Alba

Alba

Alba is the Scottish Gaelic name (IPA2|ˈalˠ̪əpə) for Scotland. It is cognate to "Albain" in Irish Gaelic and "Nalbin" in Manx, the other Goidelic Insular Celtic language, as well as similar words in the Brythonic Insular Celtic languages of Cornish ("Alban") and Welsh ("Yr Alban") also meaning Scotland.

Hence also the early classical name "Albion". It was used by the Gaels to refer to the island as a whole until roughly the ninth or tenth centuries, when it came to be the name given to the kingdoms of the Picts and the Scots (Pictavia and Dál Riata), north of the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde, traditionally considered to have been unified by Kenneth Mac Alpin. The region Breadalbane ("Bràghad Albainn", the upper part of "Alba") takes its name from it as well.

As time passed that kingdom incorporated others to the southern territories. It became Latinized in the High Medieval period as "Albania" (it is unclear whether it may ultimately share the same etymon as the modern Albania). This latter word was employed mainly by Celto-Latin writers, and most famously by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It was this word which passed into Middle English as Albany, although very rarely was this used for the Kingdom of Scotland, but rather for the notional Duchy of Albany. From the latter the capital of the U.S. state of New York, Albany, takes its name.

Modern Uses

Michel Roger Lafosse who claims the Scottish throne, has styled himself as "HRH Prince Michael James Alexander Stewart, 7th Count of Albany" since 1978.

Runrig recorded a song called "Alba" on their album, "The Cutter and the Clan".

In the mid-1990s, the Celtic League started a campaign to have the word "Alba" on the Scottish football and rugby tops. Since 2005, the SFA have supported the use of Scots Gaelic on their teams's strip in recognition of the language's revival in Scotland. [cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/5282936.stm | title = BBC Scotland - Gaelic added to Scotland strips] However, the SRU is still being lobbied to have "Alba" on the national rugby strip. [ [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=31494006552 Scottish Rugby Union: "Put 'Alba' on Scottish Ruby Shirt" | Facebook ] ] [cite news | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/alba/naidheachdan/story/2008/06/080624_rugby_gaelic.shtml | title = BBC Alba - Gàidhlig air lèintean rugbaidh na h-Alba]

There is a BBC Satellite channel aimed at the Scottish Gaelic community which is called BBC Alba.

References

See also

* Albanactus
* Kingdom of Alba
* Caledonia
* Scotia


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • ALBA — steht für: Schottland, als schottisch gaelische Eigenbezeichnung Tagelied, als okzitanischer, italienischer und lateinischer Name für die mittelalterliche Liedgattung Alba (Reichskleinodien), einen Teil der Reichskleinodien des Heiligen Römischen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Alba — steht für: Alba (Automarke), eine ehemalige französische Automarke Alba Berlin, einen nach dem Entsorgungsunternehmen bezeichneten Basketballklub Alba (Motorrad), Motorradhersteller Alba (Reichskleinodien), einen Teil der Reichskleinodien des… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • ALBA AG — ALBA Unternehmensform Gründung 1968 Unternehmenssitz Berlin …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Alba AG — ALBA Unternehmensform Gründung 1968 Unternehmenssitz Berlin …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Alba — Alba, PA U.S. borough in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 186 Housing Units (2000): 75 Land area (2000): 0.678657 sq. miles (1.757714 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.678657 sq. miles (1.757714… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • alba — sustantivo femenino 1. Tiempo durante el cual amanece: Nos levantaremos al alba. 2. Primera luz del día antes de salir el Sol: Salieron de casa con el alba. lucero* del alba o lucero de la mañana o lucero matutino …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • alba — adjetivo que significa de color blanco utilizado para calificar algunas enfermedades (pitiriasis alba) o zonas anatómicas (sustancia alba) Diccionario ilustrado de Términos Médicos.. Alvaro Galiano. 2010. alba Literalmente, blanca , como la línea …   Diccionario médico

  • Alba FC — Alba Nombre completo Alba FC Estadio Alba, Somalia Capacidad 35.000 Presidente …   Wikipedia Español

  • Alba [2] — Alba (lat., von albus, »weiß«, Albe), ein bis zu den Füßen reichendes, um die Hüften gegürtetes Ärmelgewand von weißer Leinwand, das, eine Nachbildung der römischen Tunika, seit Einführung des Christentums als Staatsreligion das Amtskleid der… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • alba — ×alba (l. albo) conj. DP23, Vln14 arba: Tur giedoti psalmą vieną alba du, alba keturis pagalei prievolės Mž495. Šią dieną alba rytoj tavo vaikas klaus BB2Moz 13,14 …   Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”