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An Litir Bheag 928
Litir Bheag na seachdain sa le Ruairidh MacIlleathain. Litir à ireamh 928. This week's short letter for Gà idhlig learners.
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Sun 26 Feb 2023
13:30
´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio nan Gà idheal
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 1232
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An Litir Bheag 928
Duration: 03:21
An Litir Bheag 928
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mun Urramach Seumas MacDhonnchaidh. Sgrìobh e an earrann mu Chalasraid anns an t-Seann Chunntas Staitistigeach. Bha grà dh aige air a’ Ghà idhlig. Sgrìobh e seo mu dheidhinn luchd-labhairt na Gà idhlig: They know its energy and power; the ease with which it is compounded; its majesty in addressing the Deity; and its tenderness in expressing the finest feelings of the human heart.Ìý
Ach tha e cuideachd ag rà dh nach robh daoine anns an fharsaingeachd a’ cur cus sùim anns a’ chà nan. An uair sin, tha e fhèin a’ feuchainn ri sin a chur ceart. Tha e a’ sgrìobhadh leasan grà mair mun chà nan!Â
Bha Mgr MacDhonnchaidh dhen bheachd gun robh e duilich gun robh daoine a’ trèigsinn an fhearainn agus gun robh iad a’ dol a dh’fhuireach ann am bailtean. Tha e a’ gabhail ‘villages’ air na bailtean sin. B’ fheà rr leis gun robh iad air fuireach a-muigh air an dùthaich mar a bha an sinnsearan a bha a’ frithealadh a’ chruidh anns a’ mhonadh agus a’ cruthachadh bà rdachd!
Tha e ag rà dh gun robh comas aig fear à bhaisteach – saothraiche – le taic on bhean aige còignear no sianar de chloinn a thogail le glè bheag de thaic bhon sporan phoblach. Bha sin stèidhichte air tuarastal suas ri tastan agus trì sgillinn san latha.
Bha am beatha-san eadar-dhealaichte bhon dòigh-beatha againn, ge-tà . Nuair a rà inig a’ chlann ochd no deich bliadhna a dh’aois, bha iad a’ falbh a-mach airson sùil a thoirt air a’ chrodh. Bha sin, co-dhiù, as t-samhradh. Anns a’ gheamhradh bha iad a’ dol don sgoil.Ìý
Bha an teaghlach a’ ceannach mine agus a’ fàs buntà ta air an lot aca fhèin. Bha bò aca airson bainne, agus mar sin bha iad cofhurtail gu leòr. Agus bha ùine aca airson bà rdachd a chruthachadh!
Bha Mgr MacDhonnchaidh trom air rudan nach do chòrd ris. Bhiodh biadh gu leòr ann do na daoine bochda mura b’ e an uiread de choin timcheall nam bailtean, tha e a’ sgrìobhadh. Agus bha fada cus thaighean-seinnse ann airson maith an t-sluaigh. An-ath-sheachdain bheir sinn sùil air beachdan a’ mhinisteir air ainmean-à ite timcheall Chalasraid.
Ach tha e cuideachd ag rà dh nach robh daoine anns an fharsaingeachd a’ cur cus sùim anns a’ chà nan. An uair sin, tha e fhèin a’ feuchainn ri sin a chur ceart. Tha e a’ sgrìobhadh leasan grà mair mun chà nan!Â
Bha Mgr MacDhonnchaidh dhen bheachd gun robh e duilich gun robh daoine a’ trèigsinn an fhearainn agus gun robh iad a’ dol a dh’fhuireach ann am bailtean. Tha e a’ gabhail ‘villages’ air na bailtean sin. B’ fheà rr leis gun robh iad air fuireach a-muigh air an dùthaich mar a bha an sinnsearan a bha a’ frithealadh a’ chruidh anns a’ mhonadh agus a’ cruthachadh bà rdachd!
Tha e ag rà dh gun robh comas aig fear à bhaisteach – saothraiche – le taic on bhean aige còignear no sianar de chloinn a thogail le glè bheag de thaic bhon sporan phoblach. Bha sin stèidhichte air tuarastal suas ri tastan agus trì sgillinn san latha.
