AIR FEADH na h-Alba, tha sgoilearan a' tilleadh gu slýinte as dÈidh mÏos de dhubh-chosnadh a' suidhe Ãre Choitcheann, Ãre Ard agus Teisteanas na Siathamh Bliadhna. CruinneÚlas, eachdraidh, matamataig, Beurla - chuir tagraichean sgoile peann gu pýipear, agus dh'fhoillsich iad na bhr˜th iad dha'n cinn thairis air a' bhliadhna a chaidh seachad. Ach cÛ mheud aca a rinn deuchainn na Gýidhlig?
GlÈ bheag, a rÈir choltais. Tha an ýireamh de thagraichean a tha taghadh a' Ghýidhlig a leantainn mar chuspair ardsgoile air Ïsleachadh gu mÚr. Agus rud a tha a-cheart cho soilleir se gur e caileagan an Ïre mhath air fad a tha gabhail gnothaich ris a' Ghýidhlig mar chuspair sgoile, 's na balaich a' cur an c˜il ris a' chýnain.
Chan eil e idir cho soilleir car son.
Tha Sgoil 'IcNeacail ann an Steornabhagh aig teis mheadhan cridhe na Gýidhlig, le mÏle sgoilear o air feadh choimhearsnachdan Eilean LeÚdhais ga frithealadh. Sann gu math lýidir a tha a' Ghýidhlig fhathast ann am mÚran de na coimhearsnachdan sin, ach a dh'ainneoin sin cha robh ach 21 sgoilear ann an seÚmar nan deuchainnean air latha teisteanas na h-Ard Ãre do dh'fhileantaich - 18 caileagan agus dÏreach tri˜ir bhalach. Tha Ruaraidh MacIlleathain, a tha os cionn RoinnGhýidhlig na sgoile, e fhÈin mothachail gu bheil an ýireamh de bhalaich a tha a' leantainn na Gýidhlig a' sÏor Ïsleachadh, agus chan eil fios aige car son.
"Chaidh rannsachadh a dhËanamh bho chionn bhliadhnaichean a sheall gur dÚcha gu bheil caileagan a' cleachdadh na Gýidhlig nas tric' am broinn an taighe, am measg an teaghlaich, na tha balaich. Tha e duilich dearbhadh car son a tha c˜isean mar sin. Ach dh'fhaodar a rýdh gu bheil caileagan nas dÏcheallaich' aig Ïre na h-ardsgoile na tha balaich."
Tha Alasdair Friseal, · Calanais ann an LeÚdhas, am measg na tri˜ir bhalach a thagh ard-theisteanas a shireadh anns a' Ghýidhlig am-bliadhna. Tha iad uile dÏreach air crÏoch a chur air a' chÚigeamh bliadhna dhen ardsgoil. Tha e ag rýdh: "Bha mi fhÏn 's an dithis eile anns a' bhunsgoil comhla. Chaidh ar togail ann an dachannan Gýidhlig, agus thagh sinn cumail oirnn leis a' chýnan, nuair a thýinig e gu bhith dËanamh co-dh˜nadh mu dÈ na cuspairean a leanadh sinn air son deuchainnean na h-Ard Ãre." .
.. In plain English
GAELIC is entering a stage of crisis at secondary level. The number of candidates taking the language as a school subject has declined sharply, most of the remaining few being girls.
The two largest secondaries in the Gaelic-speaking area display a similar pattern. In the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, 21 pupils sat the fluent speakers' Higher in the language last month - 18 girls and three boys. And at Sgoil LÏonacleit in Uist, the total was 15 - four boys and 11 girls.
Why Gaelic is effectively becoming "girl talk" is unclear. Research suggests that girls may be using Gaelic more often than boys in the context of home and family. In general terms, girls work harder at secondary level than boys, and show greater interest in languages. Perhaps the so-called "Gaelic careers" - teaching, media, administration -- are more attractive to girls than to boys. Perhaps boys still look forward to employment in traditional male roles, and see no relevance in having an academic qualification in Gaelic.
Many teenage girls speak to each other in Gaelic, then switch to English to talk to the boys. That, at least, is what's "cool"; the way youth fashions change, things will probably be different in ten years' time. Who knows?