I need some of my story to be in Gaelic, but I don't know any Gaelic, so I was wondering how I'd proceed? I know, I know. The obvious reply here is "don't write in a language you don't speak, idiot!" But what if I have to write in said language, as a symbol of acceptance to a character that has been fighting against their roots and their past for so long? Them thinking in this language is actually showing how they're finally accepting who they are and what happened to them. Obviously, the entire piece isn't going to be in this different language - Gaelic - it's just a little excerpt I want to have in Gaelic, a little lullaby I've written in English that I'd like translated into Gaelic. But this is just for fun, I'm not gonna hire a translator for a teeny little story, but I don't wanna put all my faith in google translate either. I will put an both an English and Gaelic translation of the lullaby in the story if I do end up using the lullaby, just so that people understand it, but... I don't know what to do. I don't know anybody that speaks Gaelic, and I looked into some Gaelic lullabies, but I couldn't find many and I don't want to accidentally mess with copyright stuff.
I don't know Gaelic but from what I use (My 2nd MC is Scottish) and what I read of Diana Gabaldon's use of Gaelic in Outlander, was that she exercised the use of several Gaelic dictionaries, which I'm sure you could check out from a local library. She also had native speakers help her translate, but that's not an option for you.
I studied some of the Gaelic from Cape Breton when I was in school there. I'm not great at it. Probably not even good. But if you post it here I can give it a try.
I don't know a lick of Gaelic, but I just wanted to say that I think it's cool when authors experiment with languages and cultures. I was just recently reading a horror novel about a ghost of an immigrant, and the author had gone the distance to research her cultural heritage and national myths. There were some errors with the translations, which was a pity, but I thought it was really interesting regardless. I hope you can find someone who can help you translate the lullaby for you!
@The Dapper Hooligan Would you still be up for giving translating a try? Sorry for the delay in reply, I don't check these forums all that much. Thanks!
You can't do a direct translation of any language to another and hope that things make sense, especially if it's a song, poem, or lullaby. You will need a translator to rework the lullaby so that it keeps both to the spirit and meter of the work. You're lucky in that Gaelic has round sounding words and are given rather naturally to song and poem... and hard drinking. It doesn't cost all that much to hire the services of a good translator, especially for a short work like a lullaby. My WIP takes place in the France of 1792, and I've had to consult a French translator several times already. In that she's my niece I've lucked out in that regard. She's free.
I'm Irish and I have a whole 10 pages of Gaelic phrases (somewhere.. I'd have to look for it) from when my great grandfather was alive and spoke it. If you'd like me to dig it up I can look for it. No guarantee it'll be words you need though
