Pre-aspritation in Carrick and Galloway Gaelic

In this article I'm going to be looking at the patterns of pre-aspiration that might have been heard in the Gaelic dialects of Carrick and Galloway. This article, as well as some future article will be making use of isogloss maps. More information on the structure and format of these maps can be read here: Understanding the Isogloss Maps.

In simple terms, with regards to Scottish Gaelic, pre-aspiration is essentially the equivalent of a [h], [x] or [ç] sound before a [t], [k] or [p]. Apart from it's presence in Scottish Gaelic, pre-aspiration is most often associated with North Germanic languages. In particular, it is associated with the Icelandic and Faroese languages, but in addition to this, it can also be heard in some dialects of Norwegian and Swedish.

One theory of it's presence in Scottish Gaelic is that it is an example of the Norse influence on the Gaelic language of Scotland. The presence of pre-aspiration makes Scottish Gaelic unique among her sister languages, Irish and Manx, where no evidence of pre-aspiration is to be found in any dialect. In addition to this, the patterns of pre-aspiration vary from dialect to dialect with some dialects showing no evidence of pre-aspiration at all. 

There are five patterns of pre-aspiration to be found within the study area, detailed as follows:

Pattern 1: / h / before / t / and / p / but no sound before / k /
Pattern 2: / x / or / ç / before / t /, / p / and / k /
Pattern 3: No sound before / t / or / p / but / x / before / k /
Pattern 4: No pre-aspiration
Pattern 5: / x / before / t /, / h / before / p / and / x / before / k /

Pattern 1 - This pattern was to be found largely in the islands in Coll, Tiree, Colonsay and Jura as well as parts of Islay, Mull. In addition, isolated occurances of this pattern were recorded on the mainland in Ardnamurchan, Stronmilchan, Craignish and Tayvallich.


Pattern 2: This pattern was recorded in North Argyll, including the islands of Luing, Lismore and East Mull. One isolated occurrence was recorded in Bowmore on Islay.


Pattern 3 - This was the pattern recorded in Mid-Argyll, with the exceptions of Tayvallich and Craignish. In addition, the pattern was also recorded in Gigha and the Rinns of Islay as well as one isolated occurrence in Kintyre.

Pattern 4: This was the pattern recorded in all areas of East Ulster and Mann. In addition to this, it was the pattern recorded in Arran and in most parts of Kintyre.


Pattern 5: Only one occurrence of this pattern was recorded in Morvern. 


It is clear to see from the isogloss maps that the dialects of Carrick and Galloway would have fallen into line with the neighbouring dialects of Kintyre and Arran, as well as those of East Ulster and Mann. As well as making a fairly educated guess based on geographically proximity, we can also look to place-names for further clues.

Girvan MacKay points to two examples of the local pronunicaiton of placenames: Beinn Bhreac (Benbrack) and Achadh nam Breac (Auchenbrack). The local "Anglicised" pronunciation gives us an indication that the pre-aspiration was absent from the dialects of Carrick and Galloway.

Had pre-aspiration been an aspect in these dialects then it certainly would have made it an outlier among the surrounding forms of the Gaelic tongue. 

Understanding the Isogloss Maps

This is an example of the isogloss maps that will be used throughout the project.

The maps show the various dialects that would have neighboured the Gaelic of Ayrshire and Galloway. 

These include the Scottish Gaelic dialects of Argyll and Rathlin, the Irish dialects of East Ulster and the dialects of Mann.

The numbers for the Argyll dialects correspond with the informants for the Scottish Gaelic Dialect Survey (SGDS). This was also the source used for evidence. Additional evidence for the Gaelic of Arran and Kintyre was drawn from Holmer (1957 & 1962).

The dialect CMD stands for Ceann mu Dheas (Southend, Kintyre). The evidence for this was drawn from two sources, Holmer (1962) and Campbell & Thomson (1963).

Points for A' Charraig (Carrick) and Gall-Ghàidealaibh (Galloway) can be see with the codes C and GG respectively.

The numbered dialects of East Ulster correspond with the informants for the Linguistic Atlas & Survey of Irish Dialects (LASID). These dialects are as follows: L65 - Lú (Louth), Point 65; TE66 - Tír Eoghain (Tyrone), Point 66; ER67 - Eilean Reachlann (Rathlin Island), Point 67; IE68 - Inis Eoghain (Inishowen) Point 68.

Additional evidence for these dialects was drawn from the sources as follows: L65 - (Dunbar, 2012); TE66 (Ó Baoighill, 2009), (Ó Baoill,1978), (Stockman & Wagner, 1965) & (Ní Bhaoill, 2010); ER67 (Holmer, 1942) & (Dunbar, 2008).

In addition to the dialects of East Ulster recorded in LASID, the following dialects have been included: GA - Gleannta Aontroma (Glens of Antrim); SD - Speiríní Dhoire (Sperrings of Derry); AD - An Dún (Down); AM - Ard Mhacha (Armagh). 

Evidence for these dialects came from a variety of sources as follows: GA - (Holmer, 1940); SD - (Coyle, 1968); AD - Neilson (1808), Ó Duibhin (2016), Dunbar (2012); AM - Sommerfelt (1926).

