117: Dearc-choille
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.
Dearc-choille
Aig toiseach an t-samhraidh, chuir mi seachad dà là cuide ri clann às aonadan Gàidhlig ann am bun-sgoiltean ann an Siorrachd Rois. Bha sinn a’ comharrachadh Tèarmann Nàdair Nàiseanta Beinn Eighe, a tha leth-cheud bliadhna a dh’aois, agus chaidh sinn don choille is don mhonadh, a’ coimhead air lusan nàdarrach.
Thàinig aon rud a-steach orm thairis air a h-uile nì eile air na làithean sin. Thug sinn sùil air an dearc-choille, lus a bhios a’ fàs ann an coilltean-giuthais is monaidhean na Gàidhealtachd. Bidh sibh eòlach air ann am Beurla mar blaeberry. Aig an àm seo dhen bhliadhna, dè tha nas tlachdmhoire na bhith a’ falbh a-mach don choille neo don mhonadh, is a’ tional is ag ithe dearcan-coille?
Uill, air an dà là sin, fhuair mi a-mach nach robh ach ’s dòcha triùir, a-mach à còrr is seachdad duine cloinne, air dearc-choille a chur nam beòil a-riamh. Bha iad eòlach air an reòiteig as ùire, a th’ air a dèanamh ann am factaraidh aig deas, is air gach pacaid phlastaig làn rudan fuadain a thathar a’ sanasachd air an telebhisean. Ach air rudan a bhuineadh don dùthaich aca fhèin, a gheibheadh iad saor an asgaidh air sàillibh toradh nàdair, bha iad aineolach. Chan iad fhèin as coireach ach am pàrantan is a’ choimhearsnachd a tha a’ leigeil le clann an là an-diugh a bhith air an togail len cuid sùilean dùinte do bhòidhchead nàdair agus do bhòidhchead dualchas na Gàidhealtachd.
Anns an t-seann aimsir, bhiodh ar sinnsearan a’ crochadh gu mòr air toradh nàdair, agus chuireadh iad mòran de na lusan nàdarrach gu feum. Bha mi a’ leughadh an là eile pìos dhen leabhar a sgrìobh Tòmas Pennant – a Tour in Scotland – a chaidh fhoillseachadh ann an seachd ceud deug, seachdad ’s a h-aon (1771).
Nuair a bha e anns an taigh mhòr ann an Dùn Dòmhnaill ann an Ros an Iar, sgrìobh e gun do ghabh e, aig aon diathad, dearcan oighreig airson a mhìlsein. Bha na dearcan air an cruinneachadh anns na beanntan timcheall an àite, agus chanainn gur e obair mhòr a bh’ ann. Chan eil an oighreag idir cho lìonmhor ris an dearc-choille agus chan eil uiread dhearcan a’ fàs oirre. ’S e an t-ainm a th’ air an lus ann am Beurla – cloudberry – agus tha e càirdeach don smeur agus don t-subh-craoibhe.
Dìreach às dèidh dha Dùn Dòmhnall fhàgail, thàinig Pennant seachad air an dearbh àite far an robh mise a’ trèorachadh na cloinne còrr is dà cheud bliadhna às a dhèidh. Ach cha b’ ann a’ coiseachd a bha e. Thug e bàta à ceann an ear Loch Maruibhe, airson a dhol don cheann an iar. Lean e fhèin is an fheadhainn a bha ag iomradh a’ bhàta cladach an taobh tuath, agus chunnaic iad fear air a’ chladach ag èigheachd orra ann an Gàidhlig, cànan nach do thuig Pennant.
“Dè tha e ag iarraidh?” dh’fhaighnich Pennant.
“Air bòrd,” mhìnich fear dhen chriutha.
“Innis dha gu bheil am bàta làn is nach eil rùm ann dha,” thuirt Pennant.
Rinneadh sin, ach lean an duine an cladach garbh airson dà mhìle eile, is e ag èigheachd is a’ guidheachdainn air muinntir a’ bhàta.
Às dèidh greis, dh’aidich fear dhen chriutha rudeigin a thug air Pennant an òrdachadh gu tìr sa bhad. B’ e sin gur e am fear air a’ chladach an duine leis an robh am bàta! Duine òg làn Gàidhlig, agus mion-eòlach air a dhùthaich-san. Aineolach mu choimpiutaran is telebhisean ceart gu leòr, ach chan eil teagamh nach robh e fhèin air a bhith gu math eòlach air blas na dearc-coille na bheul air là samhraidh.
Faclan na Litreach: Tèarmann Nàdair Nàiseanta Beinn Eighe: Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve; dearc-choille: blaeberry; coilltean-giuthais: pinewoods; reòiteag: ice-cream, ice lolly; aineolach: ignorant; Dùn Dòmhnaill: Dundonald; oighreag: cloudberry; lìonmhor: plentiful; smeur: bramble; subh-craoibhe: raspberry; a’ treòrachadh: leading, guiding; ag iomradh: rowing; Loch Maruibhe: Loch Maree; a’ guidheachdainn: swearing.
Abairtean na Litreach: chuir mi seachad dà là cuide ri clann às aonadan Gàidhlig ann an Siorrachd Rois: I spent two days with children from Gaelic units in Ross-shire; thàinig aon rud a-steach orm thairis air a h-uile nì eile: one thing in particular came to my notice; a’ tional is ag ithe dearcan-coille: collecting and eating blaeberries; triùir a-mach à còrr is seachdad duine cloinne: three out of more than 70 children; ann am factaraidh aig deas: in a factory in the south; gach pacaid phlastaig làn rudan fuadain a thathar a’ sanasachd air an telebhisean: full of artificial things which are advertised on the television; rudan a bhuineadh don dùthaich aca fhèin: things which belonged to their own country; a gheibheadh iad saor an asgaidh air sàillibh toradh nàdair: which they would get free thanks to the bounty of nature; chan iad fhèin as coireach: they themselves are not to blame; len cuid sùilean dùinte do bhòidhchead nàdair: with their eyes shut to the beauty of nature; chan eil uiread dhearcan a’ fàs air: it does not carry the same quantity of berries; a thug air X an òrdachadh gu tìr sa bhad: that forced X to order them to shore at once; mion-eòlach air a dhùthaich-san: intimately familiar with his country; chan eil teagamh nach robh e fhèin air a bhith gu math eòlach air blas an dearc-choille: there is no doubt that he would have known the taste of the blaeberry.
Puing ghràmair na Litreach: B’ e sin gur e am fear air a’ chladach an duine leis an robh am bàta: that was that the man on the shore was the owner of the boat. Are you comfortable with the use of “le” to express ownership? It is different from “aig” which expresses current possession but not necessarily ownership. For example, we might say, with reference to the Litir above: bha am bàta aig Pennant is a chompanaich, ach cha b’ ann leothasan a bha i; ’s ann leis an fhear a bha a’ ruith air a’ chladach a bha i (Pennant and his companions had the boat, but they did not own it; it was owned by the man who was running on the shore). If you want to ask if something belongs to somebody, you might simply say, “an ann leatsa a tha sin?” eg Duine 1: Seall air an lèine a th’ ort (look at the shirt you’ve got on) Duine 2: Dè mu a deidhinn? (what about it?) Duine 1: An ann leatsa a tha i? (is it yours?) Duine 2: Chan ann, ’s ann le mo bhràthair a tha i, ach fhuair mi air iasad i (no, it’s my brother’s, but I got it on loan).
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: bhiodh ar sinnsearan a’ crochadh gu mòr air toradh nàdair: our ancestors would depend greatly on the bounty of nature. A’ crochadh air: depending on.
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