151: Alasdair MacCoinnich
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
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Alasdair MacCoinnich
Leugh mi aithris bheag an là eile air a’ Ghaidheal chliùiteach, Alasdair MacCoinnich. Thuirt an aithris gu robh a chuid Gàidhlig gu math feumail dha oir ’s ann tric a bhiodh e a’ dèiligeadh ri Gaidheil na chuid obrach. Agus càite ann an Alba a bha seo? Uill, chan ann an Alba idir a bha e, ach ann an Canada.
Agus, cò Alasdair MacCoinnich a tha mi a’ ciallachadh – oir bha barrachd na aonan dhiubh a choisinn cliù ann an Canada. Uill, Sir Alasdair MacCoinnich, a thogadh ann an Eilean Leòdhais. Tuigidh sibh ann am mionaid no dhà, carson a tha mi a’ cur cuideam air “Sir”.
’S ann le bhith a’ rannsachadh na dùthcha a choisinn Alasdair a chliù agus, an là an-diugh, ann am British Columbia agus ann an Tìrean an Iar-thuath, tha aona àite deug, eadar beanntan is aibhnichean, a tha a’ giulan ainm. ’S i Abhainn MhicCoinnich, am Mackenzie River, a tha còrr is dà mhìle mìle a dh’fhaide, as ainmeile dhiubh sin. Ann an seachd deug, ochdad ’s a naoi (1789) chaidh e sìos an abhainn, tro dhùthaich fhiadhaich, gus an do ràinig e a’ mhuir.
Shaoileadh tu gu robh MacCoinnich air a bhith toilichte. Ach gu mì-fhortanach dha, bha e a’ coimhead airson abhainn a bheireadh don Chuan Sèimh e. Ach tha beul Abhainn MhicCoinnich gu tuath air a sin anns a’ Chuan Arctach, agus chuir Alasdair roimhe feuchainn a-rithist, gu deas air sin.
Bha e air na sgilean aige ionnsachadh, airson a bhith a’ fuireach a-muigh ann an ceann a tuath Chanada, le bhith ag obair do Chompanaidh an Iar-thuath, buidheann a bha a’ malairt ann an seicheannan no bèin. Is a bharrachd air Gaidheil, bha aige ri dèiligeadh ri feadhainn dùthchasach, na h-Innseanaich, muinntir na Frangais, agus muinntir Arcaibh, oir bha mòran acasan an sàs anns a’ ghnìomhachas sin. Gun teagamh, bha MacCoinnich ioma-chànanach.
Ann an seachd deug, naochad ’s a dhà (1792), thòisich e a-rithist air rannsachadh na dùthcha agus, an turas seo, ràinig e an Cuan Sèimh gu tuath air far a bheil Vancouver an-diugh. Mar sin, b’ esan a’ chiad duine geal a chaidh eadar costa sear agus costa siar Chanada. Dh’fhoillsich e leabhar mu dheidhinn ann an ochd deug ’s a h-aon (1801) agus, bliadhna as dèidh sin, chaidh inbhe ridire a bhuileachadh air.
Fichead bliadhna as dèidh sin, rugadh Alasdair MacCoinnich eile, ann an Siorrachd Pheairt. Cha deach ridire a dhèanamh dheth idir, ged a chaidh a mholadh air a shon trì tursan. Dhiùlt e gach trup. Chaidh e a Chanada nuair a bha e na dhuine òg agus chaidh e a dh’fhuireach ann an Ontario, far an robh e an sàs, mar a bha athair roimhe, ann a bhith a’ togail taighean. As dèidh ùine, thòisich e mar fhear-deasachaidh air pàipear-naidheachd Libearalach. Aig a’ cheann thall, chaidh e an sàs ann am poileataics agus dh’èirich e gu bhith na cheannard air na Libearalaich.
Agus seo, ann an dòigh, far an do nochd ceangal eadar e fhèin agus Sir Alasdair MacCoinnich, a bh’ air a bhith marbh bliadhnaichean, oir bha an riaghaltas Canèidianach a’ feuchainn ri rathad-iarainn a thogail eadar costa sear agus costa siar Chanada – proiseact mòr dha-rìreabh. Dh’èirich sgainneal timcheall a’ phròiseict agus ghabh Alasdair MacCoinnich brath air sin airson cur às don riaghaltas. Bha e a-nise na Phrìomhaire, a’ chiad fhear Libearalach a-riamh ann an Canada.
Ach cha b’ esan a’ chiad phrìomhaire Canèidianach aig an robh buinteanas don Ghaidhealtachd. Rugadh am fear a bh’ ann roimhe cuideachd ann an Alba is bheir sinn sùil airsan an ath-sheachdain.
Faclan na Litreach: aithris: report; cliùiteach: renowned; Alasdair MacCoinnich: Alexander Mackenzie; oir: because; Tìrean an Iar-thuath: Northwest Territories; an Cuan Arctach: the Arctic Ocean; ioma-chànanach: multilingual; fear-deasachaidh: editor; ceannard: leader; rathad-iarainn: railway line; Prìomhaire: Prime Minister.
Abairtean na Litreach: bha barrachd na aonan dhiubh a choisinn cliù: there was more than one of them that built up a reputation; a tha còrr is dà mhìle mìle a dh’fhaide: that is more than 2000 miles long; tro dhùthaich fhiadhaich, gus an do ràinig e a’ mhuir: through wild country, until he reached the sea; a bheireadh don Chuan Sèimh e: that would take him to the Pacific Ocean; buidheann a bha a’ malairt ann an seicheannan no bèin: a group which traded in hides or skins; muinntir na Frangais agus muinntir Arcaibh: French-speaking people and Orcadians; eadar costa agus costa siar Chanada: between the east coast and west coast of Canada; chiadh inbhe ridire a bhuileachadh air: the status of a knight was conferred upon him (ie he was knighted); cha deach ridire a dhèanamh dheth ged a chaidh a mholadh air a shon tri tursan: he was not knighted although he was recommended for it three times; dhiùlt e gach trup: he refused each time; pròiseact mòr dha-rìreabh: a really big project; dh’èirich sgainneal timcheall a’ phròiseict: a scandal arose in connection with the project; ghabh X brath air sin: X took advantage of that.
Puing-ghràmair na Litreach: “Cuid” is used twice in this week’s Litir do express ownership or acquisition. Note that the noun governed by cuid is always in the genitive: gu robh a chuid Gàidhlig gu math feumail: that his Gaelic would be very useful – this would, in older Gaelic, be a chuid Gàidhlige. Also, ’s ann tric a bhiodh e a’dèiligeadh ri Gaidheil na chuid obrach: it is often he would be dealing with Gaels in his work. If the person related to cuid were female, we would say a cuid Gàidhlig (her Gaelic) and a cuid obrach (her work). This works in similar ways for all persons eg mo chuid obrach (my work), do chuid obrach (your work), ar cuid obrach (our work), ur cuid obrach (your work), an cuid obrach (their work).
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Chuir Alasdair roimhe feuchainn a-rithist, gu deas air sin: Alexander decided to try again, to the south of there. This is an important idiomatic form and infinitely preferable to “rinn e an àirde inntinn ” (ie he made up his mind) which is a direct translation of the English. It works, as follows, with the prepositional pronouns associated with ro (roimh): chuir mi romham (I decided); chuir i roimhpe (she decided); chuir iad romhpa (they decided).
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