Comhairle na Gàidhlig, the Gaelic Council of Nova Scotia has begun the second phase of Cainnt mo Mhàthar (My Mother’s Language), a project that is recording idiomatic, everyday Scottish Gaelic from fluent speakers throughout the province. Funded by the Gaelic Activities Programme, through the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, the recordings will form a primary resource for those designing and teaching courses in the Gaelic language as spoken in Nova Scotia. Unlike previous fieldwork within the provincial Gaelic community, which has largely focused on recording aspects of oral tradition for archival purposes, the primary goal of these recordings is to pass on the language. In this way, Nova Scotia has taken a progressive step toward the renewal of a minority-language of interest to countless North Americans. In doing so, it has attracted the attention of linguists and language-enthusiasts internationally and garnered wide support.

The first stage of Cainnt mo Mhàthar concentrated on developing a comprehensive questionnaire, establishing an Advisory Committee and meeting with local Gaelic speakers who agreed to be interviewed. The project’s current phase is focused on the exciting task of fieldwork in numerous locales. These visits result in the production of audio and visual recordings that will be used in future Gaelic classes; especially those employing Total Immersion Plus (TIP), a learning methodology developed in Scotland and quickly gaining in popularity here.

Comhairle na Gàidhlig is fortunate to have Jim Watson, of the Nova Scotia Highland Village acting as primary fieldworker for Cainnt mo Mhàthar. Watson is well known in Gaelic circles at home and abroad and brings years of experience conducting fieldwork to the project. Ishbel MacLean, a Gaelic-speaking native of Barra, Scotland, now working as an intern at the Nova Highland Village, also adds a valuable perspective to the work. Shamus MacDonald, a graduate of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh, is continuing as Project Administrator.

Comhairle na Gàidhlig is still seeking the public’s assistance in identifying fluent Gaelic speakers who would be willing to participate in this important project.

Contact:

Shamus MacDonald
shamusmacdonald@hotmail.com
902- 622-2809
902- 725-2272