castle, I was told the land mass I saw out in the sea on a partially clear day was Ireland. I think there was a sign on the grounds pointing to it that indicated it was 40 miles or so away (as the crow flies). It was so close but still out of reach since nobody wanted to go there with me. I really hated not being able to get someone to take a ferry across to Ireland with me. That was probably my last chance to go. I'm from the US but my ancestry goes back to 1700's Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland and I have the red hair (or ginger as it is called over there). One relative came across on the Mayflower. It was lots of fun living with the locals and learning so many things I never knew. I think it's beautiful over there especially with all the castles. I was surprised the grass was very green in winter each time I visited. The grass dies here in winter and turns brown. I'd love to visit Ireland and learn a wee bit of the language. From what I've seen on travel shows, Ireland is definitely on my bucket list. Nice video, thank you. Or should I say "Go raibn maith agat!" 😀
My sister's husband went to Ireland on business and she went with him. They went to a local pub to have a drink and relax. It happened to be Bill's birthday and he made mention of it as he chatted with the lady serving them. And she spread the word. Suddenly Janet and Bill were surrounded by well wishers and free drinks and shouts of celebration. That is Ireland. That is the Irish. I am half-Irish on my mothers side and I embrace it gladly. I will never go to Ireland, but by the grace of God, I carry a piece of it with me. Ireland forever and always.
It isn't out of the ordinary to call the language you speak in Ireland as Irish and the language spoken in Scotland as Gaelic; this is how we refer to them in Canada. Irish is spoken on the east coast of Newfoundland and Gaelic is spoken on the west coast of Newfoundland, as well as Cape Breton, mainland Nova Scotia, eastern Ontario, southwestern Ontario around Guelph, Northern Alberta, and in British Columbia. We don't use "Irish Gaelic", we just call it Irish. We don't use "Scottish Gaelic", we say "Gaelic".
Irish Gaelic (Gaeilge) and Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) were the same language before c.1750. I believe that the distinction into "Irish" and "Gaelic" was invented by the English to keep the two Celtic nations apart, and so I prefer to use the terms Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic.
+Atlanta Bill And informed people in Ireland and elsewhere refer to the language of Ireland as "Irish" when speaking English. You might want to catch up.
nakyer I'm well aware of that. My point is that they were "informed" in that by the British, who were desirous of keeping the Gaelic-speaking peoples separated. They're also "informed" by German anthropologists that the name 'Celt' should be pronounced /kehlt/ as it is in German 'Keltisch', when everywhere a Goidelic language is spoken, the natives have used a word beginning with a 'G' /g/-- even the people who once spoke a Celtic language in what is now Turkey, namely the Galatians. As I once remarked in an email exchange with the President of the Scottish Gaelic association Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the ancient Greeks and Romans very likely used the 'C' when writing 'Celtoi' to stand for the earlier Greek 'G' before it was distinguished from their K-sound by the addition of a vertical bar-- the same 'C' that was used by Caius Julius Caesar to spell 'Caius', which was pronounced /GHY-us/. That's why they were called 'Galatai' elsewhere by Ancient authors. In America, the Irish have formerly used the pronunciation /SEHL-tik/ for 'Celtic' because the word came to English from French, who pronounced 'celtique' as /sehl-TEEK/. I knew an American Celtic scholar who was taught the pronunciation /SEHL-tik/ in her undergraduate studies in America but was "re-educated" to pronounce the name /KEHL-tik/ after she arrived in Wales to continue her studies. The name should, by reason of what I've said above, be pronounced /GHEHL-tik/. Informed enough for you?
+Atlanta Bill Actually, until relatively recently, the Lowland Scots,who spoke a dialect of English (as I'm sure you know), referred to the Highland speakers of Scots Gaelic as 'the speakers of the Irish tongue' - or, to be more exact, and emphasise the derogatory nature of the reference, they would say that the Highlanders 'spoke the wild Irish tongue'. It helped to emphasise how 'other' they were, how 'alien', and to associate them and their culture with the 'alien' or 'rebel' Irish. I'm not sure how recently anyone speaking English began to refer to the Gàidhlig speakers (mostly) of the Highlands and Islands as 'Scots Gaelic' to differentiate it from the 'Irish' language, but I think it was long after the close of the eighteenth century.
Atlanta Bill I doubt the people of Ireland would appreciate your telling them they call their language "Irish" because that's the way the English wanted it.
Calling it Irish Gaelic makes sense to me, because Irish language could be a type of English. In Spanish we call it gaélico but if you said irlandés I guess people might think you are talking about the celtic language.
Nothing to do with English language Irish is thousands of years older. A poet was asked what he thought of the English language he said it was a good language for selling pigs.
Irish is not simply a Republic of Ireland thind, my ancestors spoke it for centuries in the lands of modern Northern Ireland, however nowadays it isn't that big here, it is mainly spoken as a 2nd language in north Antrim, Sperrin mountains in co.Derry and in South Armagh i think. When I was at school we were taught in the Ulster dialect, we were always taught to pronounce it as something like "gaelig" my teachers were from Tyrone and Fermanagh. I call it Irish gaelic because it was spoken by Irish gaels and is a part of the wider Gaelic culture. The gaels of Ireland are said to have their roots in Iberia so I do not understand the central europe Celtic link. it must be said that Manx in the Isle of Man is also Gaelic.
Thanks! I now understand when Americans have 'corrected' me when I've said 'Irish', regarding the language of Ireland, and told me that I must mean 'Gaelic'. (I'm American, btw.)
+Master Chain Are you trying to confuse her altogether? Gaolainn in Munster, Gaeilge in Connacht and Gaeilic in Ulster. Nothing wrong with calling it 'Gaelic' as it is short for Irish Gaelic. In Ireland we don't feel the need to use both words so we just say "Irish". Gaelic is nonetheless understood (or should be) to be there.
I've literally never heard anyone in Ireland call it "Gaelic". At least not anyone who actually spoke the language. I don't know what leads you to believe that I'm trying to confuse anyone. You're the one that seems confused, if I'm being honest.
+Master Chain Before the caighdeán oifigiúil was introduced for the written language, we spelt it as Gaeidhlig in Ulster. The 'dh' was dropped and the 'g' at the end was standardized to 'c'. Gaeilic is what we are left with. There's a RUclips video you can watch called 'Gaoth Dobhair people speaking Gaelic' and you will notice for the first time in your life native speakers calling it "Gaeilic". When speaking in the English language here, very few call it 'Irish'. This was another Department of Education standardization more to do with de Valera's nation-state building.
Just so awesome that there are those like yourself doing what they can to preserve Celtic languages...would be a shame for the remaining Celtic languages to suffer the fate of Cornish and others :(
Like very much your lessons... I wish I could learn to speak irish properly once I totally love the country and cultura. As a brazillian, it's funny when you say "gaeilge" because it sounds like "galega" and, so, I feel more and more interested in knowing the stories and origins. Go raibh maith agat :)
as a fourth generation Irishman living in america I plan to learn the language of my country before settling back home as I see more of myself in the people of Ireland than that of america and would choose it as my home given the chance. thank you for creating such an informative video.
yes but accents may present a problem at first. Once attuned to each others accents it's possible to have a conversation. Not all words are the same but then, some words change as you move around Ireland also.
Will lad Irish and Scottish speaking gaelic sounds same so in english but nowadays theirs slung mix to language of english speaking of both Irish or Scottish.
