Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] Cuide rium an-dràsta tha Màrtainn MacLeòir às an Eilean Sgitheanach a th' air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh. Fàilte, a Mhàrtainn. Ciamar a thàinig thu gu Gàidhlig ionnsachadh?
[MÀRTAINN] Chaidh m' athair a thogail anns an sgìre le Gàidhlig agus bha beagan Gàidhlig aig mo mhàthair cuideachd. Chaidh mo mhàthair a thogail ann an Glaschu ach 's ann às an eilean a tha a pàrantan agus bha Gàidhlig acasan. Nuair a thill i air ais dhan eilean nuair a bha i rud beag nas sine thòisich i air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh a-rithist agus bha mo phàrantan gu mòr airson gum biodh sinn a' faighinn Gàidhlig tro fòghlam agus chaidh ar cur a-staigh gu sgoil-àraich anns an sgìre agus an uairsin tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig ann am bun-sgoil.
[SARAH] Cò ris a bha e coltach a bhith a' dol tro fòghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig anns a' bhun-sgoil an toiseach?
[MÀRTAINN] Bha e glè mhath. Cha robh ach mi fhìn agus dithis eile sa chlas agam agus bha mu chòig duine deug anns an roinn Ghàidhlig anns a' bhun-sgoil uile gu lèir le faisg air deich air fhichead anns a' roinn Bheurla. Mar as trice, 's e Beurla a bha sinn a' cleachdadh aig àm lòin agus àm break agus, le sin, bha e car annasach a bhith a' dol air ais gu clas Gàidhlig ach às dèidh greiseag, agus ar bogadh ann an Gàidhlig fad an latha bha e gu math nàdarra. An uairsin, chaidh sinn suas gu Àrd-sgoil Phort Rìgh agus fhuair sinn barrachd chuspairean tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig chun an dàrna bliadhna agus an dèidh sin cha robh ach aon chuspair againn 's e sin Gàidhlig, tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig.
[SARAH] Agus às dèidh an dàrna bliadhna anns an àrd-sgoil de a' bhuaidh a bh' aige air do Ghàidhlig nach robh thu a' faighinn ach aona chuspair ann an Gàidhlig amhàin?
[MÀRTAINN] Tha mi a' faireachdainn gun do chaill mi cuid dhen bhriathrachas a bh' agam bho chuspairean eile mar eachdraidh is rudan mar sin oir cha robh sinn ga chleachdadh cho tric agus tha mi a' smaoineachadh gur e call mòr a bh' ann nach robh an cothrom againn sin a chumail a' dol agus gur e call de bhriathrachas a bh' ann.
[SARAH] Ciamar a leasaich thu do chuid sgilean às dèidh sin?
[MÀRTAINN] Rinn mi Gàidhlig mar chuspair san àrd-sgoil chun na siathamh bliadhna agus an uairsin, thàinig mi gu Sabhal Mòr Ostaig airson bliadhna gus mo Ghàidhlig a chur air ais far an robh e agus nas àirde cuideachd. Agus, às dèidh bliadhna dh'fhuirich mi airson trì bliadhna eile.
[SARAH] Feumaidh gun do chòrd e riut ma-thà.
[MÀRTAINN] Chòrd na ceithir bliadhnaichean rium gu mòr agus tha mi a-nise ag obair ann a seo agus tha mi a' faireachdainn a bhith ga bruidhinn gach latha agus ri daoine à sgìrean eadar-dhealaichte tha mi ga chleachdadh agus ag ionnsachadh tòrr abairtean, briathrachas ...
[SARAH] An robh duilgheadasan sam bith agad a thaobh a bhith ag ionnsachadh?
[MÀRTAINN] Tha duilgheadasan air a bhith agam le gràmar agus tha mi a' smaoineachadh gur e rud a tha duine a chaidh a thogail le Gàidhlig bho ìre nuair a bha iad car òg oir cha robh iad a' faighinn an teagasg air carson a bha rudan mar a tha iad mar na tuisealan is a h-uile càil. Tha mi eòlach air ciamar a bhios mi a' sgrìobhadh rudan ach 's e dìreach feuchainn ri mìneachadh carson a tha rudan mar a tha agus 's e seach nach d' fhuair sinn mòran gràmair san àrd-sgoil.
