The Lord’s Prayer in Scottish Gaelic: Example Videos

by Jul 7, 2016

In a previous blog post about the Lord’s Prayer in Scottish Gaelic, I approached the prayer conceptually as a language learning issue. But Gaelic Revitalization blog readers asked for practical examples and a pronunciation guide, so I’ve created some videos with the help of other Gaelic-speaking friends.

So far we have three videos in a playlist on YouTube. The first video features Joe Murphy in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, reciting the Catholic version of the prayer with subtitles:

The second one features an audio recording of Duncan Sneddon in Edinburgh, Scotland reciting the Protestant version of the prayer with subtitles:

The third video features me reciting the Protestant version of the prayer, followed by a super slowed-down version for Gaelic learners to practice the pronunciation of individual words:

Just like the English King James Version, the prayer uses some words that are now considered archaic, such as tabhair for thoir (“give”) and amhail (which means “as” and is combined in the prayer with mar, also meaning “as”).

The source for the Catholic Gaelic version is the prayerbook Iùl a’ Chrìosdaidh, first published in 1963. The source for the Protestant Gaelic version is the Gaelic Bible; the translation of the New Testament was completed in 1767, and the Old Testament in 1801. The Scottish Bible Society is currently preparing a new Gaelic Bible translation, but it is not yet complete.

The text of the Bible verses Matthew 6:9-13 is slightly different from the prayer as it is recited:

Mata 6:9-13
9 …Ar n-Athair a tha air nèamh, Gu naomhaichear d’ainm.
10 Thigeadh do rìoghachd. Dèanar do thoil air an talamh, mar a nìthear air nèamh.
11 Tabhair dhuinn an diugh ar n-aran làitheil.
12 Agus maith dhuinn ar fiachan, amhail mar a mhaitheas sinne d’ar luchd-fiach.
13 Agus na leig ann am buaireadh sinn; ach saor sinn o olc: oir is leatsa an rìoghachd, agus an cumhachd, agus a’ ghlòir, gu sìorraidh. Amen.

I would love to gather more examples from other fluent Gaelic speakers who would be willing to take a video of themselves saying the Lord’s Prayer in Gaelic. Please get in touch if you can help.

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