Bha am beatha-san eadar-dhealaichte bhon dòigh-beatha againn, ge-tà . Nuair a rà inig a’ chlann ochd no deich bliadhna a dh’aois, bha iad a’ falbh a-mach airson sùil a thoirt air a’ chrodh. Bha sin, co-dhiù, as t-samhradh. Anns a’ gheamhradh bha iad a’ dol don sgoil.Ìý
Bha an teaghlach a’ ceannach mine agus a’ fàs buntà ta air an lot aca fhèin. Bha bò aca airson bainne, agus mar sin bha iad cofhurtail gu leòr. Agus bha ùine aca airson bà rdachd a chruthachadh!
Bha Mgr MacDhonnchaidh trom air rudan nach do chòrd ris. Bhiodh biadh gu leòr ann do na daoine bochda mura b’ e an uiread de choin timcheall nam bailtean, tha e a’ sgrìobhadh. Agus bha fada cus thaighean-seinnse ann airson maith an t-sluaigh. An-ath-sheachdain bheir sinn sùil air beachdan a’ mhinisteir air ainmean-à ite timcheall Chalasraid.
The Little Letter 928
I was telling you about the Rev. James Robertson. He wrote the section about Callander in the Old Statistical Account. He loved the Gaelic language. He wrote this about Gaelic-speakers: They know its energy and power; the ease with which it is compounded; its majesty in addressing the Deity; and its tenderness in expressing the finest feelings of the human heart.
But he also says that people in general didn’t pay too much attention to the language. Then he tries to rectify this. He writes a grammar lesson about the language!
Mrs Robertson was of the opinion that it was sad that people were abandoning the land and that they were going to live in settlements. He calls these settlements ‘villages’. He would have preferred them to remain out in the country like their ancestors who were looking after the cattle on the hill and creating poetry!
He says that a normal man – a labourer – with help from his wife could raise five or six children with very little assistance from the public purse. That was based on wages of up to a shilling and three pence per day.
Their life was different from our way of life, however. When the children reached eight or ten years of age, they were going out to look after the cattle. That was, at least, in summer. In winter they were going to school.
The family was buying meal and growing potatoes on their own plot of land. They had a cow for milk and thus they were fairly comfortable. And they had time to create poetry!
Mr Robertson was condemnatory of things he didn’t like. There would be enough food for poor people if it weren’t for all the dogs around the villages, he writes. And there were too many inns for the good of the people. Next week, we’ll look at the minister’s opinions on place-names around Callander.
But he also says that people in general didn’t pay too much attention to the language. Then he tries to rectify this. He writes a grammar lesson about the language!
Mrs Robertson was of the opinion that it was sad that people were abandoning the land and that they were going to live in settlements. He calls these settlements ‘villages’. He would have preferred them to remain out in the country like their ancestors who were looking after the cattle on the hill and creating poetry!
He says that a normal man – a labourer – with help from his wife could raise five or six children with very little assistance from the public purse. That was based on wages of up to a shilling and three pence per day.
Their life was different from our way of life, however. When the children reached eight or ten years of age, they were going out to look after the cattle. That was, at least, in summer. In winter they were going to school.
The family was buying meal and growing potatoes on their own plot of land. They had a cow for milk and thus they were fairly comfortable. And they had time to create poetry!
Mr Robertson was condemnatory of things he didn’t like. There would be enough food for poor people if it weren’t for all the dogs around the villages, he writes. And there were too many inns for the good of the people. Next week, we’ll look at the minister’s opinions on place-names around Callander.
Broadcast
- Sun 26 Feb 2023 13:30´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio nan Gà idheal
All the letters
Tha gach Litir Bheag an seo / All the Little Letters are here.
Podcast: An Litir Bheag
The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners
An Litir Bheag air LearnGaelic
An Litir Bheag is also on LearnGaelic (with PDFs)
Podcast
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An Litir Bheag
Litirichean do luchd-ionnsachaidh ura. Letters in Gaelic for beginners.