Island Voices - Guthan nan Eilean

One Thousand Followers

Gordon Wells — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:16:59 +0000

WordPress statistics record that today the Island Voices/Guthan nan Eilean project registered its 1,000th follower! We pride ourselves on quality over quantity, but it would be churlish to let this moment pass without remarking on it at all…

One thousand people would be close to the entire population of, say, Benbecula but our followers are actually a very international bunch. In fact, an inspection of the project’s YouTube channel analytics shows that the videos have been viewed in 161 different countries. So far…

If you haven’t yet registered but would like to keep uptodate with project developments you can “sign up” for e-mail notifications in the sidebar on this site, or, if you like to filter your surfing through Facebook, just click on the Facebook “Like” button in the same place. It’s an easy way to keep in touch – and comments and suggestions are always welcome!

Many thanks to all who follow and support the project!

Trilingual Trip

Gordon Wells — Fri, 03 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

The recent short visit by the Guthan nan Eilean/Island Voices project to Ireland generated quite a range of recordings in various formats and genres – and in three different languages!

This online table brings them all together for ease of reference, with live clickable links to take you to the clip of your choice on the appropriate platform. That could be YouTube for video, or Ipadio for audio – or it could also be Clilstore if you want access to a wordlinked transcript while you watch and/or listen.

Clilstore is a learner-friendly platform being developed by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in partnership with other institutions in the “TOOLS” project. It’s still work in progress, so if learners or teachers have comments to make on how it could be improved please feed them back to us!

Cuairt Ghàidhealach

Gordon Wells — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:05:00 +0000

Seo eisimpleir dhen obair a chaidh a dhèanamh nuair a chaidh sgioba Uibhisteach a-null a dh’Èirinn o chionn treiseag. Bhathas airson an dòigh obrach aig Guthan nan Eilean a thaisbeanadh ann an coimhearsnachd Ghàidhealach ann an Tìr Chonaill far a bheil Gaeilge na h-Èirinn fhathast làidir. Chaidh am film goirid seo a dhèanamh le tionndaidhean ann am Beurla, Gàidhlig, agus Gaeilge. A bharrachd air sin chaidh clàraidhean a dhèanamh (an dà chuid video agus audio) le daoine a’ bruidhinn gu nàdarra, san aon stoidhle ’s a th’ againn an seo.

Cluinnear cuideachd cuid dhe na beachdan aig Nìall agus aig Eairdsidh air na dh’ionnsaich iad air a’ chuairt.

(For an English version of this post please see the Am Pàipear Voices page.)

New Look for New Word Look-up

Gordon Wells — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 08:53:59 +0000

Scotland’s Gaelic College, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, is a partner with other institutions across Europe in the TOOLS project. Followers of the TOOLS blog will have noted that there has been recent discussion of possible designs for the central “Clilstore” platform – which, through the agency of SMO’s Dr Caoimhín Ó Donnaíle, performs the magic trick of linking words in an online text to a host of different language dictionaries. (Over a hundred languages are accessible through the program.)

While there is still work to be done on the student and teacher interface and log-in systems, the basics of the new design have been agreed. To mark the occasion, the Island Voices Series 1 and 2 pages have been substantially reconfigured. Caoimhín had already prepared Clilstore units for each of the 150 videos in the central collection, meaning you could scroll down a wordlinked transcript while watching the embedded video on the same page, simultaneously checking a dictionary translation of any words you didn’t know. Links to these units, which now have a new cleaner look, have been placed on the pages on this site, replacing the old transcriptions in Word. Check any of the Series 1 or Series 2 Outdoors, Generations or Enterprise pages, and see what you think.

CLIL stands for “Content and Language Integrated Learning”. It’s a philosophy which chimes well with the Island Voices approach of capturing language as it is used in the community, and aiming to reflect the everyday lives of real people. As the project continues to develop we hope to make more use of Clilstore as a supportive means of re-presenting real language to learners.

Islanders in Ireland

Gordon Wells — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:32:18 +0000

Many thanks to Am Pàipear for their coverage of the Island Voices project trip to Ireland last month. You can read the report here.

