大象传媒

Tha far-ainmean againn air eileanan聽na h-Alba. Mar eisimpleir, canaidh聽sinn Eilean a鈥� Che貌 airson an Eilein聽Sgitheanaich. Canaidh sinn Eilean an聽Fhraoich airson Eilein Le貌dhais.聽Agus seo a-nise ainmean tr矛 eileanan聽eile. A bheil sibh e貌lach orra?聽鈥橲 e An t-Eilean Tarsainn聽ainm a鈥� chiad eilein. The cross-wise聽island. An t-Eilean Tarsainn. 鈥橲 e聽ainm an d脿rna eilein R矛oghachd na聽Forraiste Fiadhaich. The kingdom of聽the wild [deer] forest. R矛oghachd na聽Forraiste Fiadh-aich. Agus 鈥檚 e ainm聽an treas fir Eilean nam Ban M貌ra.聽The island of the big women. Eilean聽nam Ban M貌ra.聽Tha na tr矛 eileanan faisg air a聽ch猫ile. 鈥橲 iad tr矛 de na h-Eileanan聽Beaga 鈥� Canaigh, R霉m agus Eige.聽Carson a bha na daoine a鈥櫬燾leachdadh ainmean annasach mar聽sin? Uill, 鈥檚 e ainmean-mara a bha聽annta. 鈥橲 e sin ainmean a bha iasgairean聽no maraichean a鈥� cleachdadh聽nuair a bha iad aig muir. Bha na聽daoine sin saobh-chr脿bhach. Cha聽robh iad de貌nach na h-ainmean ceart聽a chleachdadh. Bha iad a鈥� creidsinn聽gun robh na h-ainmean ceart a鈥櫬燿猫anamh droch fhortan don bh脿ta.聽Eadhon nuair a bha mise 貌g聽bha iasgairean G脿idhealach fhathast聽saobh-chr脿bhach. Cha robh feadhainn聽aca de貌nach dhol gu muir nam聽faiceadh iad boireannach no cat. Air聽m貌ran bh脿taichean cha robh an聽criutha ag r脿dh 鈥渂radan鈥� idir. Bha聽facal eile aca.聽Tha ceathramh eilean anns na聽h-Eileanan Beaga 鈥� Eilean nam Muc.聽Agus bha ainm-mara air Eilean nam聽Muc cuideachd. B鈥� e sin T矛r Chr脿ine.聽Tha sin a鈥� ciallachadh land of the聽sow. T矛r Chr脿ine.聽Carson a thagh iad ainmean聽mar sin? Uill, tha T矛r Chr脿ine聽follaiseach gu le貌r airson Eilean nam聽Muc. Tha Canaigh na laighe tarsainn聽na slighe-mara eadar an Cuan聽Barrach agus an Cuan Sg矛th. Agus聽bha R霉m math airson sealg nam聽fiadh.聽Agus carson a bha Eilean nam聽Ban M貌ra mar ainm air Eige? Uill,聽tha st貌iridh agam mu dheidhinn sin.聽Agus cluinnidh sibh an st貌iridh an聽ath-sheachdain.

We have nicknames for the islands聽of Scotland. For example we call聽Skye Eilean a鈥� Che貌 (Isle of the聽Mist). We call Lewis Eilean an聽Fhraoich (Isle of the Heather). And聽here now are the names of three聽more islands. Do you know them?聽We call the first island聽An t-Eilean Tarsainn. The crosswise聽island. An t-Eilean Tarsainn.聽The name of the second island is聽R矛oghachd na Forraiste Fiadhaich.聽The kingdom of the wild forest.聽R矛oghachd na Forraiste Fiadhaich.聽And the name of the third island is聽Eilean nam Ban M貌ra. The island of聽the big women. Eilean nam Ban聽M貌ra.聽The three islands are close to聽each other. They are three of the聽Small Isles 鈥� Canna, Rum and Eigg.聽Why were the people using聽strange names like that? Well, they聽were sea-kennings. That is names聽that fishermen or mariners were聽using when they were at sea. Those聽people were superstitious. They聽weren鈥檛 willing to use the proper聽names. They were believing that the聽correct names were bringing [would聽bring] bad luck to the boat.聽Even when I was young,聽Gaelic-speaking fishermen were still聽superstitious. Some of them were not聽willing to go to sea if they would see聽a woman or a cat. On many boats聽the crew were not willing to say聽鈥渟almon鈥�. They had another word.聽There is a fourth island in the聽Small Isles 鈥� Muck. And there was a聽sea-kenning for Muck as well. That聽was T矛r Chr脿ine. That means the聽land of the sow. T矛r Chr脿ine.聽Why did they choose names like聽that? Uill, T矛r Chr脿ine is obvious聽enough for the Isle of the Pigs.聽Canna lives across the sea-route聽between the Sea of Barra and the聽Minch. And Rum was good for the聽hunting of [the] deer.聽And why was Eigg called The聽Isle of the Big Women? Well, I have聽a story about that. And you can聽[will] hear the story next week.