大象传媒

Bha mi riamh dhen bheachd gur e ainm snog a th鈥� ann an 厂迟别貌谤苍补产丑补驳丑 no, ann am Beurla, Stornoway. Mar a tha m貌ran ainmean-脿ite ann an Le貌dhas, buinidh e do dhualchas nan Lochlannach. Tha mi 鈥檔 d霉il gur e 厂迟箩贸谤苍补谤惫谩驳谤 a chanadh na Lochlannaich ris, a鈥� ciallachadh b脿gh na sti霉rach no b脿gh an sti霉iridh. Chithear an aon se貌rsa ainm air taobh an iar an eilein ann an 颁脿谤濒补产丑补驳丑 no Carloway. 鈥橲 e 碍补谤濒补惫谩驳谤 an seann ainm air, a鈥� ciallachadh b脿gh Charl no Karl鈥檚 bay.

Nise, bidh sibh uile a鈥� beachdachadh air a鈥� bhaile as motha anns na h-Eileanan an Iar, mar a tha mise, ach tha Stornoway eile ann an Alba. A bheil fios agaibh ca鈥� bheil e? Uill, 鈥檚 e loch a th鈥� ann. Ma choimheadas sibh air a鈥� mhapa de dh鈥橢arra-Gh脿idheal, ch矛 sibh, ann an ceann a deas Chnapadail, Loch Stornoway, no Loch Stornua ann an G脿idhlig.

D猫 bha anns a鈥� chumantas eadar an d脿 脿ite? Carson a chuir na maraichean Lochlannach an t-aon ainm air na dh脿? Chan eil mi cinnteach agus, ma tha smuain agaibh, bu mhath leam a cluinntinn. Tha an loch-mara a tha a鈥� gi霉lain an ainm ann an Cnapadal d矛reach gu siar air Loch an Tairbeirt an Iar 鈥� loch m貌r a bhiodh cudromach mar phort. Am biodh na se貌ladairean a bha a鈥� d猫anamh air Loch an Tairbeirt a鈥� sti霉ireadh a dh鈥檌onnsaigh Loch Stornua nuair a thigeadh iad timcheall ceann a deas 脤le leis nach fhaiceadh iad Loch an Tairbeirt oir bha ceann a tuath Ghiogha anns an rathad orra?

Tha 厂迟别貌谤苍补产丑补驳丑 Le貌dhais nam cheann an-dr脿sta oir tha mi d矛reach air a bhith ann. Bha mi cuideachd a鈥� leughadh leabhar 霉r inntinneach mu eachdraidh a鈥� chaisteil 鈥� sin Caisteal Le貌dhais ann an 厂迟别貌谤苍补产丑补驳丑. Tha an leabhar 鈥� The Castles of the Lews le Peter Cunningham 鈥� l脿n fiosrachaidh mu eachdraidh a鈥� bhaile. Agus dh鈥檌onnsaich mi rud iongantach air duilleagan an leabhair mu 厂迟别貌谤苍补产丑补驳丑. 鈥橲 e sin gun do dh鈥檉heuchadh ri ainm a鈥� bhaile atharrachadh. Saoilidh mise gu bheil Stornoway furasta ri r脿dh agus ri litreachadh ann am Beurla. Agus tha e snasail air an teangaidh cuideachd. Ach, a r猫ir choltais, cha robh a h-uile duine s脿saichte leis.

Sgr矛obh Fear-casaid a鈥� Chr霉in ann an 厂迟别貌谤苍补产丑补驳丑, fear T貌mas Druimeanach, ann an ochd ceud deug, trithead 鈥檚 a ceithir (1834) don bhall-ph脿rlamaid Seumas Sti霉bhart-MacCoinnich le moladh gun cuirte ainm 霉r air a鈥� bhaile. Nise, tha fhios a鈥檓 gur e litir Gh脿idhlig a tha seo, ach saoilidh mi gun c貌rd e ribh criomag dhen litir a chluinntinn anns a鈥� Bheurla anns an deach a sgr矛obhadh: 鈥� Respected Sir ... In the first place I would suggest the propriety of changing the name of Stornoway, which has no meaning whatever so far as I can learn, and which to the ear of all Lowlanders sounds harsh, and indeed is often pronounced 鈥淪tormaway鈥� and gives strangers a wild idea of this country which it is undeserving thereof...鈥�

Uill ... ceart gu le貌r, 鈥檚 d貌cha ... ach bha beachd aig an Druimeanach air d猫 an t-ainm 霉r a bu ch貌ir a bhith air a鈥� bhaile. Agus tha eagal orm gu feum sibh feitheamh chun na h-ath-sheachdain airson faighinn a-mach d猫 bh鈥� ann. Ach, na gabhaibh dragh. 鈥橲 e 厂迟别貌谤苍补产丑补驳丑 a bh鈥� air, a th鈥� air agus a bhitheas air!

snog: nice; 厂迟别貌谤苍补产丑补驳丑: Stornoway; maraichean: mariners; Loch an Tairbeirt an Iar: West Loch Tarbert; 蝉别貌濒补诲补颈谤别补苍: sailors; 蝉脿蝉补颈肠丑迟别: happy, satisfied; Fear-casaid a鈥� Chr霉in: The Procurator Fiscal; T貌mas Druimeanach: Thomas Drummond; Seumas Sti霉bhart-MacCoinnich: James Stewart-Mackenzie.

buinidh e do dhualchas nan Lochlannach: it belongs to the heritage of the Norse; b脿gh na sti霉rach no b脿gh an sti霉iridh: the bay of the rudder or the bay of the steering/steerage; ma choimheadas sibh air a鈥� mhapa de dh鈥橢arra-Gh脿idheal: if you look on the map of Argyll; ch矛 sibh, ann an ceann a deas Chnapadail: you鈥檒l see, at the southern end of Knapdale; an loch mara a tha a鈥� gi霉lain an ainm: the sea loch that carries the name; a鈥� sti霉ireadh a dh鈥檌onnsaigh Loch Stornua: steering towards Loch Stornoway; nuair a thigeadh iad timcheall ceann a deas 脤le: when they鈥檇 come around the south of Islay; leis nach fhaiceadh iad: as they wouldn鈥檛 see; bha ceann a tuath Ghiogha anns an rathad orra: the northern end of Gigha was in their way; tha e inntinneach a bhith a鈥� me貌rachadh air: it鈥檚 interesting to contemplate it; gun do dh鈥檉heuchadh ri ainm a鈥� bhaile atharrachadh: that an attempt was made to change the town鈥檚 name; furasta ri r脿dh agus ri litreachadh: easy to say and spell; snasail air an teangaidh: elegant on the tongue; saoilidh mi gun c貌rdadh e ribh criomag dhen litir a chluinntinn: I reckon you鈥檇 enjoy hearing a part of the letter; d猫 an t-ainm 霉r a bu ch貌ir a bhith air a鈥� bhaile: what new name the town should have.

moladh gun cuirte ainm 霉r air a鈥� bhaile: a recommendation that the town be renamed [that a new name be put on it].

听

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