You did a great job explaining some of the differences in terminology, young man. You've also shown that things are still not very clearcut. And, in fact, some of your comment(at)ors have well demonstrated some of the historical reasons for various usages. In other words, your video and all of these comments, together, have shown that there are understandable, historical reasons for all of the variation. Here's what I'm going to do. From now on, I'm going to speak of Irish Gaelic, Scot(ti)s(h) Gaelic, and Manx Gaelic. But sometimes I'm just going to use "Gaelic", "Irish", and "Manx" by themselves, and trust (hope?, assume?) that people are knowledgeable, intelligent, and tolerant enough to figure out what I mean when I use them. And I'm also going to use the term "Erse" whenever I feel like it. Although, to be honest, whatever name I decide to use will most likely be the one I think will be best understood at that moment. And, alright, I'm probably never gonna use the term "Erse", because I'm American, and it would just be so goddamned pretentious for an American to ever use that word, unless it were in the context of the very subject of this video (the subject of what names to use to describe all of these dialects, languages, or whatever you want to call them). My point is simply this: what all of this proves to me is the need for tolerance, openness, and understanding -- tolerance, to accept the differences of usage; openness, to embrace them; with the understanding that there might be situations where further discussion is necessary but perhaps also unattainable. Oh yeah, I started writing this comment with the intention of making fun of all of this confusion. Not mockingly, but sympathetically. So in case anyone didn't "get it" (that's an American phrase meaning "understand, sense, or detect, the irony, humor, or sarcasm"), please don't take my comments too seriously. Take them with a grain of salt. Or a pinch of sugar. Or whatever spice, condiment, palliative, or sedative you need to make this all more agreeable to you.
Irish is Irish Gaelic We get pissed when people say Gaelic but it is Gaelic Irish people are way too sensitive I'm Irish, born in Ireland, living in Ireland
The problem is they are 3 languages called gaelic.When foreigners say gaelic its as if the gaels were some kind indigenous group supplanted by the irish,which of course gael is a singular term for an irish person and we are mostly indigenous and we know that but foreigners not so sure they do.
***** thats where it gets complicated.Most of scotland would have a gaelic heritage except for the border and lothian regions which were part of northumbria
I've been studing a lot of Linguistics at college and I got very interested on Irish language by now. I love your videos and your explanaitions, I'm looking forward to take a course of the languague! Cheers!
Not all Americans are dense. Every country has their own idiots and, as some have proven, judgmental citizens. I am not perfect by any means, but I am tired of constantly being degraded just because I am an American. I understand that there is a difference between the different dialects of a language spoken in different areas. I look forward to learning the differences in each. I also have Irish and Scottish ancestors as well.
"The Scots and Manx are 10th-century Irish invaders of Pictland." There was no 9thC Irish invasion of Pictland as such. The Scotti of Dalriada inhabited the Argyle area and at least most of the Hebrides since the 6thC and perhaps for centuries before that. So in that sense the Scotti were already in Scotland and had been since before our written history. Because of the Celtic Church the Picts were already partly Gaelicised by the 9thC or so at least as far as the ruling class went. Politically the Picts had previously conquered Dalriada and several Pictish kings had already been Kings of the Dalriadans (or Scotti) also. The Norse invaders totally changed the situation. The Pictish Northern Isles were taken over, as were all the Hebridean islands. Scottish Dalriada disappeared from the map. The Scotti elite were pushed westwards probably into alliance with the Picts. The Picts themselves are thought to have lost most of their senior nobility in batlle against the Norse. MacAlpin who was a Scotti noble but is thought to have been of part Pictish heritage too seized the throne. He was the first Scotti to be King of Pictland too but not the first person to be King of both. The new permanent Pictish/Scotti kingdom was created but the monarchs are still described as Pictish to begin with; then later Kings of Alba; then much later King of Scots. There was Irish incursions into Galloway in the extreme south-west of Scotland but that was not Pictland. It was the area previously controlled by the Britons. The Norse had also seriously weakened the Kingdom of Strathclyde when they smashed Dumbarton (ie the Fort of the Britons) on the Clyde in the same period.
The poster of this video does pronounce a certain couple of things in a Scandinavian way. I look fondly on the Picts as a native tribal people. Thank-you for the informative post.
James Mc Gill No single source as much as a general interest in and reading about Scottish history of this period amongst other periods.. So multiple sources like Lynch's "History of Scotland" and Duncan's "Scotland The Making Of The Kingdom, Edinburgh History of Scotland Vol 1" amongst others. I've got quite a big selection of books on the period.
Lonnie Greer Pictish wasn't Gaelic Lonnie. Scottish historians etc have agreed for some time that it was a P-Celtic language closely related to the Cumbric spoken in the south of Scotland. ie A Brittonic language related to Old Welsh. There is some evidence of there also being a older non-Indo European language too. They then became Gaelic speakers at some point towards the end of the 1st millenium. The royal family possibly first but no-one really knows how long Pictish itself hung on for. Both Pictish and Cumbric seem to have died out by the early 2nd millenium.
Someone suggested to me the other day that perhaps a better name of Scots Gaelic would be "Highlander." That would distinguish it from "Lollans" aka "Lowland Scots" that is the Germanic language and not the Goidelic.
Jackie L Douglas not really because the stronghold of the gaelic language in scotland has always been the islands, though i think they technically are "highland" i am not sure
Im from the states when I started eating "traditional irish foods" (potato, cabbage, for example) I felt a lot better. It got me thinking where my blood and flesh came from and what else agrees with it better. I think irish sounds like an elven language
Owen, I want to thank you so much. You have helped me with questions I have had for years. I live in America but was around elderly great aunts and uncles who left Ireland during the "hard times".... as they used to say.
+nakyer They probably arent morons if they have the disposable income for travel. However the world is too complex to be expert in everything. People are quite specialized in a particular field and often ignorant about many or most others.
***** You are so naive... There are many people who are adept at making money and have much in the way of disposable income...OR INHERITED IT...who are total airheads.
***** The simple fact, Eric, is that tourists often know next to nothing of the places they visit (and yet often think they do), and so, in that sense at least, are MORONS.
I insist that you the Irish should call Irish "Gaelic" and that the Scots should call their language "Scottish". Because Scottish Gaelic was born from the Old Irish Gaelic. In this sense English should be called "British". Because Britain is not an Anglo Saxon country anymore. It is a country by Britons. Any comment?
Which one came first ? The Gaels of the Irish free state came from France and Spain around the birth of Christ ! I think it should be banned in Ulster cause its a foreign language and not even from this island !
***** We have a communication language of English but I can tell you that in the area I come from Its not English/Irish/Scotts/Gaelic but its been trampled over by invaders and almost forgotten now .Here is words for you if you know what they mean . Ma'sca Kassy Loan.in ?
***** what ever you name means Ulster was only 9 counties under british rule and infact when it was Ulaid it was only 3 and under Dalriada kingdom was 2 so make you mind up will you ? The Gaels never ran Ulster in its ancient form and if your just here to beat on 1690 boys your talking to the wrong person cause that's not who I am sorry !
***** Sorry Dal'riada had nothing to do with the south not Irish Gaels as you wernt in the kingdom . Dublin is used to stealing things so that why the name has been miss used . Not one of you can tell me nor admit were the Gaels come from as they are not native of this island like I am ! We don't want the rest only Ulster our rightful land .
Your explanation has been immensely helpful. I no longer have a cloudy understanding of what people might mean when they use these language labels. And I really appreciate you pointing out the "dangers" in using these labels out of respect for their historically-shaped and loaded cultural connotations.
I'm a Chinese and I am soooo drawn toward Ireland and the Irish culture!! I am self-learning Irish Gaelic, wish me good luck!
加油
Ok Yu Ming. (Only proper ogs will get that reference)
Dia dhuit
Fade teil
Maith thú
I'm a Scot now living in Ireland, and just beginning to learn Irish. Everyone tells me they thought that Scots and Irish Gaelic are the same but there are subtle but definite differences between the two when it comes to pronunciation. I'm learning though! Tapadh leat! (Thank you!)
I lived in Ireland for 6 months few years ago, and it's been stuck inside me ever since. Funny thing is, my second day there, I was heading to college and needed directions; I asked an old lady, hoping to understand the answer (because english is not my first language) and she answered me very kindly but...I didn't get a single word. So I started thinking "God, what have I done, I'll never be able to learn english properly, and now how am I supposed to survive here 6 months?!" but in that moment a young girl approached the old woman and told me "My grandma speaks irish, I'll show you the way" and that I understood :-) that's how I discovered irish, and I think it's a very unique language, with a fascinating sound. I will sure return to ireland one day, "my second home" as I like to think about it, and I hope to learn also a little bit of irish before then :-) thank you 4 the video, very helpful. Alice.
