Gaelic Signs in Nova Scotia

Parts of eastern mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island have a large part of their population boasting Scottish heritage. It is evident in the local culture, with traditions such as the use of fiddling in local folk music are still widely observed in this part of the province. In Sydney, there is the World's Largest Fiddle located along the waterfront. There are also some speakers of the Gaelic language in Nova Scotia; enough where the province has decided to put up bilingual signs in English and Gaelic for the different towns that you pass along the way. Nova Scotia government encourages that the signs be posted, in honor to preserve and promote the Scottish heritage that many Nova Scotians claim.

In 2006, the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Works started a policy that allows for community boundary signs to be posted in both the English and Gaelic languages. Some of the places on the signs may be direct translations between Gaelic and English, but other places may be the former names in Gaelic used for different communities. I think that the signs are a nice addition to the landscape and a great way to honor a special place that is unique for eastern North America.


Bilingual signage for South Haven in English and An Acarsaid A Deas in Gaelic on TCH 105 in South Haven.

Bilingual signage for Ashdale in English and Loch A' Ghaspereaux on NS 7 northbound. Loch A' Ghaspereaux looks like a hybrid of Gaelic and French, to be honest.

Bilingual signage for Saltsprings in English and Na Tobar Shalainn on NS 7 northbound.

Sources and Links:
Nova Scotia Canada - Gaelic Communities To Get Road Signs
Gaelic Revitalization - Top 10 Differences between Gaelic in Nova Scotia and Scotland
Contrarian - Those Gaelic Road Signs: an interactive map, and a few questions
BBC News - Keeping Canada's unique Gaelic culture alive

Comments

California State Route 38

California State Route 38 is a fifty-nine-mile State Highway located entirety in San Bernardino County and a component of the Rim of the World Highway. California State Route 38 begins at California State Route 18 at Bear Valley Dam of the San Bernardino Mountains and follows an easterly course on the north shore of Big Bear Lake. California State Route 38 briefly multiplexes California State Route 18 near Baldwin Lake and branches east towards the 8,443-foot-high Onyx Summit. From Onyx Summit the routing of California State Route 38 reverses course following a largely westward path through the San Bernardino Mountains towards a terminus at Interstate 10 in Redlands. Pictured as the blog cover is California State Route 38 at Onyx Summit the day it opened to traffic on August 12th, 1961. Part 1; the history of California State Route 38 California State Route 38 (CA 38) is generally considered to be the back way through the San Bernardino Mountains to Big Bear Lake of Bear Valley

The original alignment of California State Route 33 in Firebaugh

Firebaugh is a city located on the San Joaquin River of western Fresno County. Firebaugh is one of the oldest American communities in San Joaquin Valley having been settled as the location of Firebaugh's Ferry in 1854. Traditionally Firebaugh has been served by California State Route 33 which was one of the original Sign State Routes announced during August 1934. In modern times California State Route 33 is aligned through Firebaugh on N Street. Originally California State Route 33 headed southbound passed through Firebaugh via; N Street, 8th Street, O Street, 12th Street, Nees Avenue and Washoe Avenue. The blog cover depicts early California State Route 33 near Firebaugh crossing over a one-lane canal bridge. The image below is from the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Fresno County which depicts the original alignment of California State Route 33 in Firebaugh. Part 1; the history of California State Route 33 in Firebaugh The community of Firebaugh is named in honor of Andr

Driving the Watkins Glen Historic Road Course - New York

Situated at the south end of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, Watkins Glen is well known for wineries along Seneca Lake and waterfalls at Watkins Glen State Park . But one thing that gives the town much renown is its connection to the world of auto racing. The raceway at Watkins Glen Internationa l holds a number of big races every year, such as Six Hours at the Glen and the NASCAR Cup Series . The history of auto racing at Watkins Glen starts during the 1940s when the race followed a course on local roads and also through the streets of downtown Watkins Glen. It's a course that you can follow today, preferably at a more moderate speed than the auto racers of yore raced at. Let's explore the history of the original course, how it came to by and why it is no more. Organized races through the village of Watkins Glen and surrounding roads were first proposed and started by Cameron R. Argetsinger in 1948, marking the beginning of post-war sports car

Gribblenation

Search This Blog