A Plea for Gaelic
And now let me add a word about the Gaelic language.
It is commonly said, “You have no literature; the language is not worth learning.”
A writer in the newspapers, who was kind enough to praise me, nevertheless found great fault with the publication of Gaelic. The publishers say, ‘Gaelic is a dead weight in the trade.” My friends say, “Give us no more Gaelic.”
The British Museum Library is a national institution, and spends very large sums on books, but such Gaelic books as “Gillies” and “Carswell” were not there in 1861. The Advocates’ Library in Edinburgh has
What there may be at Oxford and Cambridge I do not know, but I do not believe that the published Gaelic books are to be found together in any one public library. I bought “Gillies” for a few shillings in Glasgow, and the Duke of Argyll has “Carswell,” under lock and key, for it is valuable, and has been lost. I lately attended the lectures of one of the best of modern philologists, chiefly with a view to Gaelic as it relates to Sanscrit. The Celtic tribes were placed by him in the front ranks of the Aryan migration, the names of the most distinguished German scholars were associated with Gaelic learning, but still in lectures addressed to an English audience, of whom a large proportion must have had “Celtic Crania,” and all of whom use Gaelic words in their ordinary speech, there was scarcely a word about the old languages of Great Britain in early days, and yet Gaelic and Sanscrit are allied, and Gaelic throws light on the relationship which exists between Sanscrit and English.
Compare the form of the verb “to be” in the three languages. The Gaelic verb is an assertion of existence, followed by the name of the person or thing referred to; and if the corresponding English words be taken instead of the verb, and the Gaelic sounds are spelt, the three languages are like each other, and the Gaelic is the simplest form.
I am thou art he is English.
ásmi—ási—ásti—Sanscrit.
ha-mee ha-oo ha-é Gaelic sound.
is me is thee is he _ literal translation.
The past tense of the verb is an assertion of past being Bha, pronounced VA.
Gaelic is closely related to the classical languages. Pritchard’s Eastern origin of the Celtic nations, and Armstrong’s Gaelic dictionary, and similar works, will shew how much there is of resemblance between Gaelic, Latin, Greek, etc.; and it is generally admitted that a Keltic language is at the foundation of the classical tongues. An eccentric Gaelic schoolmaster is quoted in the West of Scotland Magazine, who used to spout intelligible Gaelic imitations of Latin authors for hours —such as, “Arma virumque cano.” “Airm a’s fir’ se chanum.” The dominie said he was cracked, but there was method in his madness.
The following words which I have gathered from books and from my friends appear to bear upon Gaelic— 68th Psalm, 4th verse, “Extol him that rideth upon the heavens
by his name Jah.
English—Sanskrit—Phonetic Gaelic—English, &c.
God—Deva———
shine—Div———
heaven—Dyo—DjeeA. YeeA—God (Vocative)
——djaw—breadth
Day—Dyu—an dew—to-day
——an djay—yesterday
——djee—day
——tjays—heat
——djArs—shine
——djAlAnAch—lightening
Light—jwâlâ—geeAl—white
——geeAlvAn—fire
——geeAlAch—moon
——glAn—clear glancing
flame—jwala—djAlrAch—shining
light—heli—llês—light, a gleam
——solus—light
——soileir—clear
Sun—heli———
English—Sanskrit—Phonetic Gaelic—English, &c.
house—Griha—greeAnAn—house, dwelling
——greeAn—Sun (fæm)
——grai—love
heaven—nabhas—nyeav—heaven holy
smoke—nabholaya—nyêl—a cloud
——nyeoil—clouds
moon—kledu———
——klAdAch—tidal shore
a shore—Tira—tjeer—shore
water—uda—ooisge—water
——aigean—ocean
water—Vár—vArA—(to the) sea
sea—mira—mArA—(of the) sea
——muir—the sea
an eye—Lochana—Lochan—a pool, also called a trembling eye
earth—Dhârâ—gArt—corn land
——tAlav—tellus
agriculture—krishi—troosh—gather
to plough (ear)—Ar—ArAr—standing corn
——ei—ir—a boat
to make—jan—djên—make—do
man—jana—duine—man
a man—vîra—fêr—a male individual—one
I live—jivâ mi—vA mee—I was
knowledge—jnâ—se-nA-gaw, gA-goot—It is known to me, to him, to thee
knowledge—vid—fees—knowledge
wise—vidvas—fees-eech-e—soothsayer
a sage—Buddha—bodach—an old man
a tree—Dru—dru—an oak
——druiAch—a conjuror
——druv—a house, chariot
king—Râjan—ree—king
family—kula—coolain—whelp, young of any animal, term of endearment
——clAn—children
brother—bhrâtri—brAair—brother
mother—mâtri—mar—mère, mother
father—Pitri———
——A—air—Father
——A—ar—Heaven, the air
——Art—a God
——Art—Arthur, a common name of kings
English—Sanskrit—Phonetic Gaelic—English, &c.