Lol ❤️
That's hilarious!
As an Irish person, I've no problem calling Irish either Irish or Gaelic, or preferrably Gaeidhlig (as an Ulster man) its all good 😄☘
We had a celtic language too in Asturias up to around 1500 according to some sources, but it was replaced with latin dialects. there are many celtic remains still
Brilliant moment: watching Scottish and Irish fishermen "converse", LOUDLY, and SLOWLY, with LOTS OF REPETITION (and laughter), in their "common language". Same people, at base.
RobMacKendrick I saw a programme from BBC Alba. It featured Scottish Gaelic speakers who came to Connaught. They were I think, fisherman. They had a series of conversations with Irish fisherman and by and large seemed to understand in broad terms what was said.
I have learned SO much from this discourse. As a Native American, with 25% Irish heritage, and a long time student of Sociology. I am enriched with learning, and appreciate, what this conversation provides. Thank you, to all of the people that have posted, and the people that have replied. All of the best, to each of you!
:)
I'd love to learn Native American.
When I hear people speaking Gaelic from Scotland it sounds very similar, to me, as native American. I'm in California. So many theories of native Americans coming from Asia across the Berring sea but also the Nordics coming from Scandinavia to Greenland to Canada then south.. it's all fascinating
I love both Irish Gaelic and Scots Gaelic. Both sound fascinatingly beautiful.
Yes it's a lovely sound, with many similarities to the Vikings.
Thank you 😊
Just *Irish, leave out the gaelic part, it's our language.
@@ranica47 I got what Ireland and Scotland each call Gaelic but are they the same language with different pronounciations or completely different languages linguistically??
@@gailtrotman5256 they are different but closely related
Thank you for this video. I am becoming an English Teacher in Austria and talking about Ireland is always one important part of the lectures. So I wanted to get my facts straight. :)
As an American, this really blew my mind. I mean, I knew there was a general "Gaelic" language spoken up in those parts, but I had no idea it was this complex and diverse. What's even more surprising is how the language changes literally as you move up the road on the western coast. Great video! Thanks for posting and clarifying all this.
It's not that surprising when you think that the English language changes as you move up the western coast of North America
My husband spent some time in Innis Meain and no one spoke English. He loved it. He photographed some amazing things, and came home with a handmade wool sweater. He went back later because he loved it there so much. He eventually had a show of his photos in one of our art museums to educate us of an unknown place that is so incredibly beautiful. Everyone should experience this Emerald Isle!!!
I love how unhurried you talk :)
I just appreciate the fact that you would break it down for the other cultures of the world that happen to be curious about our language if not culture. Thank you.
why all the nasty comments about tourists not knowing enough about the destinations they visit? what better way to LEARN about a place than by visiting it in person, meeting native people, eating the food, discovering the landscape, and experiencing its history? it's not like anyone gets an epic travel experience from youtube or google. you gotta actually GO places to experience the good stuff, so why the big deal?
PS - we americans also deal with tons of tourists from all over the world. most of 'em are clueless about the US and its cultures/practices, regardless of how many books, travel guides, or videos they've studied...or how much they think they know about this nation. the difference seems to lie in nobody here caring about clueless tourists as long as they're spending $$$ and not creating public menaces.
Beidh Aonach Amárach
The problem with americans can be summed up in two words: ignorance and arrogance (speaking from the position of being both a native born US citizen as well as UK). Just look down this thread. Even though the internet and subsequently youtube are global, americans like :
"Alex Ryan2 months ago (edited)+Chick Norton And wow you are such a hypocrite. You Germans are pacifists? Yeah, I can totally tell by how you are trying to pick a fight with him just because you're racist against Irish people.
Also, yeah, pacifist, because it's not like you Germans killed six million Jews or something."
Then you have the americans who go to another country and demand a McDonalds on every corner, and everyone in that other country speak english. And if that weren't enough, wealthy americans have bought up a goodly portion of all the hunting and fresh water fishing areas in Scotland and Ireland, so the locals have nothing. Then there's the constant state of war the americans keep dragging Europe, and to a lesser degree, Asia, into. People don't drive aircraft into lower Manhattan buildings because Americans are so friendly or cheerful. Just sayin', you know?
I agree, I'm chinese but I'm american born. I have to say that americans are far too arrogant in thinking they are on top of the world without realizing it because they're used to the feeling in the culture, which is more real than 'white privilege' that liberal americans coined.
Americans are generally friendly as any other country folk (folk from other countries i mean) but the problem is that there are always bad apples and really really really stupid and ignorant tourists no matter where they're from. Having said that...
facepalms*
How are they not? If their parents are both Chinese, then they are Chinese.Cliff Richard was born in India but everyone regards him as English and no one calls him Indian. Place of birth is not as significant as blood, ethnicity and culture!
I am Canadian and I am trying to learn some Irish. Both sides of my family came over from Eire in the late 1700's and early 1800's. My last name is Flynn and I know which places my ancestors came from. You were lucky to have the chance to learn the language when you were young. People learn the most, as far as language is concerned, before they are 5 years old. That is what I read any ways. Have you heard of any body able to pick The language fluently after they turn 50? It seems very complicated but I guess english is one of the most difficult languages to learn.
Daily practise, even 10 minutes a day. It's good for our brains to learn a new language. We create new neural pathways at any age when we learn something new. Practise, practise, practise until it becomes automatic.
I recently purchased the Pimsluer method of language in Irish. I am using it to self teach myself the language, being of Irish descent. I searched the web to find Irish speakers using basic phrases so I could watch them pronounce the words, which is something missing in the pure audio format. I discovered your site in my search. My comment is you have done a fine job, particularly in parsing the subtle differences in meaning between Scots Gaelic, and Irish. I take no note of the negative commentary above. Kudos to you on a fine job and your well phrased explanations. Best wished to you from New York City, here in the United States of America.
I just bought the bite-size Irish CD on iTunes. It’s wonderful and I listen to it every night for an hour before bed. Your voice is very calming. Thank you and i hope another one gets put out so i can get that one too.❤️😊
I'm of Irish decent! And I love that I've discovered this channel! I was thought by my mum to count to 30 in Galic! And how to bless myself
You did a good job of clarifying (And I'm a linguist). :)
Mark Bauman speak to someone from the Scottish Hebrides or west coast of Scotland and he will tell you of our Norse history and how to pronounce Gaelic in Scotland. this is a tourist version without the true history blended with a little naivety, thus lovely Irish lad is doing his best but only dipping his toe into a large history that over runs even Ireland.
Do you get paid well being a linguist? I think it would be a fun job but I don't know of many jobs under it except for being a translator. I would love to speak many different languages though.
@@jrbrtsn1116 Linguists aren't historians. This video was about Irish vs Gaelic not The History of Ireland and Scotland and Their Languages.
The point of the video wasn't to go over the history, just the languages. Not sure how you didn't pick that up.
@@maeleb6839 I guess no different when one makes a video on ancient languages, covering Latin and Ancient Greek. Someone will state, the content creator forgot all the other ancient languages, like Egyptian, Sanskrit, etc...
Which makes no sense, since it is obvious the video was emphasizing Latin and Ancient Greek.
I can tell your a linguist by your intelligent use of brackets ;+}
it's a beautiful language. wish it has a resurgence.
What a dear young man, he reminds me of my nephew who's a wonder guy! God Bless you young man, this video is very good!!
Thank you so much for this opportunity to study the Irish Language on bitesizeirishgaelic! I just signed up! Can't wait to start studying your beautiful language.
Thank you for the useful info. I can say that here in Canada we have two languages English the 1st and French the 2nd, and we are all taught french in school for about 10 years.
I thought you explained beautifully. I've been wanting to learn "Irish" for so long, but knew nothing about the distinctions between "Irish Gaelic" and "Scots Gaelic" apart from the accents. I can hear they are actually quite marked differences in your pronunctiations.
