大象传媒

Tha sean-fhacal againn ann an G脿idhlig a tha tri cheud, leth-cheud 鈥檚 a c貌ig bliadhna a dh鈥檃ois agus a tha ri chluinntinn fhathast. Tha fios againn, co-dhi霉 ma chreideas sinn beul-aithris, cuin鈥� is c脿it鈥� a chaidh a chruthachadh, agus, gu dearbh, c貌 e a chruthaich e. 鈥溾�橲 truagh nach bu che脿ird gu l猫ir sibh an-diugh.鈥�

鈥橲 e Alasdair Mac Cholla Chiotaich, an gaisgeach G脿idhealach a bha a鈥� sabaid ri taobh Mhontr貌is, a thuirt na faclan sin, aig Bl脿r Allt Eireann ann an 1645. A-r猫ir choltais, bha Alasdair ann am f矛or chunnart a bheatha, agus e air a chuairteachadh le n脿imhdean. Chunnaic fear eile, ce脿rd air an robh Sti霉bhart mar ainm, agus a bhuineadh do dh鈥橝thall ann an Siorrachd Pheairt, an staing anns an robh Alasdair agus ruith e ga ionnsaigh airson a chuideachadh. Bha e cho te貌ma leis a鈥� chlaidheamh mh貌r aige 鈥檚 gun do theich na saighdearan a bha a鈥� toirt ionnsaigh air Alasdair.

Thug Alasdair taing dha agus dh鈥檉haighnich e dheth c貌 e agus c貌 脿s a bha e. Nise feumaidh sinn cuimhneachadh gun do dh鈥檉hulaing luchd-siubhail na G脿idhealtachd, neo na ce脿rdan mar a bh鈥檃c鈥� orra, droch chli霉 aig an 脿m (agus airson 霉ine mh貌r as a dh猫idh). Agus nuair a fhuair an dithis cothrom bruidhinn, cha robh an Sti霉bhartach de貌nach innse c貌 e. Is, gu dearbh, cha robh e de貌nach aideachadh gur e ce脿rd a bh鈥檃nn. Ach chum Alasdair a dh鈥檉haighneachd agus, mu dheireadh, dh鈥檃idich an duine eile gur e ce脿rd a bh鈥檃nn.

Agus a鈥� tionndadh do na saighdearan eile aige, thuirt Alasdair riutha, 鈥溾�橲 truagh nach bu che脿ird gu l猫ir sibh an-diugh.鈥� Uill, 鈥檚 e sin an st貌iridh co-dhi霉, ged a ch矛 thu an sean-fhacal ann an cruth rudeigin diofraichte uaireannan 鈥� 鈥溾�橲 truagh nach bu che脿ird sinn gu l猫ir an-diugh鈥� mar gu robh Alasdair a鈥� bruidhinn air fh猫in a bharrachd air na saighdearan aige. Chan eil e gu diofar. Seasaidh an sean-fhacal mar fhianais air a鈥� ph脿irt a ghabh an luchd-siubhail anns a鈥� bhatail sin, agus ann am moran tachartasan eile ann an eachdraidh na G脿idhealtachd.

Ach f脿gamaid Alasdair Mac Cholla agus an luchd-siubhail air an darna taobh. Bu mhath leam ur n-aire a tharraing do dh鈥檃ithris ann am paipear-naidheachd o chionn ghoirid mu dheidhinn maorach a thathar a鈥� dol a dh鈥櫭爎ach ann an Alba, ma th猫id gu math leotha 鈥� a鈥� chluas-mhara. Chaidh feadhainn 脿rach ann an Loch nan Uamh, faisg air M貌rar agus chaidh gl猫 mhath dhaibh a dh鈥檃indeoin 鈥檚 gur ann do dh霉thchannan nas bl脿ithe a bhuineas iad. Agus carson a tha mi cho toilichte mu dheidhinn na naidheachd seo? Uill, cha mh貌r gu bheil biadh sam bith eile ri fhaighinn a tha cho blasda ris a鈥� chluais-mhara.

Tha deagh theans ann nach bi sibh e貌lach air ainm a鈥� chreutair seo agus, gu dearbh, cha d鈥檉huair mi lorg air ann am faclair Albannach sam bith. Ach canaidh na h-Eireannaich cluas-mhara ris, agus ann an corra ch脿nan eile, 鈥檚 e sin a tha an t-ainm a鈥� ciallachadh. Agus chanainn gur e sin an t-ainm as ciallaich鈥� a dh鈥檉haodadh a bhith againn anns a鈥� ch脿nan againn fh猫in. Tha an t-slige, agus chan eil ann ach an aon t猫, a鈥� coimhead coltach ri cluas. Ann am

Beurla 鈥檚 e abalone a chanas iad ris, mar is trice, ach cluinnidh tu ear shell ann an corra 脿ite cuideachd.

Innsidh mi tuilleadh dhuibh mu dheidhinn na cluaise-mara anns an ath litir, ach bu toil leam soraidh a leigeil leibh an t-seachdain-sa le fuaim 鈥� D猫 an ceangal a th鈥檃nn eadar a鈥� chluas-mhara agus am fuaim seo? Airson faighinn a-mach, bithibh anns an 猫isteachd an ath sheachdain!

Bl脿r Allt Eireann: the Battle of Auldearn; Athall: Atholl; SiorrachdPheairt: Perthshire; Sti霉bhart, Sti霉bhartach: Stewart; staing: difficulty (lit. ditch); theich:fled; aideachadh: admitting; fianais: evidence; maorach: shellfish; cluas-mhara: abalone(lit. sea-ear); tachartasan: happenings; blasda: tasty.

cuin' is c脿it' a chaidh a chruthachadh: when and where it wascreated; bha X ann am f矛or chunnart a bheatha: X was in real danger of (losing) his life;ruith e ga ionnsaigh airson a chuideachadh: he ran to him to help him; bha e cho te貌ma leisa' chlaidheamh mh貌r aige: he was so skilful with his claymore; feumaidh sinn cuimhneachadhgun do dh'fhulaing X droch chli霉 aig an 脿m: we must remember that X suffered from a badreputation at the time; chan eil e gu diofar: it makes no difference; f脿gamaid X air an darnataobh: let's leave X aside; bu toil leam ur n-aire a tharraing: I would like to draw yourattention; a thathar a' dol a dh'脿rach ma th猫id gu math leotha: which will be reared (ie on ashellfish farm) if all goes well; cha mh貌r gu bheil: there is hardly; tha deagh theans ann:there is a good chance; cha d'fhuair mi lorg air: I have not (did not) found it; bu toil leamsoraidh a leigeil leibh: I would like to bid you farewell.

Have you ever wondered why there is a similarity betweenthe word for a tinker, ce脿rd (see note on pejoration below) and that for a smithy, ce脿rdach?The reason is that they are both related to the word ce脿ird, a trade, profession or craft.Ce脿rd can also mean a smith eg ce脿rd-貌ir (goldsmith), ce脿rd-airgid (silversmith), ce脿rd-staoin(tinsmith). Many of the travelling tinkers traditionally worked on tin and other metalsand the name ce脿rd (pl. ce脿rdan, ce脿rdannan) stuck. A ce脿rdach is a place where thece脿rd (ie the smith) carries out his work. You will sometimes hear trades unions referred toas aonaidhean-ci霉ird, employing a genitive form of ce脿ird. Note also that in some dialectsthe e, not the a, is stressed, so ce脿rd is pronounced c猫ard.

'S truagh nach bu che脿ird gu l猫ir sibh an-diugh: it's a pity youwere not all tinkers today. Ce脿ird is an old plural form and is lenited after nach bu (as in chabu mhise it was not me). The reason for Alasdair Mac Cholla making the statement isexplained in the letter. It should be noted that the word ce脿rd (as with the English tinker)is seen as somewhat of a pejorative today and that neach-siubhail or (pl.) luchd-siubhail(traveller, travellers) is preferred in everyday conversation.