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15/04/2018

Tha Ruairidh MacIlleathain air ais le Litir Bheag na seachdain sa. Litir 脿ireamh 674.

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Sun 15 Apr 2018 10:30

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An Litir Bheag 674

Tha an sreath phr貌graman agam air na Ceiltich a鈥� teannadh ris an deireadh. An t-seachdain seo bheir sinn s霉il air Eilean Mhanainn.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Chan eil Eilean Mhanainn mar ph脿irt dhen R矛oghachd Aonaichte. Tha p脿rlamaid aca fh猫in. Cha bhi iad a鈥� cur riochdairean gu Taigh nan Cumantan ann an Lunnainn. Tha iad, ge-t脿, co-cheangailte ri cr霉n Bhreatainn. 始S i Banrigh na R矛oghachd Aonaichte a鈥� bhanrigh acasan.

听听听听听听听听听听听 始S d貌cha gun robh G脿idhlig air a bruidhinn ann an Eilean Mhanainn cho tr脿th ris a鈥� ch貌igeamh linn an d猫idh Chr矛osd. Ach bha na Sasannaich agus na Lochlannaich a鈥� gabhail gnothach ris an eilean. Ann an d脿 cheud deug, seasgad 始s a sia (1266), ghabh Alba gr猫im air fo Ch霉mhnant Pheairt.

Aig deireadh a鈥� cheathramh linn deug, th脿inig Eilean Mhanainn fo smachd nan r矛ghrean Sasannach. Agus dh鈥檉h脿s na ceanglaichean eadar na Manainnich agus na G脿idheil ann an Alba is 脠irinn na bu laige.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Nochd an Tiomnadh Nuadh anns a鈥� Gh脿idhlig Mhanainnich ann an seachd ceud deug, seasgad 始s a seachd (1767). Th脿inig am B矛oball sl脿n a-mach ann an seachd ceud deug, seachdad 始s a c貌ig (1775). Bha sin ginealach mus do nochd am B矛oball G脿idhlig sl脿n ann an Alba.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Ach tha an siostam sgr矛obhaidh anns a鈥� Gh脿idhlig Mhanainnich eadar-dhealaichte bho shiostam nan Albannach 始s nan 脠ireannach. Tha e nas fhasa do Gh脿idheal Albannach an c脿nan Manainneach a thuigsinn nuair a tha i air a labhairt, seach nuair a tha i sgr矛obhte. Mar eisimpleir, tha na Manainnich a鈥� sgr矛obhadh 鈥榠s thu fh猫in?鈥� mar AS OO HENE. Air an l脿imh eile, 始s d貌cha gu bheil an siostam aca nas fhasa do luchd na Beurla.

听听听听听听听听听听听 始S e House of Keys a chanas iad ann am Beurla ris an taigh 矛osal sa ph脿rlamaid aca. Chaidh innse dhomh nach eil an t-ainm co-cheangailte ri iuchraichean. Tha e a鈥� tighinn bho Yn Kiare as Feed 鈥� a鈥� ciallachadh 鈥楢n Ceithir air Fhichead鈥� 鈥� oir 始s e sin 脿ireamh nam ball anns an taigh.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Tha a鈥� Gh脿idhlig Mhanainneach air a teagasg ann an cuid de sgoiltean anns an eilean. Th脿inig i faisg air a b脿s, ach tha i be貌 fhathast. Guma fad鈥� a mhaireas na tr矛 c脿nanan G脿idhealach be貌!

The Little Letter 674

My series of programmes on the Celts is approaching the end. This week we鈥檒l look at the Isle of Man.

听听听听听听听 The Isle of Man is not part of the United Kingdom. They have their own parliament. They don鈥檛 send representatives to the House of Commons in London. They are, however, connected to the British crown. The Queen of the United Kingdom is their queen.

听听听听听听听 Gaelic might have been spoken on the Isle of Man as early as the fifth century AD. But the English and the Scandinavians also got involved with the island. In 1266 it came to Scotland as part of the Treaty of Perth.

听听听听听听听 At the end of the fourteenth century, the Isle of Man came under the control of the English kings. And the connections between the Manx and the Gaels in Scotland and Ireland grew weaker.

听听听听听听 The New testament appeared in Manx Gaelic in 1767. The complete Bible came out in 1775. That was a generation before the full Gaelic Bible appeared in Scotland.

听听听听听听 But the writing system in Manx Gaelic is different from the system of the Scots and the Irish. It始s easier for a Scottish Gael to understand the Manx language when it is spoken, rather than when it is written. For example, the Manx write 鈥榠s thu fh猫in?鈥� as AS OO HENE. On the other hand, perhaps their system is easier for English-speakers.

听听 听 听 听 They call their lower house of parliament the House of Keys in English. I was told that the name is not connected to keys. It comes from Yn Kiare as Feed 鈥� meaning 鈥榯he twenty four鈥�- because that始s the number of members in the house.

听听听听听听听 Manx Gaelic is taught in some of the schools on the island. It came close to [its] death but it survives. Long may the three Gaelic languages live on!

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  • Sun 15 Apr 2018 10:30

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