大象传媒

Seo ceist dhuibh agus ch矛 sinn d猫 cho e貌lach 鈥檚 a tha sibh air eileanan na h-Alba. Bidh fios agaibh gu bheil frith-ainmean, no far-ainmean, air na h-eileanan. Mar eisimpleir, canaidh sinn Eilean a鈥� Che貌 airson an Eilein Sgitheanaich. Canaidh sinn Eilean an Fhraoich airson Eilein Le貌dhais. Ach tha mi a鈥� dol a thoirt dhuibh ainmean tr矛 eileanan.Ch矛 sibh ma tha sibh e貌lach orra.
鈥橲 e An t-Eilean Tarsainn ainm a鈥� chiad eilein. The cross-wise island. An t-Eilean Tarsainn. 鈥橲 e ainm an d脿rna eilein R矛oghachd na Forraiste Fiadhaich. The kingdom of the wild forest. R矛oghachd na Forraiste Fiadhaich. Abair ainm! Agus 鈥檚 e ainm an treasfir Eilean nam Ban M貌ra. The island of the big women. Eilean nam Ban M貌ra. Tha amharas agam gum bi gu le貌r a tha ag 猫isteachd e貌lach air an treas fear. Ach 鈥檚 d貌cha nach bi iad e貌lach air na dh脿 eile.

Mura h-eil sibh cinnteach d猫 na h-eileanan air a bheil mi a-mach, innsidh mi dhuibh gu bheil iad faisg air a ch猫ile. 鈥橲 iad tr矛 de na h-Eileanan Beaga 鈥� Canaigh, R霉m agus Eige.
Chaidh a dh脿 de na h-ainmean seo a chl脿radh le M脿rtainn MacIlleMh脿rtainn tr矛 cheud bliadhna air ais. Sgr矛obh e gur e Tarsainn a chanadh na daoine airson Chanaigh, agus gur e Eilean nam Ban M貌ra a chanadh iad airson Eige. Ceud bliadhna 脿s d猫idh sin,聽anns a鈥� Chunntas Staitistigeil, chaidh an t-ainm airson Eilein R霉im 鈥� R矛oghachd na Forraiste Fiadhaich 鈥� a chur ris an liosta. Agus bha An t-Eilean Tarsainn ann airson Chanaigh, seach d矛reach Tarsainn. Ach carson a chleachdadh na daoine ainmean annasach mar sin?

Uill, 鈥檚 e ainmean-mara a bh鈥� annta. 鈥橲 e sin ainmean a bhiodh iasgairean no maraichean a鈥� cleachdadh nuair a bha iad aig muir. Bha na daoine sin saobh-chr脿bhach. Cha bhiodh iad de貌nach na h-ainmean ceart a chleachdadh oir dh鈥檉haodadhsin droch fhortan adhbharachadh don bh脿ta agus a criutha.

Mhair gnothaichean dhen t-se貌rsa sin am measg iasgairean na G脿idhealtachd fad 霉ine mh貌r. Mun 脿m a rugadh mise, bhiodh cuid de dh鈥檌asgairean G脿idhealach fhathast ain-de貌nach dhol gu muir nam faiceadh iad boireannach no cat air an rathad chun an eathair.

Bha iad saobh-chr脿bhach a thaobh aodach cuideachd. Cha chuireadh iad aodach sam bith orra a bh鈥� air a dhathadh le crotal. Bha iad dhen bheachd gum biodh an crotalair a tharraing a dh鈥檌onnsaigh nan creagan far an robh e uaireigin a鈥� f脿s. Agus bha an aon rud f矛or mu ainmean-脿ite. Bidh sibh a鈥� mothachadh nach dodh鈥檃inmich mi an ceathramh fear de na h-Eileanan Beaga 鈥� Eilean nam Muc. Uill, bha ainm-mara aig muinntir nan Eilean Beaga airson Eilean nam Muc cuideachd. B鈥� e sin T矛r Chr脿ine. Tha sin a鈥� ciallachadh land of the sow. T矛r Chr脿ine.

Carson a thagh iad ainmean mar sin? Uill, tha T矛r Chr脿ine follaiseach gu le貌r airson Eilean nam Muc. Tha Canaigh na laighe tarsainn na slighe-mara eadar an Cuan Barrach agus an Cuan Sg矛th. Agus bha R霉m math airson sealg nam fiadh. Chan eil forraiste ann an R矛oghachd na Forraiste Fiadhaich a鈥� ciallachadh coille le craobhan. Thae a鈥� ciallachadh fr矛th 鈥� monadh a tha math airson sealg. Agus carson a bha Eilean nam Ban M貌ra aca mar ainm air Eige? Uill, tha st貌iridh agam mu dheidhinn sin ach, airson a chluinntinn, feumaidh sibh a bhith san 猫isteachd an ath-sheachdain!

frith-ainmean, far-ainmean: nicknames; Canaigh: Canna; R霉m:聽Rum; Eige: Eigg; M脿rtainn MacIlleMh脿rtainn: Martin Martin; ainm-mara: sea-kenning聽(name used at sea); maraichean: mariners; bradan: salmon.

ch矛 sinn d猫 cho e貌lach 鈥檚 a tha sibh air: we鈥檒l see how familiaryou are with; abair ainm!: what a name!; gum bi gu le貌r a tha ag 猫isteachd e貌lach air antreas fear: that many who are listening will know the third one; d猫 na h-eileanan air abheil mi a-mach: which islands I鈥檓 talking about; faisg air a ch猫ile: close to each other;anns a鈥� Chunntas Staitistigeil: in the [first] Statistical Account; carson a chleachdadh nadaoine ainmean annasach?: why would the people use strange names?; dh鈥檉haodadh sin聽droch fhortan adhbharachadh don bh脿ta agus a criutha: that could cause bad luck for the聽boat and its crew; mhair gnothaichean dhen t-se貌rsa sin: things like that lasted for a long聽time; ain-de貌nach dhol gu muir: unwilling to go to sea; nam faiceadh iad boireannach no聽cat air an rathad chun an eathair: if they saw [would see] a woman or a cat on the way to聽the boat; air a tharraing a dh鈥檌onnsaigh nan creagan far an robh e uaireigin a鈥� f脿s: pulled聽towards the rocks where it once grew; nach do dh鈥檃inmich mi an ceathramh fear: that I聽didn鈥檛 name [haven鈥檛 named] the fourth one; tarsainn na slighe-mara eadar an Cuan聽Barrach agus an Cuan Sg矛th: [lying] across the sea-lane between the Sea of Barra and聽the Minch; feumaidh sibh a bhith san 猫isteachd: you鈥檒l have to be in the listeningaudience.

Bha na daoine sin saobh-chr脿bhach: those people were聽superstitious. Are you familiar with the prefix saobh-? It means 鈥渇alse, erroneous鈥�. So聽saobh-chreideamh is a 鈥渇alse religion鈥� ie superstition or heresy. A saobh-chreidmheach聽is a superstitious person or a heretic. And saobh-chr脿bhach is 鈥渇alsely religious鈥� ie聽superstitious or heretical (the context will usually make it clear which is meant). Saobh can聽also be used in other contexts eg saobh-chiall (stupidity, nonsense), saobh-chainnt聽(foolish talk, prattle), saobh-shruth (eddy or contrary current in a river).

a bh鈥� air a dhathadh le crotal: that was dyed/coloured with crottle (lichen that grows on the rocks).

Tha 鈥淟itir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh鈥� air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA