FOCKLE AYNS DTY CHLEAYSH

Gaelg Vio?

Son yn chooid smoo jeh'n cheead shoh ta'n Ghaelg er ve parail. Cha row eh agh yn feed blein shoh chaie dy ren earroo dy loayrtee goaill toshiaght dy irree reesht, as t'eh jeeaghyn nish dy vel bishaghey mooar er jeet gy kione. Nee shoh toshiaght braew jeh aavioghey nyn jengey t'ayn ny yn caggey s'jerree jeh cultoor deyrit?

Car yn jeihaght ny ghaa shoh chaie ta resoonaght elgyssagh er ve ayn eddyr ard-scoillaryn as loayrtee er stayd yn chengey dooghyssagh ain. Dooar ee baase ayns 1974 tra hooar Ned Maddrell baase, dooar ee baase ayns ny 30'yn tra nagh row Manninee cliaghtey jannoo ymmyd jee myr chengey cadjin, ny dy jarroo dooar ee baase? Choud's ta earroo dy loayrtee bishaghey cre'n aght foddee yn chengey ain ve marroo? Nee y Ghaelg ta goll er loayrt ain jiu noa-Ghaelg, cummey boght jeh'n Ghaelg feer?

Son shickyrys ta grammar, abbyrtys as fockley magh er chaghlaa car yn keead shoh chaie agh shen ry-eddyn ayns dagh glare vio! Cre erbee ta kiart ta foddey smoo shickyrys as treishteilys mychione traa ry-heet yn chengey oc ec loayrtee Gaelg Vannin na t'er ve ayn rish bleeantyn. Ta genney dy loayrtee flaaoil ta daaney as aghtal dy liooar ayns yn chengey yn lhiettrimys smoo roish speeideilys yn Ghaelg 'sy traa ry-heet, agh ta ram keimyn hoshee er jeet lhien er y gherrid nee kiartaghey shoh.

Hig Gaelgeyryn dy liooar ayns ny bleeantyn shoh cheet veih aghtey yn Rheynn Ynsee cur Gaelgey stiagh ayns ny scoillyn (as shen nane jeh ny bun-yeearreeyn v'ec yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh tra v'ee currit er bun). Ver yn Teisht Chadjin Ghaelgagh as yn "level 'A'" ayns Gaelg, vees cheet dy gerrid, cur caa yindyssagh da ynseydee dy chosney tushtey dowin ayns Gaelg.

Yn ard-ghreesaght vees smoo scanshoil da traa ry-heet y Ghaelg shen startaghyn kianglt dy jeeragh as dy neuyeeragh rish yn chengey ta goll er croo ny laghyn jiu. Ta cummys braew yindyssagh son lhiasaghey yn farrys-cheerey Vannin liorish seyrey yn cultoor tradishoonagh as shenn ghlare Vannin. Bee startaghyn ry-gheddyn ayns ynsagh, turrysagh cultooroil, ymskeaylley as lhiasaghey politickagh son Gaelgeyryn 'sy traa ry-heet. Ta anaase mooar as yeearree niartal ayn, cheu mooie jeh'n ellan er lheh, son Mannin as y Ghaelg dy ghoaill ayrn ayns ny cooishyn shoh..

Ayns ynsagh: ta Mooinjer Veggey lum lane, she genney dy Ghaelgeyryn as foaysaghtyn cooie oc ta cur lhiettrymys da'n aggyrtys er buill; ta'n aggyrtys son Gaelg ayns ny scoillyn foddey ny smoo na'n claare ta chebbit da ny paitchyn; as ta jing dy ynseydee goll gys ny brastyllyn oie. Ta anaase geiltagh ec yn ym-ysseraght cheu-mooie yn ellan er Gaelg ayns ynsagh Vannin, ayns Mooinjer Veggey er lheh, as ta radio chellveeish as cloudeyrys cheet dy mennick lesh shilley er shoh.

