Ah wis ance in a choir that sang in Scots Gaelic. Maist o the choristers were Gaelic lairners & far frae fluent, sae ilka sang's lyrics haed tae be explainit afore we cuid sing 'em wi proper feelin & expression.

We were lairnin a Gaelic love sang, sae the choir director, Seumas, tuik it upon hissel tae explain the twa Gaelic wairds for love: "Gaol" & "Grádh." Here's a paraphrase o his explanation:

"When ye're sittin in the pub, singin auld sangs an liftin anither pint at 2 AM, an ye lean ower tae ane o yir freens, sayin, 'Ah love ye, mon!' --That's 'Grádh.'"
"Sae, what aboot 'Gaol'? Weel... 'Gaol' is what ye'd say tae someone whae maks breakfast for ye."

It tuik a few seconds, but folk stairtit tae kythe his meanin, an then the ruim eruptit intae appreciative laughter. He went on tae explain the peculiar construction of the statement "I love you" in Gaelic: "Tha grádh agam ort" or "Tha gaol agam ort." (Literally: "There is love at me on you.")

The "Grádh/Gaol" explanation tuik on new meanin the next mairnin. Oor choir rehearsals were held on the mainland, an Ah wis livin on an island then. The ferry sairvice wisnae guid at nicht, sae Ah went hame wi twa o ma choir-freens, tae sleep on their couch an catch a ferry hame in the mairn. The guid, hospitable couple wuidnae let me depairt wi'oot a guid, hot breakfast... a gesture that forcit me tae cry oot, "Tha GAOL agam ort!" Needless tae say, the three o us were reducit tae helpless laughter, an the breakfast-table conversation wis punctuatit by mony's the wink, giggle, an grin!

--Cuilionn