Western Isles Gaelic
Western Isles Gaelic
Gaelic is at its strongest in the Western Isles of Scotland where over one half of the population of 28,000 are fluent in the language. Within its range here, there are variations in sound and vocabulary.
Lewis dialect
Due to its numerical strength, the Lewis dialect is the most prevelant and it has become the basis for broadcast Gaelic (BBC Gaelic). The Lewis dialect has flatter vowel sounds than the dialects further south maybe due to its long Norse domination - it is said that in timbre it resembles the Norwegian still spoken in the district of Trondheim.- Càite a bheil sinn? (Where are we?). (Ann Morrison, Lochs, Lewis)
- Cò sinn? (Who are we?). (Finlay MacLeod, Ness, Lewis)
- Dualchas (Traditions). (Finlay MacLeod, Ness, Lewis)
- Failte! (Welcome!). (Ann Morrison, Lochs, Lewis)
- Leòdhas (Lewis). (Ann Morrison, Lochs, Lewis)
- Malairt (Business). (Ann Morrison, Lochs, Lewis)
- Prostanachd (Protestantism). (Finlay MacLeod, Ness, Lewis)
Harris dialect
Harris Gaelic is less "flat" than that of Lewis - it has more of a "sing song" sound than the language further north.- Ag Iasgach (Fishing). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
- Beinn na Faoghla (Benbecula). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
- Càite a bheil sinn? (Where are we?). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
- Clò Hearach (Harris Tweed). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
- Cò sinn? (Who are we?). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
- Creach Mhòr Nam Fiadh (The Park Deer Raid). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
- Cuspairean (Subjects). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
- De tha dol? (What's On?). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
- h-Eoin (Birds). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
- na Hearadh (Harris). (Roddie Cunningham, Scalpay, Harris)
See also: The Gaelic Song in the Hebrides
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