Choud's ta mee gobbragh myr yn Greinneyder ta mee dy mennick feddyn caaghyn braew son Mannin as y Ghaelg. Hig co-obbraghey eddyr-Celtiagh as eddyr-Ghaelgagh ayns turrysagh cultooroil, ynsagh, ymskeaylley as politickaght lhien dy aashagh dy row shin shirrey er.

Ta bun as jerrey speeideilys y Ghaelg 'sy traa ry-heet croghey er wheesh dy argid vees currit ec yn reiltys da troggal crauelagh Ghaelgagh ooilley-ghoaillagh car ny bleeantyn roin. Ny yei shen as ooilley ta'n aggyrtys er as treisht ayns Gaelg cha niartal as dy jean yn Ghaelg tannaghtyn bio 'sy cheead shoh cheet as ny smoo na shen hig ee my vlaa!

Will Manx Survive Another 100 Years?

For much of the past century the Manx language has been in decline. Only in the last twenty years or so has the decline in the number of speakers been halted, however, recent statistical information shows a big increase in support for and knowledge of Manx. Is this the beginning of a revival in the fortunes of Manx or merely the last stand of a doomed culture?

There has been fierce debate between academics and speakers over the past few decades about the state of our native language. Did it die in 1974 with Ned Maddrell (the last traditional native speaker), did it die in the 30's when it ceased to be used as a community language or is it still alive? How can the language be dead when the number of speakers is increasing (643 at the 1991 census)? Do we actually speak Manx now or is it neo-Manx, a corrupted form of the true Gaelic tongue?

Certainly grammar, idiom and pronunciation have changed over the past century but that is true of all living languages. Whatever the truth is speakers are much more confident in the future of their language than they have been for many years. Perhaps the greatest obstacle for the future development of Manx is a lack of speakers with a great depth of knowledge and understanding of the language, however, there have been many initiatives recently which should help to overcome this shortage.

The introduction of Manx into the schools by the Department of Education (one of the founding aims of Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh) will in the long term lead to a much greater number of Manx speakers. The TCG (GCSE equivalent in Manx) and the proposed 'A' level in Manx will provide an invaluable opportunity for Manx learners to gain a high degree of knowledge of Manx.

Perhaps the greatest incentive for the language to survive is that jobs directly and indirectly related to Manx are now being created and there is tremendous potential for traditional Manx culture and language driven economic growth. Education, cultural tourism, broadcasting and political development are all areas in which Manx speakers will be employed in the future. The level of interest in and demand for Manx in these areas is already high particularly outside the Isle of Man.

In education: Mooinjer Veggey is over-subscribed, the demand for places being limited by a lack of suitably qualified Manx speakers; the demand for Manx in schools outstrips the level of provision currently offered; and evening classes for Manx learners are packed. There is considerable off-island media interest in Manx Gaelic education, particularly in Mooinjer Veggey, with visits from TV, radio and international newspapers being a regular occurrence.

As part of my work as yn Greinneyder I am regularly uncovering large areas of untapped opportunity for Manx particularly and the Isle of Man in general. Inter-Celtic and more specifically inter-Gaelic cooperation in cultural tourism, education, broadcasting and politics is just waiting to happen.

The level of funding which Government will be prepared to put in to the development of the Gaelic infrastructure in Mann will be crucial in determining the future success of the language. However, the demand for and commitment to our native tongue is so high that not only will Manx survive the next 100 years it will flourish!

Phil Gawne

Yn Cheeadoo Vlein jeh'n Cheshaght Ghailckagh

Va'n Cheshaght Ghailckagh currit er bun er y nah laa as feed jeh Mee Vayrnt sy vlein 1899. Yn chaglym dy chur ee er bun, v'eh reaghit ec William Cubbon, haink dy ve yn stiureyder jeh Thie Tashtee Vannin bleeantyn lurg shen. Va anaase mooar er reddyn Celtiagh gaase dy niartal sy lhing eddyr jerrey'n nuyoo cheead jeig as y Chied Chaggey Mooar. Va sheshaghtyn Celtiagh currit er bun ayns gagh cheer Cheltiagh. She ayrn jeh'n ghleashaght eddyrashoonagh shoh va cur er bun yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh. Paart dy vleeantyn roish 1899, va Conradh na Gaeilge currit er bun ayns Nerin. Oddagh shin jeeaghyn er shoh myr y toshiaght jeh taghyrtyn ren caghlaa shennaghys Nerin son dy bragh as ren cleayney cooishyn ayns ny cheeraghyn Celtiagh elley.

