Ralph
Don't panic! English follows the Gaelic!
鈥楽 e Ralph an t-ainm a th 鈥榦rm. Tha mi a' fuireach ann am Florida. 鈥楽 ann 脿 Cataibh a tha mo theaghlach. Nuair a bha mi nam dheugaire, bha mi cr脿ite mun a h-uile rud Albannach. A-nise an d猫idh ceathrad bliadhna, tha mi a' cumail gealladh rium fh猫in airson G脿idhlig ionnsachadh. An rud a tha ag obair 鈥榮 e a bhith ag ionnsachadh mean air mhean agus n gun a bhith eagalach ro rudan ionnsachadh a-rithist is a-rithist agus c霉m a' dol tro na rudan m矛-inntinneach. Chan eil m貌ran cothroim agam airson bruidhinn ri daoine eile anns a' Gh脿idhlig, mar sin, bidh mi ag eadar-theangachadh mo smuaintean gu G脿idhlig. Tha mi a' feuchainn ri smaoineachadh 鈥淭ha mi sg矛th鈥 nuair a tha mi sg矛th agus "Tha mi fuar" nuair a tha mi fuar. Tha comann eachdraidh Gh脿idhlig faisg orm, agus aon l脿 bidh misneachd gu le貌r agam airson coinneachadh riutha.
My name is Ralph.听 I live in southern Florida. 听A branch of my family is from Sutherland, and when I was a teenager, I was mad for all things Scottish. 听Now, forty years later, I am keeping a promise to myself to learn Gaelic.听 What works for me is to take it a little at a time, not be afraid of drill and repetition, and keep working through the bits of boredom.听 I don't have much opportunity to use Gaelic with others; so I try to translate the thoughts I have into Gaelic. 听If I'm feeling tired, I try to think, 鈥淭ha mi sg矛th.鈥 听If I'm cold, I think, 鈥淭ha mi fuar.鈥 There is an active Gaelic heritage society nearby; maybe one day soon, I 鈥榣l have the courage to meet up with them.
