5th February 2009
The Gaelic development agency B�rd na G�idhlig, launched a major new information and networking site on 4th February 2009, www.mygaelic.com which aims to be the place to visit for everyone who wants to learn more about Gaelic - Gaelic language and culture, tourism, events relating to Gaelic and, how and where they can engage with the language. mygaelic.com is aimed at Gaelic speakers and novices alike, offering something for everyone with an interest in wishing to learn more about the language or indeed learning to speak Gaelic.
The website was launched in Glasgow by Minister for Gaelic Linda Fabiani, where representatives of various Gaelic organisations were invited to view the innovative new communication channel.
Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture Linda Fabiani said: "Gaelic is an essential element of Scotland's heritage and current cultural life. It is vital for the future of Gaelic that we continue to develop the wide range of opportunities that now exist for the use and learning of the language. mygaelic.com is a great example of how Gaelic can be made more accessible to all, and of course use of this technology will appeal particularly to the younger Gaelic speakers who are key to a secure and sustainable future for the language. Launch of the portal is an important step forward and I am confident that mygaelic.com will, alongside many other initiatives, help to strengthen and secure the position of Gaelic in Scotland."
The development work on mygaelic.com which is part social networking, part learning and a web-based source of information, has taken two years. The Gaelic version of the title moghaidhlig.com has also been registered as a brand name.
The project has been managed by Glasgow-based Creative Communications Agency, The Creative Cell, which won the tender to research, design and deliver the project. The Creative Cell commissioned the site build to Stornoway based web development Agency, Reefnet and the copywriting of mygaelic.com to Alasdair Campbell in Skye. The Creative Cell is also responsible for the advertising and promotional campaign that will support the site and has appointed Gaelic speaker Fiona Dunn to take its development to the next phase.
B�rd na G�idhlig's Acting Chief Executive Rosemary Ward said: "mygaelic.com has
something for everyone with an interest in Gaelic. It is intended to be a "one-stop shop" for those who have an interest in Gaelic or learning the language. Core elements include information on a wide range of Gaelic activities and organisations, interactive tools for adding and finding friends, sending messages, and taking part in discussions.
"One of the key aims of mygaelic.com is to offer learners of the language the opportunity to take themselves through basic lessons and to be a source of information on where they can get help and support to expand their knowledge of Gaelic. Site content had been created in three different languages to engage with non-Gaelic speakers, learners and those who are fluent in Gaelic. Users can submit content which can be rated by everyone who views the site. More fluent speakers are encouraged to participate in advanced group forums, and to become moderators willing to give a friendly hand to beginners when they seek support and encouragement."
Simon MacQuarrie, Managing Director of The Creative Cell said: "This is just the beginning for mygaelic.com. The site will continue to develop as we attract new people to Gaelic language and culture.
"Within the site there is a section dedicated to learning Gaelic. At present, this section
outlines the reasons for learning Gaelic and advises where people can go to learn Gaelic. Moving forward, the intention is that the Section will evolve to contain formal lessons with progression from beginner to intermediate to advanced. This will have phonetic text and audio and could be accompanied by videos of real people speaking Gaelic. The proposal is that this section will also contain lessons specifically targeted to children. These lessons will be colourful and fun with animations to accompany audio and text. Games will also be developed to encourage children to interact and pick-up phrases as they go along."
Rosemary Ward added: "Organisations involved with Gaelic will be referred to in the relevant sections of the site, with links to their own websites. There are also sponsorship and promotional opportunities for organisations who wish to have a more prominent presence. In addition, all groups will have the ability to sign up to the networking side of the site, and create a group specifically for their organisation, which they will have complete control over. Here they can add information on the organisation, send emails to people who join the group and also feed information for their own and, the master events calendar.
"The events section forms an important part of the site. Both administrator and user added events are shown on a master calendar which everyone can view and filter depending on category and language capability."
Welcoming the launch of the new site, B�rd na G�idhlig Interim Chair Arthur Cormack said: "The final outcome of this development work represents a major piece of research and development in Gaelic which should enable us to attract those who may have an interest in the language but do not know where to access the learning support they need, or the interaction with other Gaelic speakers which is so important. This is a significant investment for the B�rd and it is vital that we support the non-Gaelic speakers who wish to develop their skills, thus enhancing the economic and cultural well-being of Scotland."
