Slaandjivaa! Scots Gaelic for “to your health” or “cheers”. Normally shortened to “Slanj” this is traditionally used during the age-old Scottish tradition of…well, getting really drunk.

I am the newest member and the only Celtic connection in the TimeZoneOne team here in Christchurch, although there are quite a few people here who are of Scottish descent and also share my family name.  This is my first week doing the blog so I thought I’d tell you a bit about myself and then move into some Gaelic lessons to help my colleagues understand why my accent is so severe.

My wife and I are from Glasgow and we moved here two days after our wedding at the start of August this year. My wife, Marie-Claire, is a doctor in Christchurch Hospital and an absolute angel and credit to the Canterbury Health Board.

Life for us in New Zealand is a well-balanced mix between being pretty relaxed, full of city buzz and outdoors kiwi madness. We made our first bungy jump over Queenstown a couple of weeks ago and even though it was a life long ambition of mine I still managed to let out a girly scream on the way down.

New Zealand and Scotland are similar in many ways but New Zealand seems to be an extreme version of Scotland….more sheep, higher hills, more sunshine, more snow, the list is endless but it’s not to say that Scotland doesn’t have its plus points, it does, just not enough to keep me there (sorry Scotland!!)

Yes I can quite easily say that life here is “sweet as” and working for a world class design agency with extremely talented individuals on high profile brands has been the cherry on the cake.

Anyway, I’m going to leave you with four of the easier Gaelic phrases to pronounce and a very funny clip of Parkinson interviewing Billy Connolly for the first time back in 1975.


Gaelic: Dè an t-ainm a tha oirbh?

Pronunciation: Jeh un TAH-num uh HAW-ruv?

English: What’s your name?


Gaelic: S mise……

Pronunciation: SMIH-shuh…

English: My name is…


Gaelic: Ciamar a tha sibh?”

Pronunciation: KIM-mer uh HAH shiv?

English: How are you?


Gaelic: Tha gu math, tapadh leibh

Pronunciation: HAH guh MAH, TAH-puh LEH-eev

English: I’m well, thank you.

 Rob

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