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A letter for Gaelic learners with Roddy MacLean.

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Litir 422: Aonghas Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair.

’S i labhair Goill is Gàidheil,

Neo-chlĂširich agus clĂšir,

Gach fear agus bean

A ghluaiseadh teanga am beul.

’S i a labhair Adhamh

Ann a PhĂ rras fhĂšin

’S bu shiĂčbhlach a’ GhĂ idhlig

O bheul Ă lainn Eubh.

A bheil sibh ag aithneachadh sin? Innsidh mi dhuibh tuilleadh mu dheidhinn nas fhaide dhen Litir.

Tha mi cinnteach gun cuala sibh mu Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair. ’S e bĂ rd ainmeil a bh’ ann. Bha e beĂČ anns an ochdamh linn deug.

Ach an cuala sibh mu a bhràthair, Aonghas Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair? Bha esan ainmeil cuideachd ach chan ann airson a chuid bàrdachd. Bha e ainmeil air sgàth ’s cho làidir ’s a bha e, ged a bha e gu math beag.

Ann an “SĂ r-obair nam BĂ rd GĂ idhealach” tha an t-Ăčghdar Iain MacCoinnich ag innse stĂČiridh mu Aonghas. Bha e na bu shine na Alasdair, na bu lugha ach na bu lĂ idire. Latha a bha seo, bha e air bruach Abhainn LĂČchaidh ann an Loch Abar. Bha e aig ath, a’ dĂšanamh deiseil airson a dhol a-null. Bha e a’ toirt a bhrĂČgan is stocainnean dheth. Nochd fear eile – Colla BĂ n, fear DĂČmhnallach Ă  BĂ rrasdal ann an CnĂČideart. ’S e fear mĂČr Ă rd a bh’ ann.

Bha tĂČrr uisge anns an abhainn agus thuirt Colla ri Aonghas, “Fhir bhig, cĂčm ort do bhrĂČgan ’s do stocainnean oir leigidh iad leat coiseachd na b’ fheĂ rr tron uisge. Thig cĂČmhla riumsa agus cĂčm air mo chĂčlaibh. Brisidh mise neart an t-sruth agus nĂŹ sin an gnothach nas fhasa dhut.”

Thug Aonghas taing dha. Ach nuair a bha iad ann am meadhan na h-aibhne far an robh an sruth làidir, fhuair Colla e fhùin ann an cunnart a dhol fodha. Bha e airson tilleadh. Ach chaidh Aonghas air thoiseach air agus, leis cho neartmhor ’s a bha e, tharraing e Colla don taobh thall.

An uair sin thuirt Aonghas ri Colla, “Thug thu ‘fear beag’ orm air taobh thall na h-aibhne. CĂČ as coltaiche air an toirte ‘fear beag’ air an taobh sa? Gabh mo chomhairle. Na toir ‘beag’ air duine gus am bi e dearbhte agad [gu bheil e ‘beag’] agus tomhais gnĂš duine air barrachd na dĂŹreach a choltas. Cuimhnich, cuideachd, mĂČr ’s ged a tha thu, mura b’ e duine na bu mhotha na thusa gur dĂČcha gum biodh tu mar fheĂČil do na h-easgannan ann an Abhainn LĂČchaidh.” CĂČ chanadh nach eil a’ chomhairle aige cho iomchaidh anns an aonamh linn fichead ’s a bha i ann am meadhan an ochdamh linn deug?

Ged a tha feadhainn an siud ’s an seo a’ cuimhneachadh Aonghas Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair – is tha mi air beul-aithris a chluinntinn mu dheidhinn, an dĂ  chuid air tĂŹr-mĂČr agus ann an Uibhist

– tha cuimhne fada nas fheĂ rr aig a’ mhĂČr-shluagh air a bhrĂ thair, Alasdair. ’S e sin cumhachd na bĂ rdachd.