[SARAH] Dè na dòighean a th' ann airson do chuideachadh ann a bhith a' leasachadh na trioblaidean a tha sin?
[MÀRTAINN] Tha cothroman air a bhith agam iomadh cùrsa gràmair a dhèanamh cùrsa fad trì làithean agus cùrsaichean air astar cuideachd, a' mairsinn suas ri sia mìosan agus tha sin math oir tha e a' dol a-staigh gu gràmar bunaiteach agus a' dol suas gu ìre car àrd. Tha e a' mìneachadh carson a tha suidheachaidhean gràmair ann agus tha e air a bhith math dìreach ga dhèanamh gus am b' urrainn dhòmhsa a h-uile càil ionnsachadh dìreach san ùine agam fhìn.
[SARAH] Dè cho cudromach 's a tha e dhut gu bheil thu air do chuairteachadh le Gàidhlig nad obair làitheil?
[MÀRTAINN] Tha e gu math cudromach, oir mur a bi thu ga chleachdadh, bidh thu ga chall agus ma tha thu air do chuairteachadh leis fad na h-ùine, gach latha tha misneachd is brosnachadh ann gus a bhith ga chleachdadh agus le bhith ga chleachdadh tha thu fhathast ag ionnsachadh rudan ùra agus a' cur ris na th' agad.
[SARAH] Tapadh leat, a Mhàrtainn.
Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] With me now is Màrtainn MacLeòir from the Isle of Skye, who has learnt Gaelic. Welcome, Màrtainn. How did you come to learn Gaelic?
[MÀRTAINN] My father grew up in this area speaking Gaelic and my mother also spoke some Gaelic. My mother was raised in Glasgow, but her parents came from the island, and they spoke Gaelic. When she returned to the island, when she was a little older, she began to learn Gaelic again, and my parents were determined that we would be educated in Gaelic, so we were placed in a local Gaelic nursery and then were taught through Gaelic in primary school.
[SARAH] What was it like to go through Gaelic-medium education in primary school to begin with?
[MÀRTAINN] It was very good. There were only two other pupils in my class and there were around fifteen other pupils in the whole Gaelic unit, with around thirty pupils in the English unit. We usually spoke English at lunch time and during breaks, so, as a result, it felt odd to go back to a Gaelic class, but after a while, and after being immersed in Gaelic all day, it became quite normal. Then we went up to Portree High School and were taught more subjects in Gaelic until second year and after that, only one subject, Gaelic, was taught in Gaelic.
[SARAH] After second year in high school, what effect did it have on your Gaelic that you were only being taught one subject through Gaelic?
[MÀRTAINN] I feel as if I lost some of the terminology I had in other subjects like history and so on, because we didn't use it very often and I think it was a great shame that I wasn't able to keep that up, and that I lost that terminology.
[SARAH] How did you improve your skills after that?
[MÀRTAINN] I studied Gaelic as a subject in high school until sixth year, and then, I came to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig for a year to bring my Gaelic back up to the level it had been at and to improve it. And, after one year, I stayed for another three.
[SARAH] You must have enjoyed it, then.
[MÀRTAINN] I really enjoyed my four years, and I now work here and I feel that as I speak it every day and to people from different regions, I am using it and learning lots of phrases, terminology ...
[SARAH] Have you had any problems while learning?
[MÀRTAINN] I've had problems with grammar, and I think it's something that affects people who have been learning since they were very young, because they weren't taught why things were the way they are such as the cases and everything. I know how I should write things, but it's just trying to explain why things are the way they are, and that's because we weren't taught much grammar in high school.
[SARAH] What methods have you used to help yourself overcome those problems?
[MÀRTAINN] I have had the opportunity to take many grammar courses, a three-day course and distance-learning too, lasting up to six months, and that's good, because it goes into basic grammar and continues up to a fairly high level. It explains why we have grammar and it was a good way to study it because I was able to learn everything in my own time.
[SARAH] How important is it to you that you are surrounded by Gaelic at work?
[MÀRTAINN] It's very important, because if you don't use it, you lose it, and if you are surrounded by it all the time, every day, you are encouraged to use it and become more confident, and in using it, you learn new things and build on what you have.
[SARAH] Thank you, Màrtainn.
Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] Cuide rium an-dràsta tha Màrtainn MacLeòir às an Eilean Sgitheanach a th' air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh. Fàilte, a Mhàrtainn. Ciamar a thàinig thu gu Gàidhlig ionnsachadh?
[MÀRTAINN] Chaidh m' athair a thogail anns an sgìre le Gàidhlig agus bha beagan Gàidhlig aig mo mhàthair cuideachd. Chaidh mo mhàthair a thogail ann an Glaschu ach 's ann às an eilean a tha a pàrantan agus bha Gàidhlig acasan. Nuair a thill i air ais dhan eilean nuair a bha i rud beag nas sine thòisich i air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh a-rithist agus bha mo phàrantan gu mòr airson gum biodh sinn a' faighinn Gàidhlig tro fòghlam agus chaidh ar cur a-staigh gu sgoil-àraich anns an sgìre agus an uairsin tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig ann am bun-sgoil.
[SARAH] Cò ris a bha e coltach a bhith a' dol tro fòghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig anns a' bhun-sgoil an toiseach?
[MÀRTAINN] Bha e glè mhath. Cha robh ach mi fhìn agus dithis eile sa chlas agam agus bha mu chòig duine deug anns an roinn Ghàidhlig anns a' bhun-sgoil uile gu lèir le faisg air deich air fhichead anns a' roinn Bheurla. Mar as trice, 's e Beurla a bha sinn a' cleachdadh aig àm lòin agus àm break agus, le sin, bha e car annasach a bhith a' dol air ais gu clas Gàidhlig ach às dèidh greiseag, agus ar bogadh ann an Gàidhlig fad an latha bha e gu math nàdarra. An uairsin, chaidh sinn suas gu Àrd-sgoil Phort Rìgh agus fhuair sinn barrachd chuspairean tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig chun an dàrna bliadhna agus an dèidh sin cha robh ach aon chuspair againn 's e sin Gàidhlig, tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig.
[SARAH] Agus às dèidh an dàrna bliadhna anns an àrd-sgoil de a' bhuaidh a bh' aige air do Ghàidhlig nach robh thu a' faighinn ach aona chuspair ann an Gàidhlig amhàin?
[MÀRTAINN] Tha mi a' faireachdainn gun do chaill mi cuid dhen bhriathrachas a bh' agam bho chuspairean eile mar eachdraidh is rudan mar sin oir cha robh sinn ga chleachdadh cho tric agus tha mi a' smaoineachadh gur e call mòr a bh' ann nach robh an cothrom againn sin a chumail a' dol agus gur e call de bhriathrachas a bh' ann.
[SARAH] Ciamar a leasaich thu do chuid sgilean às dèidh sin?
[MÀRTAINN] Rinn mi Gàidhlig mar chuspair san àrd-sgoil chun na siathamh bliadhna agus an uairsin, thàinig mi gu Sabhal Mòr Ostaig airson bliadhna gus mo Ghàidhlig a chur air ais far an robh e agus nas àirde cuideachd. Agus, às dèidh bliadhna dh'fhuirich mi airson trì bliadhna eile.
[SARAH] Feumaidh gun do chòrd e riut ma-thà.
[MÀRTAINN] Chòrd na ceithir bliadhnaichean rium gu mòr agus tha mi a-nise ag obair ann a seo agus tha mi a' faireachdainn a bhith ga bruidhinn gach latha agus ri daoine à sgìrean eadar-dhealaichte tha mi ga chleachdadh agus ag ionnsachadh tòrr abairtean, briathrachas ...
[SARAH] An robh duilgheadasan sam bith agad a thaobh a bhith ag ionnsachadh?
[MÀRTAINN] Tha duilgheadasan air a bhith agam le gràmar agus tha mi a' smaoineachadh gur e rud a tha duine a chaidh a thogail le Gàidhlig bho ìre nuair a bha iad car òg oir cha robh iad a' faighinn an teagasg air carson a bha rudan mar a tha iad mar na tuisealan is a h-uile càil. Tha mi eòlach air ciamar a bhios mi a' sgrìobhadh rudan ach 's e dìreach feuchainn ri mìneachadh carson a tha rudan mar a tha agus 's e seach nach d' fhuair sinn mòran gràmair san àrd-sgoil.
