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A letter for Gaelic learners with Roddy MacLean.

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Litir 30: Loch nam Madadh ann an Uibhist a Tuath

Bidh cuimhn鈥 agaibh gu robh mi ag innse dhuibh, an t-seachdain 鈥檚 a chaidh, mu Loch nam Madadh ann an Uibhist a Tuath, agus gu robh ceist ann an robh an t-ainm a鈥 ciallachadh 鈥淟och nan Con鈥 neo 鈥淟och nam Feusgan M貌ra鈥. Uill, bhon uairsin, tha mi air a bhith a鈥 rannsachadh nas fhaide air ais ann an eachdraidh nan eilean agus th脿inig mi tarsainn air leabhar ainmeil a chaidh a sgr矛obhadh leis an Sgitheanach, M脿rtainn M脿rtainn, ann an sia ceud deug, ceithir fichead 鈥檚 a c貌ig-deug (1695) neo mar sin. 鈥橲 e an t-ainm a th鈥檃ir Description of the Western Isles of Scotland.

Seo na chanas M脿rtainn mu dheidhinn Loch nam Madadh: 鈥淭ha an t-ainm a鈥 tighinn bho thr矛 creagan taobh a-muigh beul an locha air an taobh a deas. 鈥橲 e 鈥榤adaidhean鈥 a th鈥檕rra mar ainm air sg脿th 鈥檚 gu bheil na h-uibhir de dh鈥檉heusgain mh貌ra, ris an canar 鈥榤adaidhean鈥 a鈥 f脿s orra.鈥 Mar sin, tha e coltach nach eil ceangal sam bith ann eadar Loch nam Madadh agus coin fhiadhaich de she貌rsa sam bith.

Sgr矛obh M脿rtainn gu robh an loch-mara sin ann an d脿 ph脿irt 鈥 Loch nam Madadh air an taobh a deas, agus Loch Partan air an taobh a tuath. 鈥橲 e 鈥淟och Portain鈥 a th鈥檃ir a sin an-diugh, ach tha 鈥減artan鈥 agus 鈥減ortan鈥 a鈥 ciallachadh na h-aon rud 鈥 shore crab, mar a chanas iad ann am Beurla.

Tha am facal 鈥減artan鈥 gu math inntinneach dhomh fh矛n, leis gu bheil cuimhn鈥 agam air rud neo dh脿 a chanadh mo sheanair, taobh mo mh脿thar, nuair a bha mi gl猫 貌g. Rugadh is thogadh e ann an Eilginn, ann am Moireibh, agus cha robh facal G脿idhlig aige. Uill, 鈥檚 d貌cha nach eil sin buileach f矛or. Bhiodh facal neo dh脿 de Gh脿idhlig a鈥 nochdadh an l霉ib a chuid Bheurla. Agus cha robh am facal crab aige. Chanadh e 鈥減artin鈥 na 脿ite. Rudan mar 鈥渓ook at the wee partin under the rock.鈥 Tha e follaiseach gur e sin d矛reach am facal 鈥減artan鈥 a chaidh thairis don Bheurla bhon Gh脿idhlig.

Tha sean-fhacal ann a chanas 鈥溾橲 fhe脿rr am partan-tuathal na bhith gun fhear-taighe.鈥 鈥橲 e a th鈥檃nn ann am partan-tuathal an se貌rsa aig nach eil slige chruaidh. An 脿ite slige a dh猫anamh dha fh猫in, bidh e a鈥 cleachdadh seann shlige-mhaoraich a lorgas e air a鈥 chladach neo air a鈥 ghrunnd. Bidh sibh e貌lach air ann am Beurla mar hermit crab. Partan-tuathal.

Seo an sean-fhacal a-rithist: 鈥溾橲 fhe脿rr am partan-tuathal na bhith gun fhear-taighe.鈥 Tha mi a鈥 deanamh dheth gur e boireannach a chanadh sin, 鈥檚 d貌cha boireannach beartach aig an robh taigh a ph貌s fear bochd aig nach robh taigh. Agus 鈥檚 d貌cha nach robh deagh bheachd aig muinntir an 脿ite air an duine. Bhiodh an dithis a鈥 deanamh dachaigh ann an taigh a鈥 bhoireannaich mar a bhios partan-tuathal a鈥 deanamh dhachaigh ann an slige a chaidh a dh猫anamh le creutair eile. Ach b鈥檉he脿rr leis a鈥 bhoireannach suidheachadh mar sin a bhith aice na bhith a鈥 fuireach leatha fhein gu h-aonaranach 鈥檚 gun duine. 鈥溾橲 fhe脿rr am partan-tuathal na bhith gun fhear-taighe.鈥