I figured Gaelic was hard and it's unfortunately not offered in many places. Not to mention language speaking programs are expensive, so I appreciate you offering free lessons for beginners!
I certainly hope Gaelic isn't a fading language. It's so beautiful I'd hate to see Irish or Scottish lose that part of their culture.
my dads fluent and so is my sister in irish, but its sooooooooooooooo dead
SeanORiain11 they're alive in my heart
Thanks for your video. My 15 yr old son asked me what's Gaelic so we watched your video together. My 90 yr old grandmother came from Ireland to the U.S. 60 yrs ago and still has a lovely Irish accent. (Maiden names Smyth and Mulcahy)
I'm half Irish, half Scottish, raised in America, and am very interested to learn about my birth country as much as I can (and learn Irish Gaelic as well). I may be moving to Ireland after my military service as well. Thank you for the helpful video!
That actually made a lot of sense, thank you for sharing!
miucik sones
sons
Very interesting video! It made complete sense what you showing the differences of. Also, not all Americans are dense. Some aren't as informed of culture in other parts of the world. Other "dense Americans" (as you've labeled us all) find culture and knowledge very refreshing.
Thank you. German is my first language, english my second and I like to hear irish. And yes, I have understood you really well. Thank you 😊!
It's the other way around for me, Irish is my first language, English is my second and German is is my third🙂
This is the way I have always understood the different ways the language is referred to and the difference between Scots Gaelic and Irish.I think you explained it well and I will sign up for the course.Irish was my mother's best subject at school but she went to England and forgot a lot of it. She did teach me a few phrases though and I would love to be able to speak it fluently. We need to keep our language alive. Slan!
Hi Owen, you're a born teacher. Good job.
Fred
Is it Owen or Eoin ?
@@GaryMcKinnonUFO Eoin is the irish spelling of John, which is popular in Ireland. That or Eoghan, another spelling.
Owen is the Welsh way, not Irish.
My Irish grandmother always calls it "Irish gaelic". She also told me that she wasn't allowed to speak English at school! And her father wasn't able to speak Irish because he wasn't allowed to speak Irish for some reason when he was young. So, she and her siblings would give him cheek in Irish and he was none the wiser to what they were saying. haha.
Ashley Manney what did you call your grandmother?
I'm currently going to a school where everything is taught through irish and you have to talk in irish
English banned people from speaking Irish when they colonised us
Sad but true. :(
We must not forget the Welsh as a Gaelic language.
My grandparents came from Ireland. I hope to go before I die .IAM so proud to be Irish!!!
Outside of the context of nationality, Gaelic is referred to as Irish as so to distinguish the original language from Scottish Gaelic and Manx, but referring to all of them as Gaelic is not incorrect because they are all Goidelic languages and this distinguishes them from other Celts who speak the Brittonic languages of Welsh, Cornish and Breton.
+mattdobz I grew up in the US and Americans call it all Gaelic. I'm not sure how many of them know that Irish is actually a language in of itself.
+mattdobz I thought it was called Gaelic because the language came from ancient gaul, where the celts lived.
+Addy C: 4:58 Gaelic speakers from Scotland and Ireland can understand what the other is saying, despite some word or pronounciation changes. I suppose it is because Scots gaelic is argued to have derived from Irish gaelic as they (Irish) migrated to the western isles of Scotland and eventually mainland of Britain. For the least nationalistic that want to state 'Irish Gaelic' instead of 'Irish', it's usually 'gai'-lic in pronounciation for Ireland, and in Scotland it's pronounced 'ga'-lic. The spelling of gaelic differs depending on language. The gaelic celtic languages = Irish Gaelic, Manx Gaelic, Scots Gaelic.
It is very probable that Gael, Celt, Gaul (from Gallia), and similar Celtic autonyms all came from a common root.
Addy C: sadly, many Irish Americans do not know this....I have a hard time explaining to Americans that the Irish speak Irish/Irish Gaelic, and that the language of Scotland is Gaelic. I hope I have this correct; Mam is from Dublin!
Thank you, Owen, for the Irish vs Gaelic explanation. I learned something new about a language and you explained it very well, as far as I'm concerned! Keep up the good work!
*Eoin. Owen is the Welsh spelling.
Thank you for this video! I have just a few things to add: 1. When we're referring to Irish Gaelic in English we usually pronounce it as "Gay-lick," whereas the Scottish variety is pronounced "Gal-lick." 2. When the Irish and the British say that kids "learn" a language, it's a little misleading, in my opinion--since "learning" a language implies that you learn it *successfully*, or even that you master it. 3. A few years ago, my brother (a man with a Masters Degree from a reputable American university!) visited Ireland, and he was confused when his guide said, "We have to learn Irish at school--as he was not even aware that an Irish language existed! He simply thought that "Irish" was English with an Irish "brogue"! I was dumbfounded!
A Spanish student said the same thing!
Why would a country not have its own language even if it is not widely spoken! 😢
Good explanation! I took a few Gaelic lessons in Glasgow for the purpose of furthering my study of Highland bagpipe music/piobaireachd... (the teacher said it "Gallick"; everyone was very adamant that it should not be pronounced "Gaylick" if one is referring to the language spoken in "Alba")... everything this gentleman says in this video is in agreement with what I was told in Scotland by native Gaelic (not Irish) speakers... the hardest part of the lesson for me was the rule of "lenition"... there is nothing like it in English.
Yes, even when speaking in English, in Scotland, the pronunciation "Gallick" is used and differentiates between the Scots dialect - "Gallick" - and the Irish "Gaelick".
Apparently, it's for a similar reason that the Glasgow football team Celtic is pronounced "Selltick" as opposed to "Keltick" - the story is that it was originally supposed to be pronounced with the "K" sound but the Irish immigrants in Glasgow used the more Irish "S" pronunciation and that became the official name.
@@j9o9h9n9n9y9 Always wondered about that but I don't think it's true. The letter C is always hard in Irish even when followed by a slender vowel, always.
My mom's Irish and when I say she doesn't really speak Irish, Americans "correct" me and say it's "Gaelic". Americans of course know everything 🙄😏. Thanks!! And I'll definitely check out the website!!
my first language is irish the official first language of Ireland is irish ido not understand the word gaelic I think somebody may have wade this word up to suit their own purpose
I am myself but for some reason I cannot connect with the word gaelic I lived in the UK most of my life and knew many Donegal speakers my west of Ireland dialect was appreciated by them and at social gatherings we spoke Irish together is sin mar a raimh se
Ta an ceart agat: i mo thuaraimse, is as na canuinti uilig a tagann saibhreas na gaeige nua-aimsearach. Ta me i mo chonai i Londain anois agus ina mball do'n cumann "Ar an Drabhlas," (Connemara for "on the piss"). An seoladh ar fail ar Meetups 7rl. Ce nach bhfuilim de bhunadh na Gaeltachta ta suim go deo agam 'sna "cupla focail" - agus iad a labhairt.
There's an awful lot of this kind of willful ignorance on the net too!Some people will INSIST they are right about YOUR country even though they couldn't be more wrong and have absolutely NO evidence to back up their arguments.I came across one person who insisted that Ireland used to be called " Hibernia" because the Irish are a lost tribe of Hebrews!!?? I told them that Hibernia is nothing to do with Hebrews at all and was the Ancient Roman name for Ireland and means " Land of Winter" but he wouldn't have it! I still argue but I have to laugh at these types now, sure they are too stupid to see what eejits they are!
My mother, who grew up in Ireland in the 30s and 40s, would agree that it only popularly became known as "Irish" in the years following independence. She always referred to it as Gaelic. In fact, her generation were among the first to be educated in the language once home rule was established as it was forbidden to teach it in schools during British rule. The Brits also Anglicized Irish place names - Dun Laoghaire for example, was called Kingstown.
Informative video!
I love languages. I love learning about how they have evolved over the centuries and it's always so sad to hear or read about native languages that are disappearing or have disappeared. There is so much history attached to these languages. A while back I read that Scottish Gaelic was declining and I thought what a tragedy.
Finally I understand. I would always say Gaelic to my Dad and aunts, and they would always say Irish. They never corrected me or explained it. This was a clear, concise explanation. Loved it. Thank you.
I'm an American who lived in Scotland for a few years (although I am an Irish citizen as well--a plastic "Biddy" as I was told by a work colleague in Roscommon during a tour--someone who says they're Irish, but they aren't really. The male equivalent is a plastic Paddy). No one said "Gaelic" with a long a sound in Scotland. They used Gaidhlig (basically "Gallik" with the "a" like the "a" in "cat.") I had wondered for years why there was the difference between the 2 pronunciations--although I did know they were slightly different Celtic languages. This was a perfect explanation! Thank you Owen.
look up the origins of the scots and irish gaels on irish origenes for a more accurate account.
I like that you mentioned the language continuum theory. I’d go as far myself as saying that French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian are not separate languages but different standards of the western romania. Same for everything from the alps up to the top of Norway.
I am Not Irish, but I have a Fascination with ALL Things Irish, EVERYTHING- History, Literature, Land, Music
and the People . This video gives so much essential information. A college professor could Not have done a better job!
Thank you very much for this clear and systematic explanation.
This all makes perfect sense to me. I'm American of Scottish descent. I've been studying Scots Gaelic for 15 years. I think your explanation is very helpful for people who live outside of Ireland. Slainte agus moran taing. (left out the accent marks)
Modern Irish is very anglecised. Much of this has to do with occupation. If you are studying the etymology of words it's always useful to look up Scott's gaelic. To me it has come under less pressure from the English language. Their famine was ethnically clensing in a different way.
An other example of this would be our number system. We used to use a base 20 system. Fiche is 20 (fi = fifth, che = chead--> fifth of a hundred as opposed to 2x10 )
Like the french quatre-vingts is 80. The Breton celts like the old Irish were using a base 20 in their mathematics. 4 x 20 .
Useful for time and angles. Lots of circular structures built 5-6000 years ago following the constellations.
Ireland's language morphed from base 20 to 10 with occupation.
I would argue that 'score' (scoru in old english most likely came from Africa "oru" means 20. Sc(or)u/gold was measured in forearm lengths in Egypt and the number 20 is at the end of forearm according to Aztec measurements. (Yes mesoamerican Aztecs)
English language etymology out of some absurd snobbery or deception has always sourced their words to latin, french or german. Irish for 'she' is 'sí' which is the same phoenetically.
Look up etymology of she you get:
Old english
Hēo
I
Hīe
I
She
Wtf!
There are around 6000 languages but these seem to be the prominent ones with
Vigesimal/base 20 as opposed to Graeco-roman decimal base 10.
Manx,
Cornish,
Breton,
Irish,
Welsh,
Scottish Gaelic,
Yoruba(W Africa),
Tzotzil(Mayan 1800bc -250ad ),
Alamblak (Papua New Guinea ),
Supyire (Niger Congo) mix
Danish(messy but 20 is fractioned after 50)
Babylonian (base 60)
Aztecs (1300 to 1521)
Shigir Idol (siberia 11500 years old)
French (from breton above?)
Inuit languages (Kaktovik Inupiaq numerals)
Khmer Cambodia language derived from sanskrit
Basque
Egypt
Galician
Possibly
Ainu (japan)
Uyghur
Chinese
Who was actually trading thousands of years ago?
If you want to follow the paths of language follow the numbers.
I was just listening to a video titled "monolingual Irish speaker"- it is I think, one of the most beautiful languages I've heard- I think it's so important for the Irish people to speak their own language, for a number of very important reasons, but if only because it is just too beautiful to die.
I speak pretty good Cornish and it's improving all the time, my Grandmother spoke it and used a lot of Cornish words/phrases with other people in the small town I grow up in. I grow up using Cornish words for a number of different things- I am so pleased a few years ago I make a choice to learn it properly and to become fluent (or I'm nearly there). incidentally, just out of interest, in Cornish we call Irish, the language "Werdhonak" (Ireland is Werdhon) and an Irishman "Godhal".
Liked your video, thank you! I'm of Irish and Scottish decent and I have know real idea of my heritage. Peace from Long Beach, California
Thank you for speaking slowly and carefully. I am hard of hearing and the closed captioning is not always accurate, but I had no trouble understanding you.
Great video sir, I'm from Texas but I would love to visit Ireland.
I am a member of Bitesize Irish Gaelic and I would highly recommend it if you want to learn the language. You can speak directly with Eoin if you have any questions or concerns and the lessons are broken down in a very easy to pick up manner.
I grew up speaking Scottish Gàidhlig. We called it Gàidhlig when speaking English and we got pissed off when people called it "Gaelic". We said "No, we speak Gàidhlig. Gaelic is Irish!" Apparently this isn't the case and neither language is called Gaelic by its native speakers. I propose that we just drop the word Gaelic from our vocabulary and simply refer to the languages as Irish (Or Gaeilge depending on which you prefer) and Gàidhlig.
Gaelic is a sport, Gaeilge is irish for irish.
+Sorcha Games
Native speakers of Donegal call it Gaeilic.
+Falscaidh
In what language?
We're talking about the correct term in ENGLISH, and the correct term in English is "Irish".
+nakyer
Even in English there is a tendency to call it "the Gaelic".
If you check this article out, it gives more details. I posted it before but it was removed.
'Gàidhlig agus Gaeilge- ouch!! ' In Ireland we do call it just Irish but that is short for Irish Gaelic.
Irish and Scottish are Gaelic
I agree completely with calling it Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic. I am looking forward to learning Irish Gaelic : )
im a ukrainian canadian. Im glads theres videos of people talking about stuff like this about different people. Most assholes are just like "Google it" leaving you up to hours of research for simple things you dont have hours of time for but 10 minutes maybe
you sound like a canadian!
*****
A якщо я писав як це?
Ви напевно не дуже часто розмовляете українською, бо мені не одразу вдалося зрозуміти зміст вашого висловлювання.
Mariia Palchyk
Well, asking everyone to be perfect is a lot to ask don't you think? Furthermore, my Ukrainian friends who grew up in Ukraine speak a different version of Ukrainian than everyone's Ukrainian grandparents brought here before Stalin... Maybe you are even less Ukrainian than me even for speaking a version of Ukrainian that has been Russified for decades ;) ...I recommend this book for you: images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/611GMNCQZ7L._UY250_.jpg
I started that mini course and I've actually learned a lot. Thank you so much, its a really interesting language, and I've had a hard time finding something to help me learn it, but this site is actually really great help!
As an Irish person, it is so refreshing to hear someone who can distinguish the difference between Irish and Gaeilge. Thank you!
I really like the way you explain this! great job! please keep it up :)
Very interesting! Thank you. I remember watching with a grandson "Thomas the Tank Engine", which was taking place in "Sodor", and I remembered the name of "Sodor and Man" for the Island. Good for them, and thanks again.
That was really interesting. I hope Irish never goes the way of Cornish where the last native speaker died a long time ago.
ok...so if my ancestry is from Northern Ireland, McLaughlin is my maiden name, what would we speak? gaelic? gaeligh?
I can't trace my heritage past 1796, This is where I am stuck. Do I need to start looking for another language?
Gaeilge is the native language of all 32 counties of Ireland. Gaelic is the English translation but in Ireland It's known as either Irish or Gaeilge.
Gaelic in the language sense refers to Scottish Gaelic. However Ireland's national sport is called Gaelic Football so in Ireland when we say Gaelic it's sport related and Gaeilge for our native tongue.
Sláinte 🍺
Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste
(Broken Irish is better than clever English) 🇮🇪 ☘️ 💚
You explained it exactly how I've learned about it. I read up on it for school. I've always been interested in English, and when I was somewhere in my teens I got a taste for accent as well, like Scottish and Irish and Aussie English. And it continued with the Irish language and Gaelic. So when I was studying to become a journalist and making ready to travel to Ireland with my fellow classmates I studied up on Irish. I find it so cool, Gaelic as a whole is wonderful to listen to!
If i had to choose between english and Gaelic i would choose gaelic behind the accent theirs history which contributes to the identity of a nation.
Tienes que pesquisar el origen del idioma Gaelic...a lo mejor te vas a helada cuando sepas la verdad!
presumably you think there is no history behind the English language do you?
1:56: "I'm no historian." Very true. If you went to the Gaeltacht in the last half of the 20th century and talked to the old men who learned the language at home, before it was "allowed to be" taught in school, they all referred to the language ONLY as Gaelic. The name "Irish" for it is a recent invention...and a bit of snobbery, in truth. It's like those of us in the United States saying we speak "American" when we speak a dialect (okay, a LOT of different dialects) of English.
The Real O'Donovan Exactly. My mother and aunt and uncle emigrated from Ireland and they were raised to call it Gaelic or Irish Gaelic, as did all my relatives still living in Ireland from the same generation. They are in their late 70s and 80s for reference. It’s complete snobbery of a modern source to blame the use of “Gaelic” on Americans or tourists. This is what it was referred to for years.
The Real O'Donovan It’s a fair point, and no doubt true, that some people decades ago had a different word. My grandfather (95) says Father Christmas and that doesn’t change the fact that everyone else knows him as Santa Claus or just Santa (and unfortunately sometimes by the nickname Santy). In Ireland today, Irish is what everyone calls the language. I grew up in Ireland and attended an all Irish speaking school age 4-13 in the ‘80s. From my experience, it’s not snobbery. It’s fact that the language is called Gaeilge, which translates to Irish in the English language. In Ireland, the majority of kids attend English speaking schools and take Irish as a subject in the same way they take English, Math, German, Science etc. The reality is, if you come to Ireland and use the word Gaelic referring to language, be willing to explain what language you mean exactly because it won’t be clear to Irish people (we don’t use this word for the language with each other, and we would probably assume you’re mixing up Irish with the Scottish or Welsh language. Don’t worry though, you’d likely get a polite smile as we like tourists to feel welcomed ...though inside we’d think you’re a bit of a gobshite). I think that’s the point of this video, it’s not a history lesson - it’s a living language lesson. The word Gaelic in Ireland today is most closely associated with the sport called Gaelic football e.g. “my nephew plays Gaelic on Mondays and soccer on Thursdays”. Test it out for yourself... road signs in Ireland have both our official languages, if you ask any average random Irish person ‘what language is that above the English’, the answer will be “Irish”.
Awesome! Thanks a lot for the video and lessons.
Thank you for your very clear and patient explanation of something I've never been exactly sure about. x
Love these tutorials!!! Learning a lot about my Irish heritage.....God bless my Bros and sisters from Ireland! ......from your friendly neighborhood Woodstock!!! ♒👽💫✨🔮🌞🖖🤘🙏🕊🐚🐋🐳🐠🐟🐡🌊💨📡💡☮❤🙇🌴🌱🌿☘🍀🍀🍀🌻🌎🌏🤔💭📈💵🇮🇪
Here's a similar situation. We speak Taiwanese in Taiwan (besides Mandarin Chinese). And some people in China speak Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Amoy, and Chaozhou (Tiochiw). All these languages (dialects) are under a general term as Southern Min. They may or may not be mutual intelligible to each other, depending on how different they are. So, precisely, I can say: we speak Taiwanese Southern Min in Taiwan. But usually in Taiwan we just call this language Taiwanese, without bothering with the tongue twisting lengthy term.
Seng-hian Lau Yeah, sometimes a misnomer is fine if the information it conceals is more information than required to get your point across.
Richard Smith What is interesting is that names are arbitrary. In this sense, there is no real misnomer. For example, the noun 'French' as a name for the language cannot be deemed precise and objective, for French is not the only language spoken in France. There are French languages (or languages spoken in France).
Seng-hian Lau Thank yuo very muhc fo' da informatiohnez. ( `__´ )
Praise chwina!
(No, really. Thank you, you taught me something new about Chinese linguistics!)
Taihwan chwina is onleh reel chwina!
May you live a long life, sir.
And I wish you the best of luck in dealing with mainland China.
May Taiwan prosper!
(Pst! ... They think they're the "only" China. Hah-ha... Funny, right? And some of them seem pretty pissy about this situation. Enjoy!)
Seng-hian Lau A misnomer is like calling a person a 'white hat hacker'. The term is used incorrect, but it still holds a meaning that gets the point across.
In case you are unaware of this particular misnomer, the color of the hat is defined by the position one holds at the time. 'Hat' is used because one can change their hat at will, and is the very point of the term, to point out the 'hat' that a person was sporting at the time they are referencing, and in this, a person is not a hat, so the term is used incorrectly, so it is a misnomer. Additionally 'white' is assigned to 'good', when in reality, it means they are doing something legally, in reference to scientific testing.
Regardless, it still gets the idea across that someone is trying to express when it is used wrong, so it usually doesn't matter.
My mum's Irish and could speak her native tounge fluently it was so beautiful
it's funny how hard he is trying to dial down his accent
Gaelic in Scotland probably had some influence from the Brythonic languages of the Britons (in the south --- later Cornish and Welsh) and Picts (in the north). Ultimately all of Pictland became Gaelic speaking after the merging of the Gaelic kingdom of Ral Diata and the Pictlands, although some remnants of the older Pictish language are still there in names like Aberdeen, Pitcullo, etc This, of course, had nothing to do with Latin or Anglo-Saxon, which were in the southern parts of the island of Britain, although 'Scots' (Lowland Scots) is a Germanic language related to Anglo-Saxon.
Thats True lad
no scots is not a language, its an attempt to speak english that is humorous
also, id hardly call modern english germanic, its been butchered by superstitious alien religious nuts that is essentially a hex on anything germanic is their superstitions on the magic of the alphabet are true,,, english is butchered.
Mac Tíre Scots is as much a language as Norwegian is. Park the ignorance mo charaidh.
I spent a few months in South Ayrshire Scotland and once had an Irish friend from Dublin. The accents are similar and as you said, it changes gradually as you visit different places. I had a difficult time understanding the pronunciation of Scottish Gaelic and actually English in Gladgow with their very thick accents but people were very nice wherever I travelled in the UK as I'm sure they would have been in Ireland had I visited there like I wanted to. You mentioned seeing Scotland from Ireland. Well while I was at Culzean Castle, I was told the land mass I saw out in the sea on a partially clear day was Ireland. I think there was a sign on the grounds pointing to it that indicated it was 40 miles or so away (as the crow flies). It was so close but still out of reach since nobody wanted to go there with me. I really hated not being able to get someone to take a ferry across to Ireland with me. That was probably my last chance to go. I'm from the US but my ancestry goes back to 1700's Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland and I have the red hair (or ginger as it is called over there). One relative came across on the Mayflower. It was lots of fun living with the locals and learning so many things I never knew. I think it's beautiful over there especially with all the castles. I was surprised the grass was very green in winter each time I visited. The grass dies here in winter and turns brown. I'd love to visit Ireland and learn a wee bit of the language. From what I've seen on travel shows, Ireland is definitely on my bucket list. Nice video, thank you. Or should I say "Go raibn maith agat!" 😀
My sister's husband went to Ireland on business and she went with him.
They went to a local pub to have a drink and relax.
It happened to be Bill's birthday and he made mention of it as he chatted with the lady serving them.
And she spread the word.
Suddenly Janet and Bill were surrounded by well wishers and free drinks and shouts of celebration.
That is Ireland. That is the Irish.
I am half-Irish on my mothers side and I embrace it gladly.
I will never go to Ireland, but by the grace of God, I carry a piece of it with me.
Ireland forever and always.
It isn't out of the ordinary to call the language you speak in Ireland as Irish and the language spoken in Scotland as Gaelic; this is how we refer to them in Canada. Irish is spoken on the east coast of Newfoundland and Gaelic is spoken on the west coast of Newfoundland, as well as Cape Breton, mainland Nova Scotia, eastern Ontario, southwestern Ontario around Guelph, Northern Alberta, and in British Columbia. We don't use "Irish Gaelic", we just call it Irish. We don't use "Scottish Gaelic", we say "Gaelic".