horse—As’va—Each—horse
——shArrAch—foal
cow—Go—bo—cow
dog—s’van—shiunAch—fox
bitch—sunah*———
ram—Urana—rĕ—ram
——rĕ—the moon
——ro—a circle
——ree—king
——ooAn—lamb
——caora—sheep
bull—ukshan—ooksa—a large fish
——aog—a hind
to eat—ad—eech—eat
tooth—Danta—djeud—tooth
soul—âtman—AnAm—soul
——AnAil—breath
death—mâra—mArAv—dead, kill
——bAs—death
night—nis’á—n’ niche—the night
thou—yushmad—oosa—thee
he—Sa—shê—it is he
——esAn—him
she—Sá—shee—it is she
——eeshe—her
which—ka?—ko?—who, which?
The numeral 1 is un—like “un” (Fr.) “one.” The numeral 5 coig, I cannot trace in Panchan, though it has a resemblance to cinq and quinque, which are traced in Sanskrit by experts, but 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 resemble the Sanskrit numerals. The formation of higher numbers up to 20 is on the same principle—one ten, four ten, etc. Thence the Gaelic counts by 20 and the Sanskrit by 10. The Gaelic says ten and two twenties, or half a hundred—the Sanskrit says five tens.
Any Gaelic scholar may extend this list by a reference to books on philology, but Gaelic ought most to resemble the oldest known Aryan speech, if it be one of the oldest survivors of the Aryan family. There is a likeness, but many surviving European languages are much nearer to Sanskrit.
A vast number of places out of the Highlands still retain their Gaelic names, and it is interesting to understand them; for example, Tintock is the highest mountain in Lanarkshire; and the name has a meaning in Gaelic, “The house of the mist” (Tigh n’ to-ag); and a local rhyme shews that to be the true meaning of the name, which has no English meaning.
On Tintock tap there is a mist,
And in the mist there is a kist,
And in the kist there is a cup,
And in the cup there is a drap;
Tak up the cup and drink the drap,
And set the cup on Tintock tap.
There was a popular tale about this mountain which I have failed to get; but a cup, with some mysterious drink, is common in Celtic traditions. There are cups taken from the fairies; cups from which all sorts of drinks came; the cup of Fionn which healed diseases; the great caldron of the Feinne, which is hidden somewhere; the kettle of the “Korrigan” of Brittany; the St. Graal of medieval romance, for which there is no Scriptural authority; and the Ballan iochshlaint, or vessel of balsam. And when we get back to Sanscrit mythology, a chief object of worship was a drink, the juice of a plant, the “soma,” to which all sorts of virtues are attributed in the Vedas.
So lowland mythology is explained by Gaelic, and so is lowland topography. “Craignethan” Castle has no meaning; but a similar Gaelic sound means the crag of the rivulet, and correctly describes the site of the ruin of Scott’s castle of “Tillietudlem,” in Lanarkshire.
Cam, in Cambridge, means the crooked, which is a correct description of the river Cam; Bournmouth means Watermouth, and is situated at the mouth of a “burn” or rivulet; Bannockburn means Cokewater in Gaelic. In short, no history of the English language is complete without its Celtic first chapter; and no one has yet tried to write the Scotch Gaelic part of it.
Modern English is certainly more Teutonic than Celtic, but it is full of Gaelic words, and they are creeping in still.
Here are a few words, chiefly written down as they occurred in translating, and which seem to be common to Gaelic and English. Any dictionary will give many more.