1. Cò thu agus cò às a tha thu?

Is mise Linda NicLeòid agus ’s ann à Uibhist a Tuath a tha mi, ged a tha mi air a bhith fuireach ann an Glaschu a’ cheart cho fada a-nis.

 

2. Innis dhuinn mu do cheangal leis a’ Ghàidhlig.

Tha mise air leth fortanach oir ’s e a’ Ghàidhlig a’ chiad chànan agam agus tha i aig a’ mhòr-chuid dhem theaghlach. Ged nach deach mi tro fhoghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig sa bhun-sgoil, fhuair mi a h-uile cuideachadh is brosnachadh bho luchd-teagaisg na Gàidhlig san àrd-sgoil. Chòrd a’ Ghàidhlig rium cho math san sgoil is gun do roghnaich mi dhol a dh’Oilthigh Ghlaschu airson ceum a dhèanamh sa chànan ann an 2006. Ann an 2010 cheumnaich mi le Urram sa chiad chlas ann an Gàidhlig agus dh’fhuirich mi san Oilthigh bliadhna a bharrachd airson òrain às a’ Bhaile Shear a rannsachadh. Cheumnaich mi le MPhil ann an Gàidhlig ann an 2011. Bhon a cheumnaich mi, tha mi air a bhith ag obair airson diofar chompanaidhean is bhuidhnean ann an Glaschu agus air diofar phròiseactan, is tha a’ Ghàidhlig air a bhith aig cridhe gach fear dhiubh. Tha a’ Ghàidhlig air leth cudromach dhomh.

 

3. Dè am facal Gàidhlig as fheàrr leat?

‘S e ‘rop’ fear dhe na faclan Gàidhlig às fheàrr leam. Às dèidh dìnnear de spaghetti bolognese, bidh rop ort gun teagamh! ’S e deagh chomharra a th’ ann gun robh am biadh math!!

 

4. Innis dhuinn rudeigin annasach mu do dheidhinn – ‘fun fact’!

Chan eil mise ro annasach – ach ’s fìor thoil leam mo bhiadh! Chan eil beatadh air slios tost le marmalade… is càise air a leaghadh air uachdar! Mmm! Tha sin rudeigin annasach do chuid, ’s dòcha?

 

5. Dè an seòrsa tachartas a chòrdadh riut faicinn air Seachdain na Gàidhlig / am bi thu fhèin a’ ruith thacharts(an)?

Chòrdadh e rium tachartasan eadar-ghinealach fhaicinn thar Seachdain na Gàidhlig: tachartasan far a bheil iomadh aois cruinn còmhla agus an òige ag ionnsachadh bho na daoine as sinne. Chòrdadh e rium measgachadh de thachartasan air iomadh cuspair fhaicinn cuideachd, airson is gum bi daoine a’ cruinneachadh agus a’ bruidhinn na Gàidhlig air diofar chuspairean agus ann an iomadh suidheachadh sòisealta. Tha feum air barrachd chothroman mar sin.

Bidh mi fhìn a’ lìbhrigeadh seiseanan Leugh is Seinn do Chomhairle nan Leabhraichean ann an sgoiltean ann an Glaschu is mun cuairt a’ bhaile agus ann an Dùn Èideann, thar na seachdain. Bidh seiseanan Leugh is Seinn againn ann am Bùth Comhairle nan Leabhraichean ann am Partaig an Glaschu madainn Disathairne cuideachd.

A bharrachd air an seo tha mi a’ cur romham pròiseact ùr a thòiseachadh air a bheil ‘Dè Chanas Sibhse?’ – far am bi mi a’ rannsachadh diofar fhaclan, abairtean, ghnàthsan-cainnte is chleachdaidhean a th’ againn an Uibhist a Tuath, co-cheangailte ris an t-sìde. Tha mi gus còig bhidiothan a chruthachadh air cuspair na sìde is thèid iad seo a sgaoileadh air duilleagan nam meadhanan sòisealta agam, aonan sa latha, eadar Diluain gu Dihaoine thar Seachdain na Gàidhlig. Bidh mi crìochnachadh gach bhidio leis an abairt ‘Dè chanas sibhse?’ is mi an dòchas gum brosnaich seo daoine, sean agus òg, gus bruidhinn mu na faclan is abairtean mun t-sìde a th’ anns an dualchainnt aca fhèin. Bidh cothrom aig daoine teachdaireachdan fhàgail air gach post a chuireas mi suas le gach bhidio, son is gum bi cothrom againn barrachd fhaclan is an leithid a chruinneachadh agus còmhradh a thòiseachadh air a’ chuspair.

 

6. Dè a chanadh tu ri duine sam bith a tha airson pàirt a ghabhail san t-seachdain?

Tha fàilte bhlàth a’ feitheamh oirbh! Bheiribh sùil air clàr nan tachartasan air làrach-lìn Seachdain na Gàidhlig agus ’s dòcha gum bi tachartas a’ dol san sgìre agaibh fhèin no air-loidhne. Chan fheum Gàidhlig a bhith agaibh airson a dhol gu tachartas tron t-seachdain, ach mholainn facal no dhà ionnsachadh agus fheuchainn aig an tachartas, mas urrainn dhuibh. Is ma tha Gàidhlig agaibh, feuch gum brosnaich sibh daoine eile gus a bruidhinn. Tha ùine ann fhathast tachartasan a chur air dòigh cuideachd, mar sin, ma tha ùidh agaibh san leithid, siuthadaibh!

 

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1. Who are you and where are you from?

I am Linda Macleod and I’m from North Uist, although I have been living in Glasgow for just as long now.

 

2. Tell us about your relationship with Gaelic.

I am very fortunate as Gaelic is my first language and most of my family speaks it. Although I didn’t go through Gaelic Medium Education in school, I received a lot of support and encouragement from Gaelic teachers in high school. I enjoyed Gaelic so much in school that I decided to go to the University of Glasgow to undertake a degree in the language in 2006. In 2010 I graduated with First Class Honours in Gaelic and I stayed in university for a further year to study songs from Baleshare. I graduated with an MPhil in Gaelic in 2011. Since graduating, I have been working for different companies and groups in Glasgow and on different projects, and Gaelic has been at the heart of each one. Gaelic is hugely important to me.

 

3. What is your favourite Gaelic word?

‘Rop’ is one of my favourite Gaelic words (a dirty mouth after eating). After a dinner of spaghetti Bolognese, you’ll have a ‘rop’ indeed! It’s a sure indicator that the food was good!

 

4. Tell us something about yourself – a ‘fun fact’!

I’m not too unusual – but I do love my food! There’s nothing better than a slice of toast with marmalade…and cheese melted on top! Mmmm! That might be a little unusual for some, perhaps?

 

5. What sort of events would you like to see during Seachdain na Gàidhlig / will you be running events?

I’d love to see intergenerational events: events where people of all ages come together and the young ones learn from the older ones. I’d love to see a mix of events on a range of different subjects so people can gather and speak Gaelic in social situations. We need more opportunities like that.

I will be running Leugh is Seinn sessions (Read and Sing) for the Gaelic Books Council in schools in and around Glasgow and in Edinburgh throughout the week. There will be Leugh is Seinn sessions in the Gaelic Books Council shop in Partick in Glasgow on the Saturday morning too.

As well as this I am preparing a new project called ‘Dè Chanas Sibhse?’ (‘What would you say?’) where I research different words, phrases and proverbs from North Uist, all about the weather. I’ll end each video with ‘What would you say?’ and I hope this will stoke discussion between people of all ages and encourage them to speak about the words and phrases in their own dialects. People will be able to leave comments on each video so we can collect vocabulary on the subject.

 

6. What would you say to anyone who wants to take part in Seachdain na Gàidhlig?

A warm welcome awaits you! Have a look at the calendar of events on the Seachdain na Gàidhlig website and there may be something happening in your area or online. You don’t need to speak Gaelic to attend an event but I’d recommend learning a couple of words to try and use while you’re there, if you can. And if you’re a Gaelic speaker, try to encourage others to use it too. There’s plenty of time yet to organise event, and so if you’re interested in doing so, fire on!