Every school– sgoil – in Scotland – Alba has recently received a copy of our new Scottish Parliament 2021 election map.

For this reason, this week’s Word of the Week is mapaichean – maps.
Our map – mapa – shows the makeup of the new session of the Parliament, showing all the MSPs, which constituency or region they represent and which party, if any, they belong to.

The map – mapa - is available in both English – Beurla - and Gaelic – Gàidhlig.

Amongst other things, the mapa features the names of every parliamentary constituency and region.

We often use Gaelic placenames here at Pàrlamaid na h-Alba not only for the map but also because the Parliament works with communities throughout Scotland – Alba and we use the Gaelic for these areas for our Gaelic publications, social media and more.

But how do we know the Gaelic placenames?

Good question! 

All Gaelic speakers know the Gaelic names for the main towns, cities and islands in Scotland – Alba - and probably many more in their local area too. However, when we’re talking about a small area which isn’t often discussed or perhaps about an area which hasn’t been speaking Gaelic for a long time, it can be difficult to know what the correct Gaelic form is – even when it is clear that it is a name which originated in Gaelic!

So, when we are looking for a Gaelic name to put mapaichean or in a publication, we turn to a group called Ainmean-àite na h-Alba – Gaelic Placenames of Scotland – the national expert group on Gaelic placenames. These are the people who conduct academic research on the correct forms of Gaelic placenames for such things as railway station signs, road signs and indeed maps – mapaichean so the chances are that you’ll have seen some of their work!

It was also Ainmean-àite na h-Alba who researched the Gaelic versions of the Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions for us.

You can see our Scottish Parliament mapa at the link in the description https://twitter.com/ParlAlba/status/1430115173449224192 

You can also see a link to the fascinating Ainmean-àite na h-Alba placenames database there. 

This week’s Gaelic Word of the Week is mapa.

Let’s practice: mapaichean, mapaichean, mapaichean, mapaichean 
This week’s Gaelic Word of the Week has been read by Alasdair MacCaluim, Gaelic Development Officer who lives in An Dùn Breac – Dumbreck – literally “the speckled fort or hill” but whose favourite Gaelic placename is Ceann Loch Chille Chiarain (“at the head of st Ciaran’s loch”) – Cambeltown –as it is so long!

26) An Cluinn, An Cluinn, An Cluinn Thu Iain - Gun Fhios, 1959

Tobar an Dualchais

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