I was reading the Manx Independent newspaper online this evening and looked at the regular Manx language feature. This led me to the Ynsee Gaelg website. Ynsee Gaelg means “learn Manx”.
From the first lesson, the long history of Christianity in the Isle of Man is evident in the idiom of greeting. One of the simple greetings in Manx is “Bannaghtyn”, which means “blessings”. What a nice way to greet someone.
Being a Celtic language (more specifically a Goidelic Celtic language, related to Scots Gaelic and Irish), it’s not easy to learn. It takes eleven lesson before it is time to talk about pets. Apparently an essential sentence is “Ta kayt aym as t’eh breimeragh” – I have a cat and he farts.
The website doesn’t make it clear, but I’m guessing this isn’t a nice way to greet someone.
April 29, 2008 at 6:36 am
What a brilliant site !
I have bookmarked it
April 29, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Ooooh, thanks.
I took two years of Irish Gaelic, and basically all I remember is a few greetings and “ta”
May 2, 2008 at 12:40 pm
The line I’d like to know in Manx is “whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother you’re staying alive, staying alive.”
May 2, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Use the contact page on the Ynsee Gaelg website and I bet someone could tell you.