868: Cuthach a’ Fòn
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.
Cuthach a’ Fòn
An robh cuthach an rathaid a-riamh oirbh? Far a bheil mise a’ fuireach air a’ Ghàidhealtachd – far nach eil ach sluagh beag – cha bhi a leithid na trioblaid dhuinn, am bi? Uill, chan eil fhios a’m. Bidh na rathaidean cumhang againn air an tachdadh le carabhanaichean is camparbhanaichean as t-samhradh. Gun luaidh air na caoraich a bhios nan laighe air an rathad, agus iad coma mu thrafaig! ’S dòcha gu bheil adhbhar againn cuthach an rathaid a bhith oirnn!
Tha sin a’ cur nam chuimhne Ali Abbasi nach maireann. Bha Ali ag obair don BhBC ann an Glaschu. Bha e ag aithris air an rèidio mu staid nan rathaidean gach madainn. Bha e cuideachd ag ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig, agus a’ dèanamh fìor mhath.
Aig an àm sin bha mi ag obair air Aithris na Maidne ann an seòmar-naidheachd a’ BhBC ann an Inbhir Nis. Bhiodh Ali a’ fònadh, a’ faighneachd an robh naidheachd sam bith agam mu rathaidean air a’ Ghàidhealtachd a bha dùinte – le, can, tuil no maoim-slèibhe no tubaist. Gu tric, bha mi a’ bruidhinn Gàidhlig ris. Bha fealla-dhà a’ dol eadarainn. Bhithinn ag ràdh ris, ‘Aidh, Ali, tha aithrisean ann de chaoraich air an rathad eadar an t-Ath Leathann agus Armadal san Eilean Sgitheanach.’
Bhiodh esan a’ freagairt, ‘Seadh, Ruairidh, bidh caoraich an-còmhnaidh air an rathad eadar an t-Ath Leathann agus Armadal. Chan e naidheachd a tha sin!’
Co-dhiù, latha bha seo, bha mi ag obair air gu cruaidh. ‘Siuthad, Ali,’ thuirt mi, ‘Can an-diugh e. Thoir rabhadh mu na caoraich.’ Agus ’s e a thug. Thuirt e, anns a’ chànan eile, ‘Tha aithrisean a’ tighinn thugainn mu chaoraich air an rathad eadar an t-Ath Leathann agus Armadal. Bu chòir do dhràibhearan a bhith air am faiceall.’ Bha mi a’ faireachdainn an dà chuid ciontach agus toilichte aig an aon àm!
Chan eil fhios agam an do dh’fhuiling duine cuthach an rathaid an latha sin air sgàth nan caorach, ach feumaidh mi aideachadh gun do dh’fhuiling mi cuthach a’ fòn o chionn ghoirid. Seadh, tha a leithid ann. Tha e aithnichte aig na h-eòlaichean-inntinn.
Bha mi a’ fònadh do dh’ughdarras poblach. Cha chan mi cò fear a bh’ ann. Bha mi ag iarraidh faighneachd de neach-fàilteachaidh cò bha an urra ris a’ Ghàidhlig anns a’ bhuidhinn. Ach cha d’ fhuair mi cothrom bruidhinn ri duine. Chuir guth eileagtronaigeach boireann fàilte orm ann am Beurla. An uairsin leum guth boireann eile a-steach le fàilte ann an Gàidhlig. Thill a’ chiad ghuth agus dh’iarr i orm an duine a bha mi a’ sireadh ainmeachadh. Chuimhnich mi seann ainm bhon ùine a dh’fhalbh (ach tuigidh sibh gu bheil mi air na h-ainmean atharrachadh airson daoine a dhìon!)
‘Donald Mackenzie,’ thuirt mi.
‘Was that Donald MacHenry?’ thuirt an guth. ‘If no, say “Cancel”.’
‘Cancel!’ thuirt mi.
‘Putting you through to Donald MacHenry.’
‘Chan eil mi ga iarraidh!’ dh’èigh mi. Ach bha mi a’ bruidhinn ris an iarmailt.
Dh’fhòn mi a-rithist. An turas seo, thuirt mi ‘Dòmhnall MacCoinnich’.
‘Was that Tommy Picolli? If no, say “Cancel”.’
‘Cancel!’
‘Putting you through to Tommy Picolli.’
Bha ‘cuthach a’ fòn’ a’ tighinn orm. Agus bha e math do Mhgr Picolli gun do chuir mi am fòn sìos aig a’ cheann agamsa mus do thog e am fear aig a’ cheann aigesan! Latha math – agus sìtheil – dhuibh uile!
Faclan na Litreach : nach maireann: deceased; seòmar-naidheachd: newsroom; an-còmhnaidh: always; siuthad: go on; ughdarras poblach: a public authority; neach-fàilteachaidh: receptionist.
Abairtean na Litreach : An robh cuthach an rathaid a-riamh oirbh?: have you ever suffered from road rage?; far a bheil mise a’ fuireach air a’ Ghàidhealtachd:where I live in the Highlands; bidh na rathaidean cumhang againn air an tachdadh le carabhanaichean:our narrow roads get choked by caravans; coma mu thrafaig: indifferent to traffic; le, can, tuil no maoim-slèibhe no tubaist:by, say, a flood or landslide or accident; bha fealla-dhà a’ dol eadarainn: we had a bit of a joke; tha aithrisean ann de chaoraich: there are reports of sheep; air an rathad eadar an t-Ath Leathann agus Armadal: on the road between Broadford and Armadale; bha mi ag obair air gu cruaidh: I was pressurizing him; mar an ceudna, tèile: as before, another one; thoir rabhadh mu na caoraich: give a warning about the sheep; bu chòir do dhràibhearan a bhith air am faiceall: drivers should take care; an dà chuid ciontach agus toilichte: both guilty and pleased; feumaidh mi aideachadh gun do dh’fhuiling mi cuthach a’ fòn: I must admit that I suffered phone rage; tha e aithnichte aig na h-eòlaichean-inntinn: it is recognized by [the] pyschologists; cò bha an urra ris a’ Ghàidhlig anns a’ bhuidhinn: who was responsible for Gaelic in the body; thill a’ chiad ghuth: the first voice returned; dh’iarr i orm an duine a bha mi a’ sireadh ainmeachadh: she asked me to name the person I was looking for; bhon ùine a dh’fhalbh: from past times; airson daoine a dhìon: to protect people; a’ bruidhinn ris an iarmailt: speaking to the ether; mus do thog e am fear aig a’ cheann aigesan: before he lifted the [phone] at his end.
Puing-chànain na Litreach : a bhios nan laighe air an rathad: that lie on the road. When something is in a state of lying or standing (rather than moving towards a lying or standing position) we use a dative form with the possessive article ie ‘in their lying’ or ‘in his standing’ ( na sheasamh). Here are some examples: tha mi nam (na mo) sheasamh ‘I’m [in my] standing’; bha i na seasamh ‘she was [in her] lying’; tha iad nan seasamh ‘they are [in their]standing’; tha thu nad laighe ‘you are [in your] lying’, ‘tha sibh nur laighe ‘you are [in your] lying’; tha iad nan laighe ‘they are [in their] lying’.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach : Gun luaidh air na caoraich: Not to mention the sheep.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 564
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