140: Tòimhseachan (2)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
Tha an litir ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.
Tòimhseachan (2)
An t-seachdain sa chaidh, thug mi tòimhseachan dhuibh. Seo e a-rithist
Arsa cailleach –
Nam bitheadh agam na bheil agam,
Uiread eile, ’s a leth uiread,
Dà ghèadh agus bloigh gheòidh,
Dhèanadh sin fichead.
Cia mheud a bha aice?
Ciamar a chaidh dhuibh le sin? ’S e an fhreagairt – còig. Cuimhnichibh gu bheil sinn a’ cunntadh geòidh. Nam bitheadh còig agad, a bharrachd na th’ agad mu thràth, bhiodh deich agad. An uairsin uiread eile, sin còig eile, a’ dèanamh còig-deug. Agus a leth-uiread – sin dhà gu leth a bharrachd. A-nise tha seachd-deug gu leth agad. Agus mu dheireadh, dà ghèadh agus bloigh gheòidh. Tha sin a’ ciallachadh dà ghèadh gu leth. Cuiribh dhà gu leth ri seachd-deug gu leth agus dè th’ agaibh? Seadh, fichead. Cha robh e furasta agus ma rinn sibh an gnothach, chanainn gum bu chòir dhuibh a bhith gu math toilichte.
Chan eil fhios a’m a bheil sibh air mòran a chluinntinn mu Dhòmhnall Donn, Dòmhnall Dòmhnallach, a bhuineadh do Lochabair ach a chaidh a dh’fhuireach taobh Loch Nis uaireigin na bheatha.
Chan eilear buileach cinnteach carson a dh’fhàg Dòmhnall an sgìre aige fhèin. A rèir beul-aithris, mharbh e mac aig a’ bhàrd ainmeil, Iain Lom, a bhuineadh do Lochabair cuideachd. Tha cuid eile ag ràdh gur e gun do mharbh e banarach aig athair nuair a bha iad a-muigh a’ sealg lachan. Sgrìobh e dàn mu dheidhinn a bàis anns an do dh’fhoillsich e aithreachas gun do loisg e air a’ bhoireannach an àite air lach. Bha e cuideachd airson a bhith nas fhaisge air a leannan. Bha ise na nighinn aig ceann-cinnidh nan Granndach.
Bha Dòmhnall an sàs cuideachd ann an creach is spùinneadh còmhla ri Dòmhnallach eile, fear air an robh “Colla nam Bò”. Tuigidh sibh dè bha iad a’ goid. Crodh! Mu dheireadh dh’fhalbh e gu taobh Loch Nis far an do dh’fhuirich e ann an uamh anns a’ mhonadh gu tuath air an loch faisg air Gleann Urchardain. Bha e faisg gu leòr air taigh a leannain airson a dhol a chèilidh oirre bho àm gu àm, ach bha gràin aig athair na nighinne air agus dh’fheumadh e a bhith faiceallach.
Bha gràin aig mòran eile air cuideachd, oir bhiodh e a’ goid biadh bhuapa – tunnag an seo, cearc an siud, agus uaireannan crodh neo caoraich. Thathar ag ràdh mu dheidhinn gun tug e mart a-mach à bàthach aig an Dabhach Dhearg aig ceann a tuath Loch Nis ach gu robh e doirbh dha iomain sìos an rathad. Chaidh e air ais gu taigh an tuathanaich, ag iarraidh air ròp a thoirt dha!
Uill, mar a thuigeas sibh, bha dragh air Dòmhnall gun aithneachadh an tuathanach am mart aige agus, leis gur e an geamhradh a bh’ ann is gu robh sneachd air an talamh, thog e ball-sneachda is chuir e e air aghaidh a’ mhairt – a chùm e pìos beag air falbh bhon taigh. Chunnaic an tuathanach mart blàr, ’s e sin mart le aghaidh bhàn, agus cha do dh’aithnich e e mar fhear dhen fheadhainn aige fhèin!
Gheall an Granndach gum faiceadh e Dòmhnall crochte air croich fhathast agus, as dèidh ùine mhòir, chuir e fhèin is caraidean dha an creachadair ann an greim. Chaidh a chur anns a’ phrìosan ann an Inbhir Nis agus mu dheireadh chaidh a chur gu bàs, ceart gu leòr, ach ’s ann le bhith a’ toirt a’ chinn dheth, chan ann le bhith ga chrochadh. Thathar ag ràdh gun do dh’iarr Dòmhnall sin gus nach tigeadh gealltanas a’ Ghranndaich gu bith, is nach fhaiceadh an ceann-cinnidh Dòmhnall Donn air a’ chroich a-chaoidh.
Faclan na Litreach: bloigh gheòidh: half a goose; Dòmhnall Donn: brown (haired) Donald; Colla nam Bò: Coll of the Cows; uamh: cave; Gleann Urchardain: Glen Urquhart; bàthach: byre; an Dabhach Dearg: Lochend (Loch Ness); mart blàr: a white-faced stirk.
Abairtean na Litreach: cuiribh dhà gu leth ri seachd-deug gu leth agus dè th’ agaibh?: add two and a half to seventeen and a half, and what do you have?; a bhuineadh do Lochabair ach a chaidh a dh’fhuireach taobh Loch Nis uaireigin na bheatha: who belonged to Lochaber but went to live in the Loch Ness area sometime during his life; chan eilear buileach cinnteach carson a dh’fhàg Dòmhnall an sgìre aige fhèin: it is not entirely certain why Donald left his home country; gun do mharbh e banarach aig athair nuair a bha iad a-muigh a’ sealg lachan: that he killed a milkmaid of his father’s when they were out hunting (wild) duck; bha ise na nighinn aig ceann-cinnidh nan Granndach: she was a daughter of the chief of the Grants; bha X an sàs ann an creach is spuinneadh:X was involved in plunder and robbery; airson a dhol a chèilidh oirre: to go and visit her; bha gràin aig athair na nighinne air:the girl’s father hated him; dh’fheumadh e a bhith faiceallach: he had to be careful; tunnag an seo, cearc an siud: a (domestic) duck here, a hen there; gu robh e doirbh dha iomain sìos an rathad: that it was difficult for him to drive it (masc.) down the road; ag iarraidh air ròp a thoirt dha: asking him for a rope; gheall X gum faiceadh e Y crochte air croich: X promised he would see Y hanging from a gibbet; le bhith a’ toirt a’ chinn dheth: by being beheaded; gus nach tigeadh gealltanas a’ Ghranndaich gu bith: so the Grant’s promise would never be fulfilled.
Puing-ghràmair na Litreach: chanainn gum bu chòir dhuibh a bhith gu math toilichte: I would say that you should be well pleased. Bu chòiris a very useful and important phrase. It involves còirwhich means, in this instance, an obligation or duty. It is associated with the preposition do (or dha ) and thus often appears with a prepositional pronoun, like dhomh, dhut, dha etc. Here are some examples: bu chòir dhut do chòta a thoirt leat (you should take your coat with you); am bu chòir dhomh dhol dhachaigh? (should I go home?); tha e pòsta, mar bu chòir dha bhith aig aois (he is married, as he ought to be at his age); bu chòir dhaibh an geam a bhuannachadh (they should have won the game).
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: chuir e fhèin is caraidean dha an creachadair ann an greim: he and friends of his arrested the plunderer. A’ cur an greim: to arrest, put in detention.
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