Letter To Gaelic Learners

Do you know the word geodha or geo? Geodha in Gaelic, geo in Scots. It’s plentiful in place-names in the north of Scotland. It’s especially plentiful in Caithness. There are a few examples of Gaelic names in Caithness, such as Geodha nam Fitheach. But most of them have a Scots or Scandinavian form.

Will the soldier ever make his way to the Kingdom of Coldness to find his lost love? Who will help him on his way and who will impede him? He will meet another man with a beard, a giant and an eagle on his way! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

As the story gathers pace, the beautiful woman escapes the clutches of the Awisks, she makes a promise with the soldier. However, he meets some very interesting people when he leaves the castle. A fairy woman, and some bearded men with very strange preening devices meet him on his way. Download the next instalment for more information. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

Sometimes there is more to a beautiful woman than meets the eye! Part of the mystery of the beautiful woman who gives food to the soldiers, but takes away the light. Why does she punish kindness? Why is she in this castle? The final soldier enters the room? Will he meet her challenge and uncover the mystery! Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

AMHAISG – do you know what this word means? It means a very small person of bad intention. Roddy has a story for you this week which is called “Na h-Amhaisgean”, or the Three Soldiers. The three soldiers in question are hungry after a quest and follow a big dog who promises them that there is a house close to them. Find out what happens at this house in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

Hidden gold! Bonnie Prince Charlie! The Jacobites! Magic, mystery and mayhem. What more could you want from this week’s letter? Who found the hidden gold of the Jacobites and is it still there? Did it have an impact on the land, its legend and placename? There is only one way to find out; listen and learn! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

Another fascinating tale from Loch Ewe – this week it’s about a fair-haired chap. He has gold and the news soon spreads round the region, but what are the consequences of this? Learn more about this tale involving mysterious people, French gold, a missing messenger and Bonnie Prince Charlie! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

There is a loch in Wester Ross called Loch an Draing on the map. It’s near Loch Ewe. The meaning of the name, Loch an Draing isn’t clear. Local people don’t say “Loch an Draing”. They say “Locha Druing” no “Locha Dring”. Roddy has a story from the area about a fairy, listen to the podcast to find out more. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

Papar – Gaelic-speaking hermits – were living in Iceland in the year 870. Íslendingabók tells us that. That’s the year the Norse appeared. The papar left. They did not return. They left bells and books on the island. Were they the only Gaels that went to Iceland and were to be found there? Find out in this week’s podcast? Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

The Norse influenced the Gaelic language. But did the Gaels influence the Norse language? Well, yes, to a small degree. Roddy was in Iceland recently. There is a debate going on there – what effect did the Gaels have on the island? Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

Roddy was in Iceland recently and saw interesting place-names. They reminded him of place-names in Scotland. For example, the capital city, Reykjavik. You’ll know the word in Scots and English – reek. Edinburgh had the nickname Auld Reekie. Reykja-vík means “reeky bay” or “smoky bay”. There are several places in Iceland with reykja- in the name. Those are places where smoke rises from the ground. He's got more information on the place-names of Iceland in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

The Westmann Islands in Iceland are small but rugged. From the mainland, the view of the islands reminded Roddy of St Kilda. It’s submarine volcanoes that made them. That was eleven thousand years ago. Ruairidh has plenty of stories about them. Learn more in this week's podcast. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

Roddy often goes to Scandinavia. A short while ago, he went to a Scandinavian country that was new to him – Iceland. He really enjoyed it. He found something that surprised him. It was how often he saw and heard things with connections to Scotland. Find out what these where in this week’s podcast. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

Roddy was telling you about cairidhean/yairs. There were lots of them in the Beauly Firth, west of Inverness. In olden times it was called Poll an Ròid in Gaelic. That means “the inlet of the rood or cross”. That’s the same Rood as in Holyrood House in Edinburgh. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir

There are cairidhean/yairs in many places in the Highlands. They are all old. People haven’t used them for a long time. Cairidh means a small stone wall that people were building on a beach. Fish were swimming over the wall with the flood tide. When the ebb occurred, the water left; but the fish didn’t leave. It was easy for people to pick up the fish from the sand. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir