118: Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair (1) 118: Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair (1)
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.
Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair (1)
Bha Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair gu math ainmeil. Tha e ainmeil fhathast. ’S e bàrd a bh’ ann. Bha e beò anns an ochdamh linn deug.
Bha bràthair aige – Aonghas. Aonghas Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair. Bha esan rud beag ainmeil cuideachd. Ach chan eil e cho ainmeil an-diugh ri Alasdair. Bha e ainmeil oir bha e uabhasach làidir, ged a bha e gu math beag.
Latha a bha seo, bha Aonghas air bruach Abhainn Lòchaidh. Bha tòrr uisge anns an abhainn. Bha Aonghas aig ath, a’ dèanamh deiseil airson a dhol a-null. Bha e a’ toirt a bhrògan is stocainnean dheth. Nochd fear eile – Colla Bàn, fear Dòmhnallach à Bàrrasdal ann an Cnòideart. ’S e fear mòr àrd a bh’ ann.
Thuirt Colla ri Aonghas, “Fhir big, thig còmhla riumsa. Cùm air mo chùlaibh. Brisidh mise neart an t-sruth. Nì sin an gnothach nas fhasa dhut.”
Nuair a bha iad ann am meadhan na h-aibhne, bha an sruth làidir. Bh e ro làidir do Cholla. Bha an t-eagal air. Bha e ann an cunnart a dhol fodha. Ach chaidh Aonghas air thoiseach air. Tharraing Aonghas Colla don taobh thall.
Thuirt Aonghas ri Colla, “Thug thu ‘fear beag’ orm air taobh thall na h-aibhne. Cò am ‘fear beag’ a-nise? Gabh mo chomhairle. Na toir ‘beag’ air duine gus am bi e dearbhte agad [gu bheil e ‘beag’]. Tomhais gnè duine air barrachd na dìreach a choltas.” ’S e deagh chomhairle a th’ ann, nach e, eadhon an-diugh?
Tha feadhainn fhathast a’ cuimhneachadh Aonghas Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair. Ach tha cuimhne fada nas fheàrr aig daoine air a bhràthair, Alasdair. ’S e sin cumhachd na bàrdachd.
Bha Alasdair na dheagh charaid do ar cànan. Ann am Moladh an Ùghdair don t-Seann Chànain Ghàidhlig, sgrìobh e:
’S i labhair Goill is Gàidheil,
Neo-chlèirich is clèir,
Gach fear agus bean
A ghluaiseadh teanga am beul.
’S i a labhair Adhamh
Ann a Phàrras fhèin
’S bu shiùbhlach a’ Ghàidhlig
O bheul àlainn Eubh.
Bheir sinn sùil a bharrachd air bàrdachd Alasdair an ath-sheachdain.
Faclan is abairtean: ainmeil: famous; ’s e bàrd a bh’ ann: he was a poet; bha e beò anns an ochdamh linn deug: he was alive in the eighteenth century; bha e uabhasach làidir, ged a bha e gu math beag: he was very strong although he was quite small; bruach Abhainn Lòchaidh: the bank of the Lochy River; a’ dèanamh deiseil airson a dhol a-null: preparing to cross to the other side; a’ toirt a bhrògan is stocainnean dheth: taking his shoes and socks off; fear Dòmhnallach à Bàrrasdal ann an Cnòideart:a MacDonald from Barrisdale in Knoydart; fhir big, thig còmhla riumsa: wee man, come along with me; cùm air mo chùlaibh:keep behind me; brisidh mise neart an t-sruth: I’ll break the strength of the current; nì sin an gnothach nas fhasa dhut:that will make it easier for you; meadhan na h-aibhne: the middle of the river; ann an cunnart a dhol fodha: in danger of going under; thug thu ‘fear beag’ orm air taobh thall na h-aibhne: you called me ‘wee man’ at the other side of the river; gabh mo chomhairle: take my advice; na toir ‘beag’ air duine gus am bi e dearbhte agad [gu bheil e ‘beag’]:don’t call somebody ‘small’ until it is proved to you [that he is ‘small’]; tomhais gnè duine air barrachd na dìreach a choltas:assess a man’s qualities by more than just his appearance; ’s e deagh chomhairle a th’ ann, nach e, eadhon an-diugh?:it’s good advice, isn’t it, even today?; tha cuimhne fada nas fheàrr aig daoine air a bhràthair: people have a much better memory of his brother; cumhachd na bàrdachd: the power of [the] poetry; bha Alasdair na dheagh charaid do ar cànan: Alasdair was a good friend to our language; Moladh an Ùghdair don t-Seann Chànain Ghàidhlig:the author’s paean to the old Gaelic language; ’s i labhair Goill is Gàidheil: it is her [Gàidhlig is feminine] that Lowlanders and Highlanders spoke; neo-chlèirich agus clèir: laity and clergy; gach fear agus bean: each man and woman; a ghluaiseadh teanga am beul: who would move their tongues in their mouth; ’s i a labhair Adhamh ann a Phàrras fhèin:it is her that Adam spoke in his Paradise; bu shiùbhlach a’ Ghàidhlig o bheul àlainn Eubh: fluent was the Gaelic from Eve’s beautiful mouth;
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 422
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