In Disney's Brave, no one (in the film and that I know in the audience) can tell what Young MacGuffin is saying. My question is, could he be speaking Scottish Gaelic? The flavor of the words sounded like Gaelic, but I couldn't be sure.
So I looked it up online. Well, the flavor is Gaelic, but he is technically speaking English! IMBD, among other sources, reports that he speaks the Doric dialect (of English). This is the dialect of the Scottish hometown of the voice of Young MacGuffin, Kevin McKidd. (The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter )
Kevin McKidd told The Hollywood Reporter, "It definitely is a fanaticized version of Scotland but I think that they did capture the essence and spirit of the landscape and spirit. The humorous and wildness but warmth still exists, really captured that, kind of a love letter to Scotland in a way. I think the landscapes they created were almost more beautiful than Scotland."
There are other interesting facts amongst the trivia. Seems like this was a film of firsts:
IMBD Brave Trivia
Want to learn more and see samples of Doric?
Wikipedia entry on Doric
It is hard to find a translation of Young MacGuffin. I will keep searching. Here is a link that breaks down a few lines.
ReplyDeletehttp://ask.metafilter.com/221602/Say-What-Young-MacGuffin
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ReplyDeleteHey AvidFilmFreak, I deleted your comment, sorry. If you want to repost, go ahead, then we can discuss it.
DeleteDon't try to read his lips, just turn away from the screen and listen. If you're used to hearing Scottish accents, a few listens through, and it'll start making sense. I saw it for the third time yesterday, and caught this line from the fight in the hall:
ReplyDeleteIf he was a wee bit closer, I could lob a caber at him, ya ken.
(wee=little, caber=those big tree trunks they toss later in the movie, ken=understand/know--that one's used even in Scots-heavy parts of the US, like West Virginia)
And when they're being "entertained" he says something to the other suitors that starts out "It's just not fair makin us ficht for..." (ficht = fight, with a hard ch like loch, how fight used to be pronounced)
Hi Mackenzie, thanks for your input!
DeleteFor the "entertainment scene," I found this comment on Meta Filter (I copied and pasted the comment):
"'It's jist nae fair makin us ficht for the hand o the quine that disnae want any bit o it. Ken?'
Which basically translates as 'It's just not fair making us fight for the hand of a girl who doesn't want anything to do with it. You know?'"
http://ask.metafilter.com/221602/Say-What-Young-MacGuffin
Are there any other lines you were able to catch?
I have the DVD now, maybe I'll be able to catch more.
Once again, thanks for your input!
Update on the mystery of what Young MacGuffin is saying:
ReplyDeletehttp://loreandlit.blogspot.com/2013/01/brave-what-is-young-macguffin-saying.html
Nicely done... I became super interested in this movie after my 2 year old daughter keeps asking for it! Merida! Merida!
ReplyDelete