Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] Cuide rium tha Dòmhnall Dòmhnallach à Inbhir Moireastan, a tha ag obair mar eòlaiche teicneòlas-fiosrachaidh aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig anns an Eilean Sgitheanach. Fàilte, a Dhòmhnaill. Nise, thàinig thu dhan obair seo às dèidh bliadhnaichean ann an dreuchd eile. Dè bha tarraingeach dhut mun obair seo gu sònraichte?
[DÒMHNALL] Uill, bha mi bliadhnaichean ag obair air na cruinn-ola sa Chuan a Tuath, agus ged a bha an obair sin inntinneach, bha an dòigh beatha caran neònach agus cha do chòrd ... cha do chòrd sin rium, agus bha deich bliadhna an sin gu leòr. Agus mar tubaist thàinig mi dhan Eilean, agus cha robh mi a' fuireach fad air falbh bho Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, agus a chionn 's gu robh ùidh mhòr agam anns a' Ghàidhlig, bha mi a' smaoineachadh gur e deagh dhòigh a bh' ann airson a bhith a' faighinn air falbh bhon obair anns na cruinn-ola a bhith a' tighinn dhan a' cholaiste mar oileanach. Agus bha mi air a' Chùrsa Chomais airson aon bhliadhna. Mar sin, bha mi dìreach a' smaoineachadh, "Dè nì mi?" Agus a bharrachd air Gàidhlig, nuair a bha mi na b' òige, bha ùidh mhòr agam ann an coimpiutaireachd, agus thòisich mi air teisteanas eile leis an Oilthigh Fosgailte ann an coimpiutaireachd. Agus nuair a bha mi leth-phàirt tro sin, thàinig obair an àirde aig a' cholaiste mar neach teicneòlaiche anns an roinn IT. Fhuair mi an obair dìreach cola-deug às dèidh dhomh a bhith deiseil mar oileanach aig a' cholaiste an seo, so cha robh fiu 's cothrom agam saor-làithean fhaighinn nuair a thòisich mi san dreuchd ùr. Agus tha mi air a bhith an seo ag obair le coimpiutairean o ... dusan bliadhna a-nise, agus tha e a' còrdadh rium fhathast.
[SARAH] Dè na rudan as fheàrr leat mu bhith ag obair le coimpiutairean?
[DÒMHNALL] Tha thu ag obair le d' eanchainn fad an latha, agus gu tric, cuideigin a' tighinn thugad le trioblaid agus tha thu a' cur seachad 's dòcha uair a thìde ann a bhith a' feuchainn ris a chur ceart agus an uairsin tha rudeigin deiseil. Tha duine toilichte agus tha e a' toirt toileachas dhut a bhith air trioblaid fhuasgladh. Tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil e - dhòmhsa co-dhiù - tòrr nas fheàrr na bhith 's dòcha a' sgrìobhadh aithris no a' dol gu coinneamhan. Chan eil mòran a leithid sin againne. Mar sin, gach latha tha thu a' fuasgladh dùbhlain do dhaoine.
[SARAH] Nise, aon dùbhlan eile a dh'fhaodadh a bhith agad, 's ann a thaobh briathrachas. Leis gu bheil thu ag obair tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig, tha briathrachas agad, mar a tha sinn a' cluinntinn, ach a bheil thu a' smaoineachadh gu bheil feum air barrachd?
