Translating names

[Silverleaf_Willow]

When I took French in High School, I had one teacher who always translated my name to "Saule" and one who told me that names were not translated and to use my name as it was given in English. Now I am learning to speak Scottish Gaelic and have discovered that many names are changed when speaking Gaelic, such as Seamus for James or Sorcha for Claire.
My question is, do I translate my name or leave it as is when introducing myself in Gaelic?
My name is Willow, may I translate this into "Seilleach?"
And does it make a difference if my Gaelic-English dictionary gives the word as a masculine term?
Any help with this would be very much appreciated, thank you.

[DaRC]

I would guess that it depends upon circumstances and how you feel.
For instance I am English and so always use the English form of my name whatever culture I am in - as that is my name i.e. the sound that I'm used to being called by.

it would be strange for someone from another language to call me the translated version of the name - except for fun or as a joke I did work with a Spanish guy who we (his English co-workers) decided would be called Bill, his real Catalan name was Guillaum which translates to William in English, we then shortened it to the nickname version.

[Huathe]

Yeah, James is Seumas, I think. In Scottish Gaelic.

[Dendrias]

What a funny topic!
I would say, that names are in general not translated. So a girl called "Willow" will always be "Willow", as "Michael" is always "Michael". I think, Your teacher translated Your name, because he was able to do it. He would not "translate" James or John, I guess.
The other thing is the question of either pronunciation or regional forms. That the Irish version of John is Seán, the French form is Jean and some German forms are Johannes, Jens or Jan, doesn't mean that it's a translation. It's just, I think, a matter of tradition, change in language and set of phonemes. I would, of course, always use the English/French/Irish form, if someone's name was in the Irish/English/French form. In certain groups, Germans use English names (pronounced as in English, as Justin, Dustin, Cindy and Nancy) and my brother's name is French.

[Argenta]

I also think it depends largely on the circumstances. Informally, I like to use some sort of a translation of my name because the original is so difficult to pronounce for poeple not speaking my language that it usually doesn't sound anything like the original, and I prefer at least the meaning to be close. Of course, in formal circumstances, I always go by my given name.

My name means something like "Silver One"... what would that be in Scottish Gaelic, I wonder

[Silverleaf_Willow]

Thank you for your answers.
The question came up when I was working with my "Teach Yourself" workbook and the names were translated. The dialogue is introduced in English using English names and then during the spoken (Scottish Gaelic) dialogue, the people use an equivalent Scottish name, complete with lenition.
I will continue with my name as it was given to me, which seems much easier at this stage of learning.
Thank you.

[Belbara]

Hi there,

some small "appendix": I was taught in school (in Germany) that names always stay as they are - and never are translated, maybe just adapted in pronunciation.

However, as I worked with people from different nations, I found that many people are unable to pronounce my "real" name - they had difficulties in emulating the German sound, but even if they used their own pronuncuation rules, it came out quite awkward just because the vowels/consonants are distributed in such an unusual way for them.

So I got used to be called by certain nicknames which sound a lot more natural than any awkwardly pronounced form of my real name. Today, I even tend to invite British or American people to "call me Al" - and I enjoy all the manifold, imaginative variations (especially the Japanese one which makes me "Arumuto-san)

Best regards,
Belbara - whose real name is "Almut" (German female name of gothic origin)

[wolf560]

My question is, do I translate my name or leave it as is when introducing myself in Gaelic? My name is Willow, may I translate this into "Seilleach?"

The translation of a name would be a choice of your own making, do you wish to be called 'Willow' or not. The Translation itself also matters to some (and not to others) and thus the decision to use a certain 'age' of a language might make a difference as well.

"Willow in Gaelic" is a misnomer; do you wish to use Scots Gaelic, Manx Gaelic, Irish Gaelic, Welsh, etc.
Scots Gaelic= Seilleach (pronounced Selly, Sally, or Shelly by some)
Irish Gaelic= Saillie (pronounced Sally, Shelly, or Sal' Yay by some)

Gaelic is a root language and not in and of itself, it depends on where the originator is from as to which spelling and pronunciation you use.


Is an Irish 'flavor' more important to you than say Welsh?
My personal preference is to the Irish because I have (slightly ) more Irish in me than Scottish. I also avoid any words in ritual with a Saxon root word; such as 'Widdershins'. I instead use the Gaelic "Frith Deiseal" as an opposite to "Deiseal" for clockwise or sunwise.

Its all about what is comfortable to you, I hope this gives some food for thought.

[Dendrias]

The question came up when I was working with my "Teach Yourself" workbook and the names were translated. The dialogue is introduced in English using English names and then during the spoken (Scottish Gaelic) dialogue, the people use an equivalent Scottish name, complete with lenition.

That doesn't sound like a proper translation, more like what Belbara was describing. If someone addressed Belbara as "Nobleness", or "Nob" instead of "Al", that would be a translation. Calling Thomas "a Thómáisín" when speaking Irish, is just a change in pronunciation/form.
When translating Latin texts, I teach my pupils to use the "basic form" of names. When a Marcus is addressed with "Marce" (vocative case) or a Flavia's name changed to "Flaviam" in the accusative case, they tend to leave the ending where it is - and in my linguistic rage I tend to tell them, that German of course doesn't mark the cases as Latin does. It's a Sisyphou task!

[Silverleaf_Willow]

Thank you for your contributions.
When I meet an Scottish-Gaelic speaking person, I will introduce myself as "Willow".
Now to find a Scottish Gaelic speaking person to introduce myself to.....
Language study would be much easier in a local or classroom setting.