Irish Gaelic (Gaeilge) and Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) were the same language before c.1750. I believe that the distinction into "Irish" and "Gaelic" was invented by the English to keep the two Celtic nations apart, and so I prefer to use the terms Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic.
+Atlanta Bill
And informed people in Ireland and elsewhere refer to the language of Ireland as "Irish" when speaking English.
You might want to catch up.
nakyer I'm well aware of that. My point is that they were "informed" in that by the British, who were desirous of keeping the Gaelic-speaking peoples separated.
They're also "informed" by German anthropologists that the name 'Celt' should be pronounced /kehlt/ as it is in German 'Keltisch', when everywhere a Goidelic language is spoken, the natives have used a word beginning with a 'G' /g/-- even the people who once spoke a Celtic language in what is now Turkey, namely the Galatians. As I once remarked in an email exchange with the President of the Scottish Gaelic association Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the ancient Greeks and Romans very likely used the 'C' when writing 'Celtoi' to stand for the earlier Greek 'G' before it was distinguished from their K-sound by the addition of a vertical bar-- the same 'C' that was used by Caius Julius Caesar to spell 'Caius', which was pronounced /GHY-us/.
That's why they were called 'Galatai' elsewhere by Ancient authors. In America, the Irish have formerly used the pronunciation /SEHL-tik/ for 'Celtic' because the word came to English from French, who pronounced 'celtique' as /sehl-TEEK/. I knew an American Celtic scholar who was taught the pronunciation /SEHL-tik/ in her undergraduate studies in America but was "re-educated" to pronounce the name /KEHL-tik/ after she arrived in Wales to continue her studies. The name should, by reason of what I've said above, be pronounced /GHEHL-tik/.
Informed enough for you?
+Atlanta Bill Actually, until relatively recently, the Lowland Scots,who spoke a dialect of English (as I'm sure you know), referred to the Highland speakers of Scots Gaelic as 'the speakers of the Irish tongue' - or, to be more exact, and emphasise the derogatory nature of the reference, they would say that the Highlanders 'spoke the wild Irish tongue'. It helped to emphasise how 'other' they were, how 'alien', and to associate them and their culture with the 'alien' or 'rebel' Irish.
I'm not sure how recently anyone speaking English began to refer to the Gàidhlig speakers (mostly) of the Highlands and Islands as 'Scots Gaelic' to differentiate it from the 'Irish' language, but I think it was long after the close of the eighteenth century.
Atlanta Bill
I doubt the people of Ireland would appreciate your telling them they call their language "Irish" because that's the way the English wanted it.
nakyer
I don't think the pan-Celtic loyalty of the Irish is as feeble as you imagine.
Calling it Irish Gaelic makes sense to me, because Irish language could be a type of English. In Spanish we call it gaélico but if you said irlandés I guess people might think you are talking about the celtic language.
Nothing to do with English language Irish is thousands of years older. A poet was asked what he thought of the English language he said it was a good language for selling pigs.
I learn Irish Gealige and I really enjoy it it's so beautiful😍🇮🇪
You say you're no Historian, but you nailed it sir. The language of the Gael had a good amount of movement through the isle.
Irish is not simply a Republic of Ireland thind, my ancestors spoke it for centuries in the lands of modern Northern Ireland, however nowadays it isn't that big here, it is mainly spoken as a 2nd language in north Antrim, Sperrin mountains in co.Derry and in South Armagh i think. When I was at school we were taught in the Ulster dialect, we were always taught to pronounce it as something like "gaelig" my teachers were from Tyrone and Fermanagh.
I call it Irish gaelic because it was spoken by Irish gaels and is a part of the wider Gaelic culture.
The gaels of Ireland are said to have their roots in Iberia so I do not understand the central europe Celtic link.
it must be said that Manx in the Isle of Man is also Gaelic.
Thanks! I now understand when Americans have 'corrected' me when I've said 'Irish', regarding the language of Ireland, and told me that I must mean 'Gaelic'. (I'm American, btw.)
+L Beatrice Batz Except in this case you were correct and the people who corrected you telling you it is "Gaelic" were wrong.
+Master Chain
Are you trying to confuse her altogether? Gaolainn in Munster, Gaeilge in Connacht and Gaeilic in Ulster. Nothing wrong with calling it 'Gaelic' as it is short for Irish Gaelic. In Ireland we don't feel the need to use both words so we just say "Irish". Gaelic is nonetheless understood (or should be) to be there.
Not confused at all. :)
I've literally never heard anyone in Ireland call it "Gaelic". At least not anyone who actually spoke the language. I don't know what leads you to believe that I'm trying to confuse anyone. You're the one that seems confused, if I'm being honest.
+Master Chain
Before the caighdeán oifigiúil was introduced for the written language, we spelt it as Gaeidhlig in Ulster. The 'dh' was dropped and the 'g' at the end was standardized to 'c'. Gaeilic is what we are left with. There's a RUclips video you can watch called 'Gaoth Dobhair people speaking Gaelic' and you will notice for the first time in your life native speakers calling it "Gaeilic". When speaking in the English language here, very few call it 'Irish'. This was another Department of Education standardization more to do with de Valera's nation-state building.
Just so awesome that there are those like yourself doing what they can to preserve Celtic languages...would be a shame for the remaining Celtic languages to suffer the fate of Cornish and others :(
Epyx911 i completely agree! i'm a young irish person (15) doing my best to learn my language. i hope i can pass it down in the future to my children.
Like very much your lessons... I wish I could learn to speak irish properly once I totally love the country and cultura. As a brazillian, it's funny when you say "gaeilge" because it sounds like "galega" and, so, I feel more and more interested in knowing the stories and origins. Go raibh maith agat :)
as a fourth generation Irishman living in america I plan to learn the language of my country before settling back home as I see more of myself in the people of Ireland than that of america and would choose it as my home given the chance. thank you for creating such an informative video.
My question is: Can a Speaker of Irish understand one who speaks Scottish, and visa versa? (Assuming that they are speaking these languages)
yes but accents may present a problem at first. Once attuned to each others accents it's possible to have a conversation. Not all words are the same but then, some words change as you move around Ireland also.
Will lad Irish and Scottish speaking gaelic sounds same so in english but nowadays theirs slung mix to language of english speaking of both Irish or Scottish.
?
***** I once took a short Pimsluer coarse for Gaelic on my pc. I did learn those greetings, but until now I didn't know the direct translation.
Randy White interesting. I would maybe learn just for fun, but it might be hard since you say there are many variations of the language.
You did a great job explaining some of the differences in terminology, young man. You've also shown that things are still not very clearcut. And, in fact, some of your comment(at)ors have well demonstrated some of the historical reasons for various usages. In other words, your video and all of these comments, together, have shown that there are understandable, historical reasons for all of the variation.
Here's what I'm going to do. From now on, I'm going to speak of Irish Gaelic, Scot(ti)s(h) Gaelic, and Manx Gaelic. But sometimes I'm just going to use "Gaelic", "Irish", and "Manx" by themselves, and trust (hope?, assume?) that people are knowledgeable, intelligent, and tolerant enough to figure out what I mean when I use them. And I'm also going to use the term "Erse" whenever I feel like it. Although, to be honest, whatever name I decide to use will most likely be the one I think will be best understood at that moment. And, alright, I'm probably never gonna use the term "Erse", because I'm American, and it would just be so goddamned pretentious for an American to ever use that word, unless it were in the context of the very subject of this video (the subject of what names to use to describe all of these dialects, languages, or whatever you want to call them).
My point is simply this: what all of this proves to me is the need for tolerance, openness, and understanding -- tolerance, to accept the differences of usage; openness, to embrace them; with the understanding that there might be situations where further discussion is necessary but perhaps also unattainable.