Visit - http://mygaelic.com
mygaelic.com
Dh'fhoillsich B�rd na G�idhlig, a' phr�omh bhuidheann poblach le uallach airson leasachadh na G�idhlig, l�rach-l�n �r fiosrachaidh agus l�onraidheil - mygaelic.com - an-diugh (Diciadain 4 Gearran 2009). Tha mygaelic.com ag amas air a bhith na h-�ite tadhail do neach sam bith a tha airson barrachd fiosrachaidh fhaotainn mun Gh�idhlig - an c�nan agus an cultar, turasachd agus tachartasan co-cheangailte ri G�idhlig, agus d�ighean agus l�raich eile far an urrainn dhaibh a dhol an s�s anns a' ch�nan. Tha mygaelic.com airson an d� chuid luchd-labhairt na G�idhlig, agus an fheadhainn a tha �r dhan ch�nan. Bidh an l�rach inntinneach do gach neach aig a bheil �idh ann an G�idhlig no a tha airson barrachd fiosrachaidh fhaotainn mun ch�nan, no a' Gh�idhlig ionnsachadh.
Chaidh an l�rach-l�n fhoillseachadh ann an Glaschu, le Linda Fabiani BPA, Ministear na h-E�rpa, Cultair agus C�isean an Taobh a-muigh. Bha riochdairean bho dhiofar bhuidhnean G�idhlig air cuireadh fhaighinn a thighinn a choimhead air an t-sianal conaltraidh �r-ghn�thach.
Thuirt am Ministear: "Tha G�idhlig na p�irt dheatamach de dhualchas na h-Alba agus de bheatha chultarach an latha an-diugh. Tha e riatanach dhan Gh�idhlig san �m ri teachd gun c�m sinn �irnn a' leasachadh an raoin fharsaing de chothroman a tha againn a-nis airson cleachdadh agus ionnsachadh a' ch�nain. Tha mygaelic.com 'na phr�omh eisimpleir de mar a ghabhas G�idhlig a bhith air a d�anamh nas so-ruigsinneach do na h-uile, agus gu dearbh bidh mar th�id an teicne�lais seo a chleachdadh tarraingeach don luchd-labhairt as �ige a tha mar phr�omh mheadhan air a' ch�nan a bhith seasmhach agus t�arainte san �m ri teachd. Is e ceum chudromach air adhart a th' ann an cur-air-bhog an inntrigidh seo agus tha mi l�n chinnteach gun cuidich mygaelic.com, c�mhla ri grunn iomairtean eile, le neartachadh agus t�arainteachd na G�idhlig ann an Alba."
Tha mygaelic.com p�irt l�onraidheil s�isealta, p�irt ionnsachaidh agus na bun-fiosrachaidh st�idhichte air an eadar-l�on. Tha an obair leasachaidh air a bhith a' dol air adhart airson d� bhliadhna. Tha an dreach G�idhlig den tiotal, moghaidhlig.com, air a chl�radh cuideachd mar ainm malairt agus bithear 'ga chleachdadh ann an leasachadh na l�raich san �m ri teachd.
Chaidh a' phr�iseact a sti�ireadh leis a' Bhuidhinn Conaltraidh Chruthachail, Creative Cell, st�idhichte ann an Glaschu, a bhuannaich an tairgse airson na pr�iseict a rannsachadh, a dhealbh agus a thoirt gu buil. Bharantaich Creative Cell togail na l�raich do Reefnet, a' bhuidheann leasachaidh l�raich-lin st�idhichte ann an Ste�rnabhagh, agus chaidh stuth-sgr�obhaidh na l�raich-l�n mygaelic.com a l�bhrigeadh le Alasdair Caimbeul bhon Eilean Sg�theanach. Tha Creative Cell cuideachd a' d�iligeadh ris an iomairt sanasachd agus �rdachadh inbhe a chuireas taic ris an l�raich agus tha iad air an neach-labhairt G�idhlig, Fi�na NicIlleDhuinn, fhastadh gus leasachadh na l�raich a thoirt chun na h-ath �re.
Thuirt Rosemary Nic a' Bh�ird, Ceannard an Gn�omh Bh�rd na G�idhlig: "Tha rudeigin aig mygaelic.com do gach neach le �idh ann an G�idhlig. Chaidh an stuth a th'air an l�rach a dheasachadh aig tr� �rean c�nain ach am biodh e tarraingeach do dhaoine gun Gh�idhlig, luchd-ionnsachaidh agus fileantaich. Am measg nam pr�omh eileamaidean tha fiosrachadh mu raon fharsaing de ghn�omhachdan agus de bhuidhnean G�idhlig, innealan eadar-obrachail gus a bhith a' lorg no a' cur ri �ireamh charaidean, a' cur air falbh theachdaireachdan agus a' gabhail p�irt ann an deasbaireachdan.
