20/04/2007
A letter for Gaelic learners with Roddy MacLean.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 407
Duration: 05:32
Litir 407: Calum Beag
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Chalum Beag an t-seachdain sa chaidh. Bha Calum aâ fuireach anns na Srianan no Streens of Findhorn. Bha e mĂŹ-chliĂčiteach airson a bhith aâ goid sprĂšidh.
           Cha robh aige ach aon each â fear sean, bĂ n. Bha e feumach air each na bâ fheĂ rr oir bha aige ri tĂČrr treabhaidh a dhĂšanamh. Mharbh e an t-each aige. Thug e an t-seiche dheth agus thiodhlaic e an closach.
           Air an ath oidhche, choisich e gu ruige tuathanas ann am baile eile air taobh thall na h-aibhne. Chaidh e don stĂ ball agus thug e a-mach leis an t-each a bâ fheĂ rr a bhâ ann. âS e each donn a bhâ ann. Chaidh e dhachaigh leis.
           Chuir e an t-seiche bhĂ n air an each dhonn. Le fuaigheal sgileil, bha e aâ coimhead coltach ri each bĂ n. Cha bâ urrainn don tuathanach an t-each donn aige a lorg.
           Rinn Calum an treabhadh leis. An uair sin, thug e an t-seiche dheth agus thug e an t-each donn air ais don stà ball. Madainn a bha seo, lorg an tuathanach an t-each aige san stà ball a-rithist. Bha e slà n fallain.
           Bha nĂ baidh aig Calum a bha spĂŹocach. Latha a bha seo, dhâiarr e air Calum thighinn suas airson muc a spadadh dha. âLeis gu bheil i cho beag,â thuirt an nĂ baidh, âcha bâ urrainn dhomh dad dhith a thoirt seachad ach a-mhĂ in cas dheiridh a bheir mi dhut fhĂšin. Ach dĂš aâ chomhairle a bheireadh tu dhomh gus nach bi cĂ ch anns an nĂ baidheachd an dĂčil pĂŹos feĂČla fhaighinn bhuam?â
           Bha Calum aâ faicinn cothrom dha fhĂšin. âCuir an closach gu lĂšir don abhainn air beulaibh an taigh agad a-nochd,â thuirt e. âFĂ saidh e fuar is bidh sin math don fhĂšoil. Faodaidh tu coiseachd sĂŹos don taigh againn a-mĂ ireach leis an naidheachd gun deach aâ mhuc agad a ghoid. Can sin ri duine sam bith a choinnicheas riut.â
Uill, dhâaontaich an duine bochd sin a dhĂšanamh. Ach tha fhios nach do chuir Calum Beag seachad an oidhche gu lĂšir na leabaidh! Air an lĂ rna-mhĂ ireach, cha robh sgeul air closach na muice san abhainn. Chaidh an duine gu taigh Chaluim. âChaidh aâ mhuc agam a ghoid,â thuirt e.
âSeadh, seadh,â arsa Calum ris, âagus dĂšan cinnteach gun cum thu ris an sgeul sin nuair a choinnicheas tu ri daoine eile.â
âAch âs e an fhĂŹrinn a thâ agam,â thuirt an nĂ baidh a-rithist. âChaidh a goid ann an dha-rĂŹreabh.â
âSeadh, seadh, tha fhios aâm,â thuirt Calum, agus is iongantach mura phriob e a shĂčil ris an fhear eile!
Turas eile ghoid Calum mart bho mhuillear ann an Allt Ăireann. Chaidh Calum ann, le a ghearran na chois, airson min a cheannach. Fhuair e aâ mhin. Ach bha e faisg air ciaradh an fheasgair, agus thug am muillear cuireadh dha fuireach airson na h-oidhche.
Ann am meadhan na h-oidhche nuair a bha a h-uile duine eile nan cadal, chaidh Calum a-mach don stĂ ball. Cheangail e am mart a bâ fheĂ rr aig aâ mhuillear ri a ghearran, chuir e aâ mhin air muin aâ ghearrain agus dhâiarr e air dhol dhachaigh. Cheangail e sguab ri earball aâ mhairt airson lorgan-coise nam beathaichean a sgrios. Dhâfhalbh an dĂ bheathach agus chaidh Calum air ais do a leabaidh ann an taigh aâ mhuilleir.
Anns aâ mhadainn bha Ăčpraid ann mu chall nam beathaichean. Thug Calum aâ chreidsinn gun robh e feargach mu chall a ghearrain agus cha bâ urrainn don mhuillear dearbhadh nach robh e air a bhith na shuain fad na h-oidhche.
Faclan na Litreach
ČőłÙĂ ČúČč±ô±ô: stable; donn: brown; muillear: miller; Allt Ăireann: Auldearn; Ăč±è°ùČčŸ±»ć: uproar.
Abairtean na Litreach
mĂŹ-chliĂčiteach airson a bhith aâ goid sprĂšidh: infamous for stealing livestock; bha e feumach air each na bâ fheĂ rr: he needed a better horse; bha aige ri tĂČrr treabhaidh a dhĂšanamh: he had to do a lot of ploughing; thug e an t-seiche dheth: he removed the hide; thiodhlaic e an closach: he buried the carcase; fuaigheal sgileil: skilful sewing; cha bâ urrainn don tuathanach an t-each donn aige a lorg: the farmer couldnât find his brown horse; slĂ n fallain: fit and healthy; bha nĂ baidh aig X a bha spĂŹocach: X had a neighbour who was miserly; dhâiarr e air X thighinn suas airson muc a spadadh dha: he asked X to come up and kill (for butchery) a pig for him; ach a-mhĂ in cas dheiridh a bheir mi dhut fhĂšin: except for a hind leg which I will give to yourself; dĂš aâ chomhairle a bheireadh tu dhomh?: what advice would you give me?; gus nach bi cĂ ch anns an nĂ baidheachd an dĂčil pĂŹos feĂČla fhaighinn bhuam: so that everyone else in the neighbourhood will expect to receive a piece of meat from me; air beulaibh an taigh agad a-nochd: in front of your house tonight; leis an naidheachd gun deach aâ mhuc agad a ghoid: with the news that your pig was stolen; an oidhche gu lĂšir na leabaidh: the entire night in his bed; dĂšan cinnteach gun cum thu ris an sgeul sin: make sure you keep to that story; âs e an fhĂŹrinn a thâ agam: Iâm telling the truth; chaidh a goid ann an dha-rĂŹreabh: it really was stolen; is iongantach mura phriob e a shĂčil: itâs likely he winked; le a ghearran na chois: accompanied by his garron (Highland pony); cheangail e sguab ri earball aâ mhairt: he tied a broom to the cowâs tail; nach robh e air a bhith na shuain: that he hadnât been deeply asleep.
Puing-chĂ nain na Litreach
âSeadh, seadh,â arsa Calum ris: âAye, aye,â Calum said to him. Seadh is a really useful word, usually translated as âayeâ, âyesâ or âuh-uhâ, but only employed in certain circumstances. It can be used to confirm or agree with a statement made by somebody else, or to lend emphasis eg seadh dĂŹreach (yes indeed). It is used in response to your name being called eg âA DhĂČmhnaill!â âSeadh?â. In a telephone conversation it can be useful as a âfillerâ when responding to somebody else without actually agreeing or disagreeing with them. And in the Litir it is used by Calum Beag (with a sense of irony) to indicate that he âknowsâ the other man is telling an untruth but without wanting to say that openly. You will also hear âAidh, aidhâ being used in the same way in Gaelic.
GnĂ ths-cainnt na Litreach
Thug Calum aâ chreidsinn gun robh e feargach: Calum pretended that he was angry. Tha X aâ toirt aâ chreidsinn air Y: X is causing Y to believe (ie pretending to Y).
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Letter To Gaelic Learners
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
Litrichean Gaidhlig do luchd-ionnsachaidh. Gaelic letters for students of the language.