Tha am facal 鈥渢uathal鈥 gu math gu math inntinneach, agus bheir sinn s霉il air a chiall anns an ath litir. Ach f脿gaidh mi an-dr脿sta sibh le seann st貌iridh beag anns an robh partan an s脿s. Bha dithis bhoireannach a鈥 fuireach c貌mhla ach bhiodh an darna t猫 a鈥 goid stuth a-mach 脿 baga an t鈥檈ile. Mar sin, chuir an t鈥檈ile partan be貌 anns a鈥 bhag鈥 aice. An ath thuras a thachair m猫irle, ghreimich am partan gu cruaidh air corrag a鈥 mh猫irlich le 矛ne. 鈥淎aa!鈥 dh鈥櫭╥gh i, 鈥渢ha an Donas nad bhaga.鈥

鈥淭ha,鈥 thuirt an t鈥檈ile, 鈥渘uair a tha thus鈥 ann!鈥

Faclan na seachdaine

Sgitheanach: Skyeman; partan,portan: shore crab; inntinneach: interesting;Eilginn: Elgin; Moireibh: Moray; partan-tuathal: hermit crab; slige: shell,carapace;slige-mhaoraich: shell of a shellfish ie mollusc; c貌mhla: together; a' goid: stealing; baga:bag (eg handbag); m猫irle: theft.

Abairtean na seachdaine

Loch nan Con: Loch of the Dogs; Loch nam Feusgan M貌ra:Loch of the Big Mussels (Maddies); bhon uairsin tha mi air a bhith a' rannsachadh nasfhaide air ais ann an eachdraidh nan eilean: since then I have been researching further backin the history of the islands; na h-uibhir de dh'fheusgain mh貌ra: lots of big mussels; coinfhiadhaich de she貌rsa sam bith: wild dogs of any sort; rugadh is thogadh e: he was born andbrought up; tha mi a' d猫anamh dheth: I reckon; bhiodh an dithis a' d猫anamh dachaigh: thetwo of them would make a home; boireannach beartach aig an robh taigh a ph貌s fear bochdaig nach robh taigh: a wealthy woman with a house who married a poor man who did nothave a house; a chaidh a dh猫anamh le creutair eile: which was made by another creature;leatha fh猫in gu h-aonaranach 's gun duine: by herself, lonely, without a husband; bheir sinns霉il air a chiall: we will take a look at its meaning; anns an robh partan an s脿s: in which acrab was involved; bhiodh an darna t猫 a goid stuth a-mach 脿 baga an t'eile: the first one (wesay the second one in Gaelic) would steal stuff from the others bag; ghreimich X aircorrag a mh猫irlich le 矛ne: X took a grip on the thiefs finger with its (masc.) claw; Tha anDonas nad bhaga!: The Devil is in your bag!

Puing ghr脿mair na seachdaine

Bhiodh facal neo dh脿 de Gh脿idhlig a nochdadh an l霉ib achuid Bheurla: one or two words of Gaelic would appear in his English. An l霉ib meansinvolved with, mixed with but the main point to make here is the use of cuid. It is a simpleword but has a phenomenal number and variety of applications. In this usage it means anindividual portion ie in his English (rather than anybody elses). You will often hear itused in conjunction with the nouns aodach and clann; the noun will be in the genitive.Chaidh na seilleanan am measg mo chuid aodaich (the bees went among my clothes); BidhUilleam is M脿iri ann, agus an cuid cloinne (William and Mary will be there, and theirchildren). Tha p脿rantan airson 's gum bi an cuid cloinne math air obair sgoile (parents wanttheir children to be good at school work). Sin Calum agus a chuid mhac (there is Calum andhis sons); sin Ealasaid agus a cuid mac (there is Elizabeth and her sons). An do rinn thu dochuid obrach? (did you do your work?).

Seanfhacal na seachdaine

'S fhe脿rr am partan-tuathal na bhith gun fhear-taighe: better thehermit crab than to be without a man of the house (ie a husband). An interpretation of thisis given in the text of the letter.

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