"Is e aon de na pr�omh amasan aig mygaelic.com a bhith a' tairgsinn a' chothroim do luchd-ionnsachaidh na G�idhlig a bhith 'gan toirt fh�in tro leasanan bunasach, agus a bhith 'na bun-fhiosrachaidh far am faigh iad cuideachadh agus taic gus an cuid e�lais air a' Gh�idhlig a leudachadh. Faodaidh neach-cleachdaidh susbaint a chur a-steach a dh'fhaodas a bhith air a mheasadh leis gach neach a bhios a' coimhead na l�raich. Thathar ag iarraidh air barrachd fhileantaich p�irt a ghabhail ann am buidhnean conaltraidh adhartach, agus a bhith 'nan co-mheasadairean a bhios de�nach taic c�irdeil a thoirt do luchd-t�iseachaidh nuair a bhios iad a' sireadh cobhair agus brosnachadh."
Thuirt S�m MacGuaire, �rd-sti�iriche Creative Cell: "Chan eil an seo ach toiseach t�iseachaidh do mygaelic.com. Bithear a' s�or leasachadh na l�raich mar a bhios sinn a' t�ladh dhaoine �ra gun ch�nan agus gun chultar Gh�idhlig.
"San l�raich tha roinn a tha air a chomharrachadh airson ionnsachadh na G�idhlig. Aig an �m seo, tha an roinn seo a' m�neachadh nan adhbharan gus G�idhlig ionnsachadh agus a' comhairleachadh far am faod daoine a dhol airson sin a dh�anamh. A' gluasad air adhart, thathar an d�il gum f�s an roinn gu �re agus gum bi leasanan foirmeil ann a bhios a' gluasad bho �re t�iseachaidh gu eadar-mheadhanach gu adhartach. Bidh teacsa fogharach agus claistinn ann agus dh'fhaodadh bhideothan de dhaoine a' bruidhinn G�idhlig a bhith leis. Is e am moladh, gum bi leasanan cuimsichte air clann a-mh�in san roinn seo cuideachd. Bidh na leasanan sin dathach agus sp�rsail le gluasadan be�thail a' dol leis a' chlaistinn agus an teacsa. Bidh geamannan air an leasachadh cuideachd gus clann a bhrosnachadh gu bhith ag eadar-obrachadh agus a' togail abairtean san dol seachad."
Thuirt Rosemary Nic a' Bh�ird a-rithist: "Th�id iomradh a thoirt air buidhnean a tha an s�s anns a' Gh�idhlig anns na roinnean iomchaidh den l�rach, le ceanglaichean gu na l�raich-l�n aca fh�in. Tha cothroman urrasachd agus adhartachaidh ann cuideachd do bhuidhnean aig a bheil r�n a bhith nas follaisiche. A thuilleadh air an sin, bidh comas aig gach buidheann iad fh�in a chl�radh san earrann l�onraidheil dhen l�rach agus c�mhlan a chruthachadh a dh'aon ghnothaich don bhuidheann aca fh�in, air am bi smachd gu tur aca fh�in. Faodaidh iad fiosrachadh mun bhuidhinn a chur ris, puist-dealain a chur gu daoine a bhios a' ceangal ris a' bhuidhinn agus cuideachd fiosrachadh a chur ris dhaibh fh�in agus �s leth a' mh�osachain thachartasan.
"Tha roinn nan tachartasan na p�irt gl� chudromach den l�raich. Tha an d� chuid, tachartasan air an cl�radh leis an rianaire agus leis an neach-cleachdaidh, air an taisbeanadh air pr�omh mh�osachan a dh'fhaodas neach sam bith fhaicinn agus a sh�oladh a r�ir �re agus a r�ir comais c�nain."
A' cur f�ilte air cur-air-bhog na l�raich �ir, thuirt Art MacCarmaig, Cathraiche Eadar-amail Bh�rd na G�idhlig: "Tha buil deireannach na h-obrach leasachaidh seo a' riochdachadh pr�omh earrainn de rannsachadh agus de leasachadh ann an G�idhlig a bu ch�ir ar n-uidheamachadh gus barrachd a dh�anamh le daoine aig a bheil �idh sa ch�nan, ach aig nach eil fios c�ite am faigh iad cothrom air an taic ionnsachaidh air a bheil feum aca, no an conaltradh le luchd-labhairt na G�idhlig a tha cho cudromach dhaibh. Is e tasgadh s�nraichte a tha seo don Bh�rd agus tha e deatamach gun cuir sinn taic riuthasan aig nach eil G�idhlig a tha airson an sgilean adhartachadh, agus mar sin a' cur ri soirbheas eaconamach is cultarach na h-Alba."