Oh yeah, I started writing this comment with the intention of making fun of all of this confusion. Not mockingly, but sympathetically. So in case anyone didn't "get it" (that's an American phrase meaning "understand, sense, or detect, the irony, humor, or sarcasm"), please don't take my comments too seriously. Take them with a grain of salt. Or a pinch of sugar. Or whatever spice, condiment, palliative, or sedative you need to make this all more agreeable to you.
Irish is Irish Gaelic
We get pissed when people say Gaelic but it is Gaelic
Irish people are way too sensitive
I'm Irish, born in Ireland, living in Ireland
The problem is they are 3 languages called gaelic.When foreigners say gaelic its as if the gaels were some kind indigenous group supplanted by the irish,which of course gael is a singular term for an irish person and we are mostly indigenous and we know that but foreigners not so sure they do.
Nor do they care. Do you know the intricate details of the history of labour unions in Pennsylvania?
***** thats where it gets complicated.Most of scotland would have a gaelic heritage except for the border and lothian regions which were part of northumbria
I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland!! I love the Irish accent no matter what you call it, it’s beautiful!
I'm Dracula, and I hate it when people use Garlic.
I've been studing a lot of Linguistics at college and I got very interested on Irish language by now. I love your videos and your explanaitions, I'm looking forward to take a course of the languague!
Cheers!
VERY WELL executed vid, good posture, good clear message delivery....coooool
Not all Americans are dense. Every country has their own idiots and, as some have proven, judgmental citizens. I am not perfect by any means, but I am tired of constantly being degraded just because I am an American. I understand that there is a difference between the different dialects of a language spoken in different areas. I look forward to learning the differences in each. I also have Irish and Scottish ancestors as well.
***** I agree. It needs to stop. Not all of us are "dense."
where did the video imply anything about Americans?
I found the "not all..." comment.
Dún do bhéal . Le do thoil👍
nuair a béidh feidir leat ag caint as gaeilge téigh arís
"The Scots and Manx are 10th-century Irish invaders of Pictland."
There was no 9thC Irish invasion of Pictland as such. The Scotti of Dalriada inhabited the Argyle area and at least most of the Hebrides since the 6thC and perhaps for centuries before that. So in that sense the Scotti were already in Scotland and had been since before our written history. Because of the Celtic Church the Picts were already partly Gaelicised by the 9thC or so at least as far as the ruling class went. Politically the Picts had previously conquered Dalriada and several Pictish kings had already been Kings of the Dalriadans (or Scotti) also. The Norse invaders totally changed the situation. The Pictish Northern Isles were taken over, as were all the Hebridean islands. Scottish Dalriada disappeared from the map. The Scotti elite were pushed westwards probably into alliance with the Picts. The Picts themselves are thought to have lost most of their senior nobility in batlle against the Norse. MacAlpin who was a Scotti noble but is thought to have been of part Pictish heritage too seized the throne. He was the first Scotti to be King of Pictland too but not the first person to be King of both. The new permanent Pictish/Scotti kingdom was created but the monarchs are still described as Pictish to begin with; then later Kings of Alba; then much later King of Scots.
There was Irish incursions into Galloway in the extreme south-west of Scotland but that was not Pictland. It was the area previously controlled by the Britons. The Norse had also seriously weakened the Kingdom of Strathclyde when they smashed Dumbarton (ie the Fort of the Britons) on the Clyde in the same period.
The poster of this video does pronounce a certain couple of things in a Scandinavian way. I look fondly on the Picts as a native tribal people. Thank-you for the informative post.
James Mc Gill No single source as much as a general interest in and reading about Scottish history of this period amongst other periods.. So multiple sources like Lynch's "History of Scotland" and Duncan's "Scotland The Making Of The Kingdom, Edinburgh History of Scotland Vol 1" amongst others. I've got quite a big selection of books on the period.
Your right for the most part yes
Going by the history of my ancestors of clan gregor. It was pict gaelic around the 9th
Lonnie Greer Pictish wasn't Gaelic Lonnie. Scottish historians etc have agreed for some time that it was a P-Celtic language closely related to the Cumbric spoken in the south of Scotland. ie A Brittonic language related to Old Welsh. There is some evidence of there also being a older non-Indo European language too. They then became Gaelic speakers at some point towards the end of the 1st millenium. The royal family possibly first but no-one really knows how long Pictish itself hung on for. Both Pictish and Cumbric seem to have died out by the early 2nd millenium.
"Scots Gaelic" sounds kind of confusing, because "Scots" refers to a Germanic language similar to English. "Scottish Gaelic" might make more sense.
Someone suggested to me the other day that perhaps a better name of Scots Gaelic would be "Highlander." That would distinguish it from "Lollans" aka "Lowland Scots" that is the Germanic language and not the Goidelic.
Jackie L Douglas "lallans"
Jimmy McGee Thanks. You're right. It is Lallans not Lollans.
There's also "Dorric" whch I've probably spelled wrong!
Jackie L Douglas not really because the stronghold of the gaelic language in scotland has always been the islands, though i think they technically are "highland" i am not sure
What a great explanation!
Your descriptive of the "Irish language" has motivated me to learn "Irish" ... once again thank you!
Man I have nothing but respect for you. I love learning the language of my heritage
"Irish Gaelic" that sounds cool :-)
5:42 "daresay"
that's newfoundland irish...lol
Im from the states when I started eating "traditional irish foods" (potato, cabbage, for example) I felt a lot better. It got me thinking where my blood and flesh came from and what else agrees with it better.
I think irish sounds like an elven language
Owen, I want to thank you so much. You have helped me with questions I have had for years. I live in America but was around elderly great aunts and uncles who left Ireland during the "hard times".... as they used to say.
*Eoin. Owen is Welsh.
You are a great broadcaster. Easy and good to listen to, and explain things well and with charm. Thank you!
Thanks for the ED
Irish say Irish. Scots say Gallic. Tourists say Gaelic.
Tourists are morons who are uninformed.
+nakyer They probably arent morons if they have the disposable income for travel. However the world is too complex to be expert in everything. People are quite specialized in a particular field and often ignorant about many or most others.
*****
You are so naive... There are many people who are adept at making money and have much in the way of disposable income...OR INHERITED IT...who are total airheads.
*****
The simple fact, Eric, is that tourists often know next to nothing of the places they visit (and yet often think they do), and so, in that sense at least, are MORONS.
+nakyer The desire to visit a place to see for onesself speaks to intelligence and curiosity.
I insist that you the Irish should call Irish "Gaelic" and that the Scots should call their language "Scottish". Because Scottish Gaelic was born from the Old Irish Gaelic.
In this sense English should be called "British". Because Britain is not an Anglo Saxon country anymore. It is a country by Britons. Any comment?
Which one came first ? The Gaels of the Irish free state came from France and Spain around the birth of Christ ! I think it should be banned in Ulster cause its a foreign language and not even from this island !
***** Because we don't have money for a hospitals but money to spend on a foreign language and translations also for immigrants !
***** We have a communication language of English but I can tell you that in the area I come from Its not English/Irish/Scotts/Gaelic but its been trampled over by invaders and almost forgotten now .Here is words for you if you know what they mean . Ma'sca Kassy Loan.in ?
***** what ever you name means Ulster was only 9 counties under british rule and infact when it was Ulaid it was only 3 and under Dalriada kingdom was 2 so make you mind up will you ? The Gaels never ran Ulster in its ancient form and if your just here to beat on 1690 boys your talking to the wrong person cause that's not who I am sorry !
***** Sorry Dal'riada had nothing to do with the south not Irish Gaels as you wernt in the kingdom . Dublin is used to stealing things so that why the name has been miss used . Not one of you can tell me nor admit were the Gaels come from as they are not native of this island like I am ! We don't want the rest only Ulster our rightful land .
Your explanation has been immensely helpful. I no longer have a cloudy understanding of what people might mean when they use these language labels. And I really appreciate you pointing out the "dangers" in using these labels out of respect for their historically-shaped and loaded cultural connotations.
Very very good explanation. I was watching another video about Ireland and I needed some clarification and your video was perfect.