大象传媒

Tha mo smuaintean air eich an t-seachdain-sa. 鈥橲 d貌cha gur e as coireach airson sin gu robh mi nam bhritheamh aig m貌d ionadail o chionn ghoirid, agus bha agam ri c貌mhradh ri clann ann an G脿idhlig. Bha a鈥� chuid a bu mhotha aca 脿 baile m貌r, agus bha t猫 a bha seo, nach robh ach seachd bliadhna a dh鈥檃ois, a鈥� fuireach ann am flat.

鈥淎 bheil peat agad?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich mi.

鈥淭ha,鈥� ars鈥� ise, 鈥渃at. Ach tha mi ag iarraidh each.鈥�

鈥淐arson each?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich mi dhith.

鈥淏idh mi a鈥� marcachd,鈥� thuirt i.

鈥淎gus, nuair a gheibh thu each,鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich mi, 鈥渁n cum thu anns a flat e?鈥�

Uill, bha i a鈥� feuchainn ri bhith modhail, agus duais a bhuannachadh, ach bha e follaiseach gu robh i dhen bheachd gu robh mi nam amadan airson a leithid de cheist a chur oirre. 鈥淐ha chum mi anns a flat e,鈥� thuirt i, 鈥渁ch aig a Riding Centre.鈥� Choimhead i suas a dh鈥檌onnsaigh nan speuran agus dh鈥檃tharraich mi an cuspair gu sgiobalta.

Chan eil eich mar ph脿irt de bheatha nam bailtean m貌ra mar a b鈥� 脿bhaist, agus chan eil Gaidheil an l脿 an-diugh a鈥� cumail eich mar a chum iad uaireigin. Nuair a ch矛 sibh an uiread de sheanfhaclan le eich annta, tha e follaiseach gu robh iad gu math cudthromach gu h-eachdraidheil ann an d貌igh-beatha nan Gaidheal.

Tha mi cinnteach gum bi sibh e貌lach air an fhear seo: Ruigidh each mall muileann. Cluinnear gu math tric e, ach tha amharas agam nach eil a h-uile duine e貌lach air an t-seanfhacal gu l猫ir, oir tha sin d矛reach mar ph脿irt dheth. Seo e gu sl脿n: Ruigidh each mall muileann, ach feumaidh fear fuireach a bhriseas a chas. Deagh chomhairle, chanainn, agus bidh mi uaireannan a鈥� me貌mhrachadh air nuair a tha mi a鈥� sgitheadh!

Aig deireadh na bliadhn鈥� an-uiridh (Litir 80, 08.12.00), dh鈥檌nnis mi dhuibh mu dheidhinn Dail an Eich, ainm-脿ite an seo ann an Inbhir Nis. Chan e sin a-mh脿in e do a leithid, ge-t脿. Tha d脿 脿ite eile anns a鈥� bhaile a tha ainmichte airson eich, ged nach eil am facal each a鈥� nochdadh annta. Ma tha sibh air a bhith ann an Gaidhealtachd na h-Eireann, bidh sibh e貌lach air an fhacal capall - airson each. Uill, tha e againn an seo cuideachd, a鈥� ciallachadh each boireann neo each-obrach. Agus tha e ann an Inbhir Nis ann an ce脿rnaidh dhen bhaile ris an canar Capall-Innis neo, ann am Beurla, Capel Inch.

Bidh feadhainn agaibh ag aithneachadh a鈥� ch脿irdeis eadar capall agus caballo ann an Sp脿inntis, neo le cheval agus cavalier ann am Frangais. Agus, ann am Beurla, le capercaillie, an t-eun m貌r a聽tha a鈥� fuireach anns na coilltean-giuthais. Th脿inig capercaillie 脿s capall-coille, leis gu bheil an t-eun a鈥� d猫anamh fuaim mar each.

鈥橲 e am facal eile airson each 鈥� marc, a th鈥� againn fhathast ann am marcachd, marcaiche is marc-shluagh. Tha ce脿rnaidh ann an Inbhir Nis, faisg air Capall-Innis, air a bheil Marc Innis, neo Merkinch ann am Beurla an l脿 an-diugh. Bha an d脿 脿ite nan 矛nnsean l脿imh ri Abhainn Nis, neo nan eileanan anns an abhainn o shean, agus feumaidh gu robh eich air an cumail annta.

