A’ Ghàidhlig ‘snaidhte ann an clach is craiceann’ le seirbheis eadar-theangachaidh na Comhairle

Rinn Comhairlichean na Gàidhealtachd moladh mòr air obair Seirbheis Eadar-theangachaidh na Gàidhlig aig Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd thairis air a’ bhliadhna mu dheireadh ann an coinneamh Chomataidh na Gàidhlig a chaidh a chumail air-loidhne an-diugh.

Chaidh fios as ùr a thoirt do Bhuill mu raon is farsaingeachd obair seirbheis eadar-theangachaidh na Comhairle, agus mu leasachaidhean a tha san amharc taobh a-staigh na Comhairle.

Chaidh dèiligeadh ri còrr is 900 iarrtas eadar-theangachaidh, bho abairtean goirid gu pròiseactan anns an robh na mìltean de dh’fhaclan. Thàinig a’ mhòr-chuid de na h-iarrtasan bho Sheirbheis Foghlaim na Comhairle, Sgioba na Gàidhlig, agus Seirbheisean Corporra airson aithisgean comataidh, fiosan naidheachd agus sgrìobhainnean corporra. Am measg farsaingeachd nan cuspairean eadar-theangachaidh eile bha co-sgrìobhachas (puist-d is litrichean), sanasan obrach, soidhnichean sràide, soidhnichean stiùiridh airson rathaidean, soidhnichean thogalaichean agus pannalan mìneachaidh. Tha an t-seirbheis ag obair gu dlùth le Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba (AÀA), an com-pàirteachas comhairleachaidh nàiseanta airson ainmean-àite Gàidhlig.

Am measg nan leasachaidhean a tha san amharc taobh a-staigh na Comhairle, tha planaichean airson Ceumnach Gàidhlig fhastadh airson cuideachadh le bhith a’ meudachadh na tha de Ghàidhlig air làrach-lìn na Comhairle agus tuilleadh com-pàirteachais a thogail leis a’ phoball air meadhanan sòisealta na Comhairle.

Chaidh innse do Bhuill cuideachd gun tèid tuilleadh trèanaidh a thoirt do luchd-obrach seirbheisean an luchd-cleachdaidh airson teachdaireachdan fàilteachaidh sa Ghàidhlig a neartachadh nuair a chuireas daoine fios chun na Comhairle. Leanaidh an luchd-obrach seo orra a’ dèanamh cinnteach gum bi cothrom aig luchd-cleachdaidh a tha airson bruidhinn anns a’ Ghàidhlig a bhith air an cur air adhart gu luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig.

Thuirt an Comhairliche Calum Rothach, Cathraiche Chomataidh na Gàidhlig: “Tha buill na Comataidh fìor thoilichte le ìre is càileachd obair Seirbheis Eadar-theangachaidh na Gàidhlig. Tha an t-seirbheis seo, a tha gu mòr air a stiùireadh le àireamh àrd nan iarrtasan a tha a’ tighinn a-steach, dha-rìribh airidh air moladh agus a’ toirt seachad seirbheis riatanach dhan Chomhairle ann a bhith a’ lìbhrigeadh a’ Phlana Ghàidhlig aice.”

Lean e air adhart: “Ged a bhios eadar-theangair na Comhairle mar as trice a’ dèiligeadh ri iarrtasan airson stuthan foghlaim, sgrìobhainnean corporra, agus soidhnichean sràide is thogalaichean, bha e inntinneach cluinntinn bhuaipe gun robh: ‘… iarrtasan a’ tighinn bhon phoball airson ainmean thaighean is airson thatùthan – mar sin, chan e a-mhàin gu bheil a’ Ghàidhlig snaidhte ann an clach, tha i cuideachd snaidhte ann an craiceann!’”

Chaidh an sgrìobhainn ‘Stiùiridhean air soidhnichean dà-chànanach airson luchd-obrach Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus stiùireadh a bharrachd airson a bhith a’ cleachdadh na Gàidhlig’ a chur ri chèile ann an 2010 agus tha i feumach air ath-sgrùdadh. Thathar an dùil seo ùrachadh agus an sgrìobhainn a cho-thaobhadh ri Plana Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd 2018–23 agus ri Plana Cànain Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig.

Gaelic ‘set in stone and skin’ by Council’s translation service

The work of The Highland Council’s Gaelic Translation service over the past year was commended by Highland Councillors today in an online meeting of the Gaelic Committee.

Members were updated on the range and output of the Council’s translation service and future developments being planned within the Council.

Over 900 requests for translation were administered varying from short phrases to projects running to thousands of words. Most of the translation requests were received from the Council’s Education Service, Gaelic Development Team, and Corporate services for committees and news releases and corporate documents. Public correspondence (emails and letters), job adverts; street, road and building signage and interpretation panels were also among the many items translated through the service which works very closely with Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba (AÀA) the Gaelic place names organisation.

A key aspect for the future development of Gaelic within the Highland Council includes plans to recruit a Gaelic Graduate Intern to help improve the level of Gaelic on the Council’s website and to provide public engagement in Gaelic on the Council’s social media.

Members were also informed that training will be provided to customer services staff to help reinforce a Gaelic welcome when customers contact the Council. These staff will continue to ensure that if customers wish to speak to frontline services in Gaelic that they will be provided access to Gaelic speakers to enable this.

Councillor Calum Munro, Chair of the Gaelic Committee said: “Committee members are very impressed by the level of output and quality of the Translation Service provided to the Council. This high demand-led service is commendable and provides a vital service in the Council’s delivery of its Gaelic Language Plan.”

He added: “While the Council’s translator mainly responds to requests for translating educational materials, corporate documents, and street and building signage it was fascinating to hear from her that: ‘… a few requests were from the public for the translation of house names and tattoos – so not only has Gaelic been set in stone but also in skin.’…”!

The Council’s ‘Guidelines on bilingual signage for Highland Council staff and additional Guidance for the use of Gaelic’ were produced in 2010 and require review. They will be updated and aligned with the current Highland Council Gaelic Language Plan and National Gaelic Language Plan.