49: Charles MacKay (2) 49: Teàrlach MacAoidh (2)
Litir shìmplidh sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is eadar-theangachadh. A simple weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and translation.
Tha an litir bheag 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 little 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.
Teàrlach MacAoidh (2)
An toigh leibh coin? A bheil fios agaibh cò às a thàinig am facal Beurla beagle? An t-seachdain sa chaidh thug sinn sùil air an leabhar le Teàrlach MacAoidh – The Gaelic Etymology of the Languages of Western Europe. Bha beachd aig Teàrlach air iomadach facal. Bha beagle am measg nam faclan sin.
Dè tha na faclairean ag ràdh? Chan eil iad cinnteach cò às a thàinig am facal. ’S dòcha bhon Fhraingis. Ach tha MacAoidh ag ràdh gun tàinig e bhon Ghàidhlig. Beag agus sùil – beag-shùil – beagle, “a dog with small eyes”.
Agus dè mu dheidhinn begin? A rèir MhicAoidh, thàinig e bho – bith (“life”) agus gin (“to procreate, produce”). Bith-gin.
Agus tha am facal bin aige cuideachd. ’S e facal mith-chainnteach a th’ ann. Tha e a’ ciallachadh “pòcaid le airgead ann”. Tha mi a’ dol a leughadh seo ann am Beurla – mar a sgrìobh MacAoidh e. Tha bin a’ tighinn bhon fhacal Ghàidhlig “binn, melodious; whence by metaphor, money that chinks in the pocket with a sound melodious to the ears of the thief who wants to appropriate it.” Uill, dè chanas mi?
’S e a’ Ghàidhlig airson black – dubh. Chan eil e coltach ri faclan ann an cànanan Eòrpach eile – mar eisimpleir,schwarz, noir is negro. Tha an leabhar ag ràdh gun tàinig e bho “blàthaich, to warm, make hot; blàths, warmth, heat; blàthaichte, warmed, heated, whence blackened by the heat.”
Tha mi air a bhith a’ gabhail spòrs le beachdan Theàrlaich MhicAoidh. Ach le cuid de na faclan, bha e a’ sealltainn gu robh rudan anns a’ chumantas eadar a’ Ghàidhlig agus cànanan eile. Chan eil càil ceàrr air sin.
Mu dheireadh, am facal Gàidhlig bleigeard, no blaigeard. Tha daoine dhen bheachd gun tàinig e bhon fhacal Bheurla blackguard – air a sgrìobhadh mar “black-guard”. Ach an e sin a bh’ ann am blackguard – black guard?
Tha MacAoidh ag ràdh nach eil sin ceart. Thàinig e bhon Ghàidhlig “blagair, a boaster, an impudent boaster”. Ghabh luchd na Beurla a-staigh e. Chruthaich iad tùs Beurla dha. Litrich iad e mar “black-guard”. Chan eil mi cinnteach, ach tha sin nas coltaiche na bin no begin …
Faclan is abairtean: an toigh leibh coin?: do you like dogs?; a bheil fios agaibh cò às a thàinig am facal X: do you know where the word X came from?; Teàrlach MacAoidh: Charles Mackay; bha beachd aig X air iomadach facal: X had an opinion on many words; am measg nam faclan sin:among those words; ’s e facal mith-chainnteach a th’ ann: it’s a colloquial/slang word; pòcaid le airgead ann: a pocket with money in it; dè chanas mi?: what can [do] I say?; tha mi air a bhith a’ gabhail spòrs: I have been having fun; bha e a’ sealltainn gu robh rudan anns a’ chumantas: he was showing that there were things in common; chan eil càil ceàrr air sin:there was nothing wrong with that; bleigeard: scoundrel, brat; air a sgrìobhadh mar: written as: nach eil sin ceart:that that is not correct; ghabh luchd na Beurla a-staigh e: the English-speaking people adopted it; chruthaich iad tùs Beurla dha:they created an English origin for it (“folk etymology”); litrich iad e: they spelled it; tha sin nas coltaiche na: that’s more likely than.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 353
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