Nise, ceist phearsanta dhuibh. A bheil sibh ag obair ro chruaidh? A bheil cus uallaich oirbh fh猫in, is a bheil feadhainn eile anns an 脿ite-obrach agaibh rudeigin leisg, a鈥� f脿gail cus agaibh fh猫in ri dh猫anamh? Uill, ma tha, 鈥檚 d貌cha gu bheil sibh d矛reach ro 猫asgaidh. Mar a chanas an seanfhacal 鈥� Is ann air each 猫asgaidh a leigear an t-uallach. Gabhaibh air ur socair. Ruigidh an t-each as maille am muileann aig a鈥� cheann thall.

Faclan na seachdaine: eich: horses; britheamh: judge; flat: flat (it can also mean 鈥渟aucer鈥� but the context should make it obvious what is meant!); peat: pet; a鈥� marcachd: horse-riding; follaiseach: obvious; amadan: fool; d貌igh-beatha: way of life; capall: mare, work horse; coilltean-giuthais: pine forests; marcaiche: horse rider; marc-shluagh: cavalry; pearsanta: personal; 猫asgaidh: willing, enthusiastic.

Abairtean na seachdaine: 鈥檚 d貌cha gur e as coireach airson sin: perhaps the reason for that is; bha i a鈥� feuchainn ri bhith modhail, agus duais a bhuannachadh: she was trying to be polite, in order to win a prize; choimhead i suas a dh鈥檌onnsaigh nan speuran: she looked up towards the heavens; tha sin d矛reach mar ph脿irt dheth: that is just part of it (see the note on 鈥渄e鈥� below); aig deireadh na bliadhn鈥� an-uiridh: at the end of last year; chan e sin a-mh脿in e do a leithid, ge-t脿: that is not the only instance of the like, however; bha an d脿 脿ite nan innsean l脿矛mh ri Abhainn Nis neo nan eileanan anns an abhainn: the two places were meadows next to the River Ness, or islands in the river (innis can mean either); gabhaibh air ur socair: take it easy; ruigidh an t-each as maille am muileann aig a鈥� cheann thall: (even) the slowest horse will eventually reach the mill.

Puing ghr脿mair na seachdaine: ann an ce脿rnaidh dhen bhaile ris an canar X: in a part of the town called X. Are you familiar with the usage of the preposition 鈥渄e鈥�, meaning 鈥渙f鈥� or 鈥渙ff鈥� (and not to be confused with 鈥渄猫鈥�, meaning 鈥渨hat鈥�). Combined with the singular article, an, it emerges as den or, as lenition is increasingly common in modern Gaelic, dhen. When used as 鈥渙ff鈥�, it is straightforward (eg th脿inig am mullach dhen taigh: the roof came off the house) and it often appears in conjugated form, eg cuir dhiot do gheansaidh (take off your jumper), leig i dhith a dreuchd (she resigned her job). When it means 鈥渙f鈥�, there are a couple of traps to beware of. Firstly, in some dialects, it has become confused with the preposition 鈥渄o鈥�, meaning 鈥渢o鈥�, such that, rather than dh鈥檉haighnich e ceist dhiom (he asked a question of me), one might hear dh鈥檉haighnich e ceist dhomh. Both are acceptable. The second point is that it must not be confused with the French 鈥渄e鈥�, meaning 鈥渙f鈥�, which can be used for possession. In Gaelic you must use the genitive case for possession. De is used particularly in a partitive context, that is referring to a part or fraction of something eg b鈥� esan fear de na saighdearan sin (he was one of those soldiers); b鈥� ise t猫 dhen fheadhainn a bu ghlice (she was one of the wisest ones).

Seanfhaclan na seachdaine: Ruigidh each mall muileann, ach feumaidh fear fuireach a bhriseas a chas: a slow horse will reach the mill, but the one that breaks his leg must stay where he is. Is ann air each 猫asgaidh a leigear an t-uallach: it is on the willing horse that the burden is laid.