[SARAH] Dè na dòighean a th' ann airson do chuideachadh ann a bhith a' leasachadh na trioblaidean a tha sin?
[MÀRTAINN] Tha cothroman air a bhith agam iomadh cùrsa gràmair a dhèanamh cùrsa fad trì làithean agus cùrsaichean air astar cuideachd, a' mairsinn suas ri sia mìosan agus tha sin math oir tha e a' dol a-staigh gu gràmar bunaiteach agus a' dol suas gu ìre car àrd. Tha e a' mìneachadh carson a tha suidheachaidhean gràmair ann agus tha e air a bhith math dìreach ga dhèanamh gus am b' urrainn dhòmhsa a h-uile càil ionnsachadh dìreach san ùine agam fhìn.
[SARAH] Dè cho cudromach 's a tha e dhut gu bheil thu air do chuairteachadh le Gàidhlig nad obair làitheil?
[MÀRTAINN] Tha e gu math cudromach, oir mur a bi thu ga chleachdadh, bidh thu ga chall agus ma tha thu air do chuairteachadh leis fad na h-ùine, gach latha tha misneachd is brosnachadh ann gus a bhith ga chleachdadh agus le bhith ga chleachdadh tha thu fhathast ag ionnsachadh rudan ùra agus a' cur ris na th' agad.
[SARAH] Tapadh leat, a Mhàrtainn.
Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] With me now is Màrtainn MacLeòir from the Isle of Skye, who has learnt Gaelic. Welcome, Màrtainn. How did you come to learn Gaelic?
[MÀRTAINN] My father grew up in this area speaking Gaelic and my mother also spoke some Gaelic. My mother was raised in Glasgow, but her parents came from the island, and they spoke Gaelic. When she returned to the island, when she was a little older, she began to learn Gaelic again, and my parents were determined that we would be educated in Gaelic, so we were placed in a local Gaelic nursery and then were taught through Gaelic in primary school.
[SARAH] What was it like to go through Gaelic-medium education in primary school to begin with?
[MÀRTAINN] It was very good. There were only two other pupils in my class and there were around fifteen other pupils in the whole Gaelic unit, with around thirty pupils in the English unit. We usually spoke English at lunch time and during breaks, so, as a result, it felt odd to go back to a Gaelic class, but after a while, and after being immersed in Gaelic all day, it became quite normal. Then we went up to Portree High School and were taught more subjects in Gaelic until second year and after that, only one subject, Gaelic, was taught in Gaelic.
[SARAH] After second year in high school, what effect did it have on your Gaelic that you were only being taught one subject through Gaelic?
[MÀRTAINN] I feel as if I lost some of the terminology I had in other subjects like history and so on, because we didn't use it very often and I think it was a great shame that I wasn't able to keep that up, and that I lost that terminology.
[SARAH] How did you improve your skills after that?
[MÀRTAINN] I studied Gaelic as a subject in high school until sixth year, and then, I came to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig for a year to bring my Gaelic back up to the level it had been at and to improve it. And, after one year, I stayed for another three.
[SARAH] You must have enjoyed it, then.
[MÀRTAINN] I really enjoyed my four years, and I now work here and I feel that as I speak it every day and to people from different regions, I am using it and learning lots of phrases, terminology ...
[SARAH] Have you had any problems while learning?
[MÀRTAINN] I've had problems with grammar, and I think it's something that affects people who have been learning since they were very young, because they weren't taught why things were the way they are such as the cases and everything. I know how I should write things, but it's just trying to explain why things are the way they are, and that's because we weren't taught much grammar in high school.
[SARAH] What methods have you used to help yourself overcome those problems?
[MÀRTAINN] I have had the opportunity to take many grammar courses, a three-day course and distance-learning too, lasting up to six months, and that's good, because it goes into basic grammar and continues up to a fairly high level. It explains why we have grammar and it was a good way to study it because I was able to learn everything in my own time.
[SARAH] How important is it to you that you are surrounded by Gaelic at work?
[MÀRTAINN] It's very important, because if you don't use it, you lose it, and if you are surrounded by it all the time, every day, you are encouraged to use it and become more confident, and in using it, you learn new things and build on what you have.
[SARAH] Thank you, Màrtainn.