Emily McEwan

Why did I read it? I'm learning (Scottish) Gaelic, and I've seen so many queries for Gaelic translations for tattoos to which the responses were read this book.

What's it about? Basically, it is a short history of the Gaelic language, and how to go obtain a good translation before having it permanently inked on your body.

What did I like? The short history lesson was sound. What I truly liked were the examples of translation requests illustrating how differently an English phrase can be interpreted in Gaelic, i.e. why there are so many differing answers to a request. It gave an insight into why there is no such thing as a 'straight' translation from English to Gaelic (or any language for that matter), which served as a warning against asking for 'free' translations from random folk on Facebook, Tumbler, etc., etc. I also enjoyed seeing the mistakes people have made with their tattoos, how these might have occurred, and how to avoid them in future.

I was in absolute agreement with the author's suggestion to her readers that they should interact with Gaelic language as part of a living, breathing culture, rather than just embedding a small piece of it in their skin. That to truly honour the Gaelic language, or any speaker of it would be to truly get to know the language, and the people who have it.

What didn't I like? I would have preferred a few more examples of mistakes, but I do see them regularly appear on the internet and I have a good laugh; however, I think any more examples, and their grammatical dissections might put off anyone just seeking information about their own tattoos.

Would I recommend it? Yes. I can also see now why so many people are just referring to this book in response to any request made for Gaelic translation of an English phrase to be tattooed.… (más)