Ayns 1899 va A.W. Moore (Loayreyder yn Chiare as Feed) er ny reih myr eaghtyrane yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh. She A.W. Moore screeu yn shennaghys ard-ghooagh jeh Mannin va currit magh ayns 1900. Mastey ny lhiass-eaghtyraneyn va'n Ard Vriw Gill as y Fer-lhee John Clague, hug magh y lioar 'Cooinaghtyn Manninagh'. Ny deanyn smoo jeh'n Cheshaght Ghailckagh, v'ad dy chummal seose yn Ghaelg myr chengey ashoonagh Vannin as dy chur magh lettyraght (shenn as noa) ayns Gaelg.

Ayns 1909 v'eh screeut dy row Sophia Morrison jannoo yn chooid smoo jeh obbyr yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh myr y scrudeyr. Shoh ben va gobbraghey gyn scuirr son yn Ghaelg as son Mannin. Va J.J. Kneen gobbraghey son yn Cheshaght neesht. Ny smoo na peiagh erbee elley sy lhing eddyr 1900 as e vaase jeeragh roish y Nah Chaggey Mooar, she eshyn hug er sleih toiggal dy row yn Ghaelg ayn as hug eh ablid daue ynsaghey ee. Lurg y caggey shen, she Doolish y Karagher hug bioys noa da'n Cheshaght. Marish Chalse y Chleree, Illiam y Radlagh, Chalse Mooar, Leslie Quirk, as Markys as Tom Braide as sleih elley, ren Doolish cur er e hoshiaght yn Ghaelg vio. Lesh cooney mooar veih De Valera ayns Nerin, va recortyssyn-sheean jeant jeh ny shenn loayrtee s'jerree. Lhig dooin cur bwooise son Ned Maddrell, Y Gaaue, Sage Kinvig as ny loayrtee elley.

One Hundred Years of the Manx Gaelic Society

The Manx Language Society (later re-named 'The Manx Gaelic Society') was founded on 22 March 1899. The meeting to found it was organised by William Cubbon, who became the director of the Manx Museum in later years. Huge interest in things Celtic had grown in the period from the end of the nineteenth century to the First World War, leading to the establishment of Celtic societies in all the Celtic countries. The founding of the Manx Language Society was part of this international movement. Some years before 1899, the Gaelic League had been set up in Ireland. This can be viewed as the start of events which changed the history of Ireland for ever and influenced the other Celtic countries in doing so.

In 1899, A.W. Moore, the Speaker of the House of Keys, was elected president of the Manx Language Society. Moore completed writing his famous History of the Isle of Man in 1900. Among the vice-presidents of the new society were Deemster Gill and Dr John Clague, who published a bilingual book, 'Manx Reminiscences'. The main aims of the Manx Language Society were to preserve Manx as the national language of the Isle of Man and to publish literature (old and new) in Manx.

In 1909 it was recorded that Sophia Morrison, by then the secretary, was carrying most of the society's work. This was a woman who worked tirelessly for the language and the Island. In the Manx Language Society, she was working with J.J. Kneen. More than any other person in the period from 1900 to his death just before the Second World War, it was J.J. Kneen who made people aware of the existence of the language and enabled them to learn it. After that war, Doug Fargher injected new life into the society. Along with Walter Clarke, Bill Radcliffe, Charlie Craine, Leslie Quirk, Mark and Tome Braide and others, Doug vigorously promoted living Manx. With invaluable assistance from De Valera in Ireland, tape recordings had been made of the remaining old native speakers. We owe a debt of gratitude to Ned Maddrell, John Kneen, Sage Kinvig and the other speakers.

Brian Stowell