Evidence for the dialects of Mann are drawn from two sources, LASID, Point 88 and Broderick (1984).

Bibliography and Further Reading 

Books


Broderick, G (1984). A Handbook of Late Spoken Manx Vol. I-III. Berlin: De Gruyter. 
Campbell & Thomson (1963), Edward Lhuyd in the Scottish Highlands 1699-1700. Oxford. The Clarendon Press.
Dunbar, C (2008). Dhá Scéal Reachlann agus eile. Dublin: Coiscéim.

Dunbar, C (2012). Cnuasach Focal as Oirialla. Dublin: Coiscéim.

Holmer, NM (1940). On Some Relics of the Irish Dialect Spoken in the Glens of Antrim (with an Attempt Toward the Reconstruction of Northeastern Irish): Being a Report of a Visit to the Glens of Antrim in 1937, Under the Sponsorship of the Royal Irish Academy. Uppsala: A-B Lundequistska Bokhandeln.

Holmer, NM (1942). The Irish Language in Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim. Dublin: RIA. 

Holmer, NM (1957). The Gaelic of Arran. 3rd ed. Dublin: DIAS.

Holmer, NM (1962). The Gaelic of Kintyre. Dublin: DIAS.

Neilson, W (1808). An Introduction to the Irish Language. Reprint. Belfast: Iontaobhas ULTACH. (1990).

Ní Bhaoill, R (2010). Ulster Gaelic Voices: Bailiúchán Doegen 1931. Belfast: Iontaobhas ULTACH.

Ó Baoighill, P (2009). Padaí Láidir Mac Culadh & Gaelteacht Thír Eoghain Eagrán Nua. 2nd ed. Dublin: Coiscéim.

Ó Baoill, C (1978). Contributions to a comparative study of Ulster Irish and Scottish Gaelic. Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, Queens University.

Ó Dochartaigh, C (1997). Survey of the Gaelic Dialects of Scotland Vol. I-V. Dublin: DIAS.

Wagner, H (1958). Linguistic Atlas and Survey of Irish Dialects Vol. I-IV. Reprint. Dublin: DIAS. (1981). 

Newspapers & Journals

Coyle, H. (1968). Gaeilge Dhoire. An tUltach. February, d. 4-7.

Coyle, H. (1968). Gaeilge Dhoire. An tUltach. March d. 4-7.

Coyle, H. (1968). Gaeilge Dhoire. An tUltach. April, d. 18.

Sommerfelt, A. (1929). South Armagh Irish. Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap . II, d. 107-191.

Stockman, G & Wagner, H. (1965). Contributions to a Study of Tyrone Irish. Lochlann. III, d. 43-236.

Online Sources

Ó Duibhín, C. (1991) The Irish Language in County Down. Available at: http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~oduibhin/oirthear/down.doc Last Accessed: 08/04/2018. Updated: (1997), (2016).

 

Gaelic in Ayrshire Part 2

Ayrshire coastline looking southwards towards
Creag Aillse (Ailsa Craig).

The following article is a translation of the original Gaelic article written by Girvan MacKay which appeared in the magazine Gairm.

MacAoidh, G. (1979). Gàidhlig ann an Siorramachd Inbhir-Àir. Gairm. 106, 134-40.

Continued from Part 1 

Perhaps Gaelic had an impression on the way that Ayrshire folk speak English, and indeed Scots. There are two sounds that are very common in Ayrshire (they are almost universal in the area) a "ü" umlaut; / y /: and the glottal stop, like the funny old story about the soldier that answered, when the sergeant asked what his name was "Pa'erson wi' twa t's" (Patterson with two t's.) This sound is common in one or two places in the Gàidhealtachd of Argyll (Isn't this a sound we hear in the Gaelic of Tiree for example?). As we don't hear these sounds in any of the dialects of English or in places where Scots is spoken widely (Aberdeenshire for example) it's likely that the ü and the glottal stop came from Gaelic as it was spoken in Ayrshire. 

Now, these two sounds are now part of the accent (in English and in Irish) of Ulster, and it's there that we find the most hopeful clue as to what shape and form the Gaelic of Ayrshire had. There was barely a difference between the Gaelic of Scotland and that of the Glens of Antrim. However, it was the Gaelic of Rathlin Island, in the Straights of Moyle between Scotland and Ireland, that was most like the Gaelic of Scotland, and Irish scholars are of the opinion that this is the sort of Gaelic that the Gaels of Ayrshire had.

Rev. Cosslett Quinn, a scholar who translated the Revised Standard Version of the New Testament into Irish, and who conducted research on the Irish of Rathlin, wrote in a letter to [Girvan MacKay] on the 20th of November 1977:

"I would say that the Gaelic they had in Kintyre and in Ayrshire a hundred years ago was very like that of Rathlin."