The team have been busy since their return too, and it should not be long now before we see some trilingual online “extras” coming out of the Island Voices stable. Watch this space!

And then there’s also the return visit from the Irish partners to look forward to…

Interview with Gloria MacKillop in Berneray

Gordon Wells — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:48:45 +0000

Reblogged from FROM THE WATER'S EDGE:

Gloria MacKillop arrived 46 years ago to Berneray, the 'island of bachelors', to be a relief district nurse. Her plan to stay for three months and then go back to Australia fell apart when she met 'Splash', her husband to be. In this lively account Gloria tells us how she found unexpected family members in Scotland. She speaks about her first years on the island, how she learned to cope with boats, with crofting life, how life was before the causeway connected the island to North Uist, how Berneray became 'home' (even without 'cotton bushes' to hide).

Àiridh na h-Aon Oidhche

Gordon Wells — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:26:56 +0000

Master raconteur Norman Maclean tells the spine-tingling Gaelic tale of Àiridh na h-Aon Oidhche, a local landmark out near Rueval in Benbecula, and reveals how it got its name.

He relates the story for Mary Morrison, an enthusiastic community participant in the Island Voices project. Mary got some other gems during her brief visit with Norman, and she has already displayed her talent for using traditional tales as a basis for imaginative drama work with schools and in the community. We can surely look forward to seeing some interesting and entertaining follow-ups to this very valuable groundwork…

Views of Àiridh na h-Aon Oidhche

The curious (or foolhardy?) can click on these thumbnails for expanded views of Àiridh na h-Aon Oidhche, photographed by Catherine Eunson.

Outlined against the eastern skyline, seen from the neighbouring chambered cairn.

Is this the fateful clòsaid?

In profile

Plug airson Stòras Uibhist

Gordon Wells — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:43:46 +0000

“Tha Stòras Uibhist a’ tabhann cothrom do luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig, Seachdain Ionnsachaidh a chur seachad ann an Uibhist a Deas gus an cuid Gàidhlig a thoirt air adhart troimh bhogadh sa chànain. Thèid an t-seachdain a chumail ann an Loidse na h-Oighreachd ann an Gròigearaidh, bho 22mh gu 27mh an Giblean 2013.”

Follow this link for more details of an interesting opportunity for Gaelic learners. For initial enquiries please contact Deirdre MacEachen on 01878 708003 or e-mail deirdre.maceachen@storasuibhist.com

Guthan nan Eilean ann an Èirinn

Gordon Wells — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:12:26 +0000

Tha sgioba Uibhisteach a’ dol a-null a dh’Èirinn gus an obair aig Guthan nan Eilean a thaisbeanadh ann an Áislann Rann na Feirste.

Tha Sabhal Mòr Ostaig air a bhith ag obair mar-thà còmhla ri Ollscoil Uladh air a’ phròiseict Eòrpach TOOLS.

Le cuideachadh bhon sgeama Colmcille thathas a’ sùileachadh a-nis air mar a ghabhas an dòigh obrach a th’ aig Guthan nan Eilean cur gu feum le Gaeilge na h-Èirinn cuideachd.

Seo am prògram.

A Uist team is going over to Ireland to talk about the Island Voices project at Áislann Rann na Feirste.

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig has already been working with the University of Ulster on the European TOOLS project.

With help from the Colmcille scheme the partners will be considering how the Island Voices approach might be put to use with Irish as well.

Iain Trumisgarry – A Conversation

Gordon Wells — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:53:17 +0000

“Difficult Encounters with Mother Earth” – Iain talks to his old friend and neighbour, Mary Morrison, a retired English teacher and revitalised Gaelic learner. Their conversation covers three generations of family and friends from the acquisition of the croft, through the many changes since, to current practice today, via English-teaching in Spain, the North Uist Highland Games and many other highlights…

Iain speaks clearly and precisely and is always keen to encourage Gaelic learners. This is Mary’s first Gaelic interview.