[DÒMHNALL] Uill, mar a tha a' tachairt ann an tòrr dhùthchannan eile, tha iad a' cleachdadh facail Beurla airson coimpiutaireachd, agus leis cho mòr sa tha an eadar-lion air fàs, air feadh an t-saoghail, agus 's e Beurla a tha air a' mhòr-chuid dhe na làraichean-lìn, tha am briathrachas a' sgaoileadh air feadh an t-saoghail, agus air sgàth sin, 's e Beurla a bhios daoine a' cleachdadh air feadh an t-saoghail mar briathrachas airson coimpiutaireachd, ach chan eil sin ag ràdh gur e rud ceart a th' ann, ach chan eil mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil Gàidhlig air deireadh air cànain eile. Air an làimh eile, tha faclan a' tighinn ann, ach chan eil a h-uile duine a' tarraing air an aon ràmh. Tha diofar dhaoine a' cleachdadh diofar faclan. An e "sgrion" no "sgàil(ean)" a chleachdas tu airson "monitor", agus tòrr rudan eile. Agus am bu chòir dhuinn a bhith a' dèanamh an àirde faclan air ar son fhìn, no am bu chòir dhuinn a bhith ag obair còmhla ris na h-Èireannaich mar eisimpleir, gus am bi na h-aon fhaclan againne, agus a' tighinn gu co-dhùnadh air mar a tha briathrachas a thaobh coimpiutaireachd a' dol? Agus 's e aon dòigh a th' ann airson an dà chànan a thoirt ri chèile a-rithist. Tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil an dà chànan, Gaeilge na h-Èireann agus Gàidhlig na h-Alba, a' dol air falbh bho chèile, agus bhiodh e math nan robh iad a' tighinn nas fhaisg a-rithist agus 's dòcha gur e sin aon dòigh airson sin a dhèanamh, ach tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil e fìor airson tòrr dhen a' bhriathrachas a tha a' nochdadh sa bheatha "modern" an-diugh, chan ann dìreach airson coimpiutaireachd. So, 's e ceist a th' ann fhathast, ach cha chreid mi gum bi fuasgladh ann ann am ... uill, airson bliadhnaichean fhathast.
[SARAH] Uill, mìle taing airson bruidhinn rinn, a Dhòmhnaill.
[DÒMHNALL] Tapadh leibhse.
Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] With me is Donald Macdonald from Invermoriston, who works as an information technology specialist at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Isle of Skye. Welcome, Donald. Now, you came to this job having spent years working in another career. What attracted you to this job in particular?
[DÒMHNALL (DONALD)] Well, I spent many years working on the oil rigs in the North Sea, and although it was an interesting job, the way of life was a bit strange and I didn't enjoy ... I didn't enjoy that, and ten years there was long enough. And, by coincidence, I came to the Island, and the place where I was staying wasn't far from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and because I was very interested in Gaelic, I thought it would be a great way for me to get away from working on the oil rigs by coming to the college as a student. I took the Cùrsa Comais for one year. And then, I just thought, "What will I do?" And besides Gaelic, when I was younger, I was very interested in computing, and I began another course in computing through the Open University. And when I was halfway through that, a vacancy opened up at the college for a technician within the IT department. I got that job just a fortnight after the end of my course here at the college, so I didn't even have time to take a holiday when I started my new job. And I have been working with computers here for, oh, a dozen years now, and I still enjoy it.
[SARAH] What do you enjoy most about working with computers?
[DÒMHNALL (DONALD)] You're working with your brain all day, and often, someone will come to you with a problem and you'll spend maybe an hour trying to put things right, and then you've achieved something. Someone's happy and it gives you pleasure to have solved a problem. I think it is - at least for me - much better than, perhaps, writing a report or going to meetings. We don't do much of that. So, every day, you're solving problems for people. Now, another problem you could face is with terminology.
[SARAH] As you work through the medium of Gaelic, you have the terminology, as we can hear, but do you think that more is needed?
[DÒMHNALL (DONALD)] Well, as happens in many other countries, English terms are used for computing, and with the expansion of the internet, all around the world, and the use of English on most of the websites, the terminology is spreading around the world, and as a result, people are using English all around the world for computing terminology, but that's not to say that's the right thing to do, but I don't think Gaelic is lagging behind other languages. On the other hand, there is new terminology, but not everyone is pulling on the same oar. Different people use different terminology. Do you use "sgrion" or "sgàil(ean)" for "monitor", and many things like that. And should we be coming up with terminology for ourselves, or should we work with the Irish for example, so that we use the same words, and reach an agreement on how computing terminology will develop? And that's one way to bring the two languages closer together again. I think the two languages, Irish Gaeilge and Scottish Gaelic, have been drifting apart, and it would be good if they could come closer together again and perhaps that's one way of doing this, but I think that's true for a lot of the terminology that's coming into use in modern life these days, and not just for computing. So the question still remains, but I don't believe there will be an answer in ... well, for many years yet.
[SARAH] Well, thank you for speaking to me, Donald.
[DÒMHNALL (DONALD)] Thank you.
Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] Cuide rium tha Dòmhnall Dòmhnallach à Inbhir Moireastan, a tha ag obair mar eòlaiche teicneòlas-fiosrachaidh aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig anns an Eilean Sgitheanach. Fàilte, a Dhòmhnaill. Nise, thàinig thu dhan obair seo às dèidh bliadhnaichean ann an dreuchd eile. Dè bha tarraingeach dhut mun obair seo gu sònraichte?
[DÒMHNALL] Uill, bha mi bliadhnaichean ag obair air na cruinn-ola sa Chuan a Tuath, agus ged a bha an obair sin inntinneach, bha an dòigh beatha caran neònach agus cha do chòrd ... cha do chòrd sin rium, agus bha deich bliadhna an sin gu leòr. Agus mar tubaist thàinig mi dhan Eilean, agus cha robh mi a' fuireach fad air falbh bho Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, agus a chionn 's gu robh ùidh mhòr agam anns a' Ghàidhlig, bha mi a' smaoineachadh gur e deagh dhòigh a bh' ann airson a bhith a' faighinn air falbh bhon obair anns na cruinn-ola a bhith a' tighinn dhan a' cholaiste mar oileanach. Agus bha mi air a' Chùrsa Chomais airson aon bhliadhna. Mar sin, bha mi dìreach a' smaoineachadh, "Dè nì mi?" Agus a bharrachd air Gàidhlig, nuair a bha mi na b' òige, bha ùidh mhòr agam ann an coimpiutaireachd, agus thòisich mi air teisteanas eile leis an Oilthigh Fosgailte ann an coimpiutaireachd. Agus nuair a bha mi leth-phàirt tro sin, thàinig obair an àirde aig a' cholaiste mar neach teicneòlaiche anns an roinn IT. Fhuair mi an obair dìreach cola-deug às dèidh dhomh a bhith deiseil mar oileanach aig a' cholaiste an seo, so cha robh fiu 's cothrom agam saor-làithean fhaighinn nuair a thòisich mi san dreuchd ùr. Agus tha mi air a bhith an seo ag obair le coimpiutairean o ... dusan bliadhna a-nise, agus tha e a' còrdadh rium fhathast.
[SARAH] Dè na rudan as fheàrr leat mu bhith ag obair le coimpiutairean?
[DÒMHNALL] Tha thu ag obair le d' eanchainn fad an latha, agus gu tric, cuideigin a' tighinn thugad le trioblaid agus tha thu a' cur seachad 's dòcha uair a thìde ann a bhith a' feuchainn ris a chur ceart agus an uairsin tha rudeigin deiseil. Tha duine toilichte agus tha e a' toirt toileachas dhut a bhith air trioblaid fhuasgladh. Tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil e - dhòmhsa co-dhiù - tòrr nas fheàrr na bhith 's dòcha a' sgrìobhadh aithris no a' dol gu coinneamhan. Chan eil mòran a leithid sin againne. Mar sin, gach latha tha thu a' fuasgladh dùbhlain do dhaoine.
[SARAH] Nise, aon dùbhlan eile a dh'fhaodadh a bhith agad, 's ann a thaobh briathrachas. Leis gu bheil thu ag obair tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig, tha briathrachas agad, mar a tha sinn a' cluinntinn, ach a bheil thu a' smaoineachadh gu bheil feum air barrachd?