Bha Alasdair na dheagh charaid do ar cànan. Gu dearbh, ann am Moladh an Ùghdair don t-Seann Chànain Ghàidhlig, sgrìobh e:

’S i labhair Goill is Gàidheil,

Neo-chlĂširich agus clĂšir,

Gach fear agus bean

A ghluaiseadh teanga am beul.

’S i a labhair Adhamh

Ann a PhĂ rras fhĂšin

’S bu shiĂčbhlach a’ GhĂ idhlig

O bheul Ă lainn Eubh.

Tha a’ GhĂ idhlig ann am meadhan sruth lĂ idir na h-eachdraidh an-drĂ sta agus tha sinn feumach air daoine a chuireas an cuid neirt an sĂ s airson taic a thoirt dhi an taobh thall a ruigsinn. Mar a bha Aonghas do Cholla, ’s dĂČcha gu bheil Alasdair don chĂ nan againn. Tha neart a’ bhĂ ird a’ leantainn fada Ă s dĂšidh a bhĂ is.

Faclan na Litreach

Faclan na Litreach: Adhamh: Adam; Abhainn LĂČchaidh: the Lochy River; dearbhte: proven.

Abairtean na Litreach

Abairtean na Litreach: ’S i labhair Goill is GĂ idheil: it is her that Lowlanders and Highlanders spoke; neo-chlĂširich agus clĂšir: laity and clergy; ann a PhĂ rras fhĂšin: in his Paradise; bu shiĂčbhlach a’ GhĂ idhlig o bheul Ă lainn Eubh: fluent was the Gaelic from Eve’s beautiful mouth; nas fhaide dhen Litir: further on in the Litir; chan ann airson a chuid bĂ rdachd: not for his poetry; air sgĂ th ’s cho lĂ idir ’s a bha e: because he was so strong; na bu shine na Alasdair, na bu lugha ach na bu lĂ idire: older than Alasdair, smaller [than him] but stronger; aig ath, a’ dĂšanamh deiseil airson a dhol a-null: at a ford, making ready to cross over; Ă  BĂ rrasdal ann an CnĂČideart: from Barrisdale in Knoydart; leigidh iad leat coiseachd na b’ fheĂ rr: they’ll allow you to walk better; cĂčm air mo chĂčlaibh: keep behind me; brisidh mise neart an t-sruth agus nĂŹ sin an gnothach nas fhasa dhut: I’ll break the strength of the current and that will make it easier for you; ann an cunnart a dhol fodha: in danger of going under; tharraing e Colla don taobh thall: he dragged Coll to the other side; cĂČ as coltaiche air an toirte ‘fear beag’ air an taobh sa?: who would more appropriately be called ‘little man’ on this side?; tomhais gnĂš duine air barrachd na dĂŹreach a choltas: measure a man by more than just his appearance; mura b’ e duine na bu mhotha na thusa: if it weren’t for a bigger man than you; mar fheĂČil do na h-easgannan: as meat for the eels; cumhachd na bĂ rdachd: the power of [the] poetry; airson taic a thoirt dhi an taobh thall a ruigsinn: to help her to reach the other side; fada Ă s dĂšidh a bhĂ is: long after his death.

Puing-chĂ nain na Litreach

Puing-chĂ nain na Litreach: Fhir bhig, cĂčm ort do bhrĂČgan ’s do stocainnean: little man, keep on your shoes and socks. Fhir is the vocative singular of the masculine noun fear. Masculine nouns and masculine personal names generally slenderise and lenite in the vocative singular eg “a bhalaich!”, “a Sheumais!” Any associated adjective behaves in the same way eg “a bhalaich amaidich!”, “a DhĂČmhnaill Bhig!”, “a Sheumais MhĂČir”; “a laochain bhig!”

GnĂ ths-cainnt na Litreach

Gnàths-cainnt na Litreach: Thug thu ‘fear beag’ orm: you called me “little man”.

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