He is the author of the paper "Iarsmaí ó Oilean Reachrann" (Remnants from Rathlin Island) that paints a clear picture of the dialect, with sample of folklore he recorded when he visited the island in 1932 and again in 1940. Among them are stories, poetry, words and phrases, plants, birds, insects, animals, ointments, parts of the body, fish and sailing terminology. Among these are only a very small few words that every Scottish Gael would not understand. Here is an example:

"There was once a man with a humped back and he went up to fetch the cows from the hillside one evening, and he heard people making music. The song went: 'Monday, Tuesday, Monday, Tuesday.' 'Wednesday' he said himself. The removed the hump from his back as he made their song better. 

There was another man in the town. He also had a humped back also, and he went up the next evening to fetch the cows. They were singing 'Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.' He sang 'Thursday.' Then, that ruined the song. Then, instead of taking the hump away from him, they gave him another."

"Bhá duine ann a bhá cruit air is chaidh é suas ag iarraidh nam bó coinfheascar ar an tsliabh, agus chuala é daeine ag gabhail ceol; agus an ceol a bhá ann: 'Dia Luain, Dia Mairt,
Dia Luain, Dia Mairt.'  'Dia Ceadaoine.' ars eisean. thug iad an cruit de n' air a rainn é an ceol n' a b'fhéarr. Bhá duine eile ar a' bhaile. Bhá cruit air cuideacht, is chaidh é suas an áthchoinfheascar ag iarraidh nam bó. Bhá iad ag gabhail an ceol an áthchoinfheascar cuideacht. Bhá iad ag ceol 'Dia Luain, Dia Mairt, Dia Ceadaoine.' Ars eisean 'Diardaen.' Annsin mhill sin an ceol. Annsin, in áite an cruit a thabhairt de, chuir iad cruit eile air.'

"Bhá dá dhaeine ann ráimhe seo, Gígeam agus Geógam, agus rainn iad bannach. Bhá bannach aca annsin, agus bhá iad a' dol amach ar a chéile cionn ar a' bhannach. Bhá a haen aca nach robh gan ngabhail a bheag de na bhannach. Chuir an ceann eile smog ar a' bhannach is n' air a fuair a' bhannach as an doras foscailte léim é de'n teine agus chaidh é amach ar an doras, is lean Gígeam agus Geógam é."

A view over Rathlin Island (Reachrainn), Co. Antrim (Contae Aontroma.

If Fr. Quinn is correct, and I believe he is, then this is the kind of Gaelic that was spoken by the people of Ayrshire (Or at least something very similar to it).

With regards to the sound of Rathlin Irish, Fr Quinn wrote (Op. cit. pg. 248):

"It is little surprise that the accent I heard pertaining to Rathlin is the accent you would hear from Scottish Gaelic speakers on the radio. However, although the d in indiu is heard, you wouldn't hear machg or bochg as you would in Scotland."

I don't believe that the Scottish Gaels of Southend of Kintyre used this chg sound. (Nils Holmer did not hear it in Southend of Kintyre, where there was - according to Cosslett Quinn - a dialect very similar to Rathlin and Ayrshire Gaelic).

I am very grateful to Fr. Quinn for this information and I hope that these short notes will be of assistance to any scholar who is willing to conduct research on this interesting subject, and is of encouragement to the people of Ayrshire who have an interest in their old native language.

Bibliography

List of writings on the subject:

Watson, Wm. J. (1932). Bàrdachd Ghàidhlig. Glasgow: An Comunn Gàidhealach.

Lorimer, W. L. (1949). "The Persistence of Gaelic in Galloway and Carrick" Scottish Studies, VI & VII.

Ó Snodaigh, P. (1973). Hidden Ulster. Dublin: Clodhanna Teo.

Johnston, J.B. & Murray, J. (1934). The Place-names of Scotland. London. Reprinted by S.R. Publishers, Wakefield (1972).

O'Rahilly, T.F. (1932). Irish Dialects Past & Present. Dublin.

Pedersen, R.N. (1972). Alba Map. 6 Drumdevan Road, Iverness.

Holmer, N.M. (1966). The Gaelic of Arran. Dublin: Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (DIAS).

Quinn, C. (1951). Iarsmaí ó Oileán Reachrann [Remnants of Rathlin Island]. Éigse VI, Part III.

Holmer, N.M. (1942). The Irish Language in Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy.

More to come...

Apologies for the inactivity on this blog over the past few months due to work on my dissertation. The good news is that not only is the dissertation complete but it will feeding into this blog and research.

The dissertation focussed on the linguistic links between the Gaelic dialects of Argyll and East Ulster, also looking at the dialects of Mann for wider context. During the research it was quite obvious that the absence of the Lowland Gaelic dialects of Galloway, Carrick and Ayrshire left a rather gaping hoping in the picture. 

I'll be looking to fill this void based on was evidence we do have of Lowland Gaelic and hopefully be able to demonstrate the place that those dialects occupied within the wider Gaelic world. 

Until then, here's a teaser. The following isogloss map shows the patterns of pre-aspiration to be found in various dialects. I'll go into an explanation of what this means in the full post to come. As you can see, the Lowland dialects would have agreed with the dialects of Ulster, Mann and South West Argyll. 

More to come on this subject soon...