[DÒMHNALL] Uill, mar a tha a' tachairt ann an tòrr dhùthchannan eile, tha iad a' cleachdadh facail Beurla airson coimpiutaireachd, agus leis cho mòr sa tha an eadar-lion air fàs, air feadh an t-saoghail, agus 's e Beurla a tha air a' mhòr-chuid dhe na làraichean-lìn, tha am briathrachas a' sgaoileadh air feadh an t-saoghail, agus air sgàth sin, 's e Beurla a bhios daoine a' cleachdadh air feadh an t-saoghail mar briathrachas airson coimpiutaireachd, ach chan eil sin ag ràdh gur e rud ceart a th' ann, ach chan eil mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil Gàidhlig air deireadh air cànain eile. Air an làimh eile, tha faclan a' tighinn ann, ach chan eil a h-uile duine a' tarraing air an aon ràmh. Tha diofar dhaoine a' cleachdadh diofar faclan. An e "sgrion" no "sgàil(ean)" a chleachdas tu airson "monitor", agus tòrr rudan eile. Agus am bu chòir dhuinn a bhith a' dèanamh an àirde faclan air ar son fhìn, no am bu chòir dhuinn a bhith ag obair còmhla ris na h-Èireannaich mar eisimpleir, gus am bi na h-aon fhaclan againne, agus a' tighinn gu co-dhùnadh air mar a tha briathrachas a thaobh coimpiutaireachd a' dol? Agus 's e aon dòigh a th' ann airson an dà chànan a thoirt ri chèile a-rithist. Tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil an dà chànan, Gaeilge na h-Èireann agus Gàidhlig na h-Alba, a' dol air falbh bho chèile, agus bhiodh e math nan robh iad a' tighinn nas fhaisg a-rithist agus 's dòcha gur e sin aon dòigh airson sin a dhèanamh, ach tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil e fìor airson tòrr dhen a' bhriathrachas a tha a' nochdadh sa bheatha "modern" an-diugh, chan ann dìreach airson coimpiutaireachd. So, 's e ceist a th' ann fhathast, ach cha chreid mi gum bi fuasgladh ann ann am ... uill, airson bliadhnaichean fhathast.
[SARAH] Uill, mìle taing airson bruidhinn rinn, a Dhòmhnaill.
[DÒMHNALL] Tapadh leibhse.
Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] With me is Donald Macdonald from Invermoriston, who works as an information technology specialist at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Isle of Skye. Welcome, Donald. Now, you came to this job having spent years working in another career. What attracted you to this job in particular?
[DÒMHNALL (DONALD)] Well, I spent many years working on the oil rigs in the North Sea, and although it was an interesting job, the way of life was a bit strange and I didn't enjoy ... I didn't enjoy that, and ten years there was long enough. And, by coincidence, I came to the Island, and the place where I was staying wasn't far from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and because I was very interested in Gaelic, I thought it would be a great way for me to get away from working on the oil rigs by coming to the college as a student. I took the Cùrsa Comais for one year. And then, I just thought, "What will I do?" And besides Gaelic, when I was younger, I was very interested in computing, and I began another course in computing through the Open University. And when I was halfway through that, a vacancy opened up at the college for a technician within the IT department. I got that job just a fortnight after the end of my course here at the college, so I didn't even have time to take a holiday when I started my new job. And I have been working with computers here for, oh, a dozen years now, and I still enjoy it.
[SARAH] What do you enjoy most about working with computers?
[DÒMHNALL (DONALD)] You're working with your brain all day, and often, someone will come to you with a problem and you'll spend maybe an hour trying to put things right, and then you've achieved something. Someone's happy and it gives you pleasure to have solved a problem. I think it is - at least for me - much better than, perhaps, writing a report or going to meetings. We don't do much of that. So, every day, you're solving problems for people. Now, another problem you could face is with terminology.
[SARAH] As you work through the medium of Gaelic, you have the terminology, as we can hear, but do you think that more is needed?
[DÒMHNALL (DONALD)] Well, as happens in many other countries, English terms are used for computing, and with the expansion of the internet, all around the world, and the use of English on most of the websites, the terminology is spreading around the world, and as a result, people are using English all around the world for computing terminology, but that's not to say that's the right thing to do, but I don't think Gaelic is lagging behind other languages. On the other hand, there is new terminology, but not everyone is pulling on the same oar. Different people use different terminology. Do you use "sgrion" or "sgàil(ean)" for "monitor", and many things like that. And should we be coming up with terminology for ourselves, or should we work with the Irish for example, so that we use the same words, and reach an agreement on how computing terminology will develop? And that's one way to bring the two languages closer together again. I think the two languages, Irish Gaeilge and Scottish Gaelic, have been drifting apart, and it would be good if they could come closer together again and perhaps that's one way of doing this, but I think that's true for a lot of the terminology that's coming into use in modern life these days, and not just for computing. So the question still remains, but I don't believe there will be an answer in ... well, for many years yet.
[SARAH] Well, thank you for speaking to me, Donald.
[DÒMHNALL (DONALD)] Thank you.