Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh, le Ruairidh MacIlleathain
‘A’ Ghàidhlig as Fheàrr’
Each week the West Highland Free Press publishes the text for Ruairidh ‘s “Letter to Gaelic Learners” on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal (103.5-105 FM). Broadcasts are as follows: 10.00 pm on Sunday, following the Gaelic Learners’ programme ‘Beag air Bheag’, with a repeat at 10.30 pm on Wednesday. This is Litir 1,095. There is also a simpler version – An Litir Bheag – which is broadcast at 4.03 pm each Sunday. Litir Bheag 791 corresponds to Litir 1,095. The Litir is also available at www.bbc.co.uk/litir and www.learngaelic.scot/litir.
Dè an sgìre dhen Ghàidhealtachd anns an cluinnear a’ Ghàidhlig as fheàrr? Abair ceist airson Litir a chur air bhog! Bidh a bheachd no a beachd fhèin aig gach neach. Agus chan eil mi fhìn a’ dol a thoirt beachd sam bith seachad air a’ ghnothach. Chan eil math dhomh.
Tha mi a’ togail na ceist oir, air mo bheulaibh, tha alt a nochd anns an iris ‘An Gàidheal’ anns an Dùbhlachd naoi ceud deug, fichead ʼs a ceithir (1924). Leis an fhìrinn innse, chan e ‘An Dùbhlachd’ a tha sgrìobhte air ceann shuas na duilleig, ach ‘An Dùdlachd’. Tha iad le chèile a’ ciallachadh ‘December’.
Co-dhiù, b’ e ùghdar an uilt An t-Urr. Uilleam MacGillÌosa. Bha e ann am Beurla, ach seo agaibh m’ eadar-theangachadh dhen chiad pharagraf: ‘Faisg air ceud bliadhna air ais, bha deasbad aig oileanaich Ghàidhealach a bha ceangailte ri Comann Deasbaireachd Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann air a’ cheist, “Dè an sgìre de dh’Alba as fheàrr anns a bheil Gàidhlig ga bruidhinn, agus dè an sgìre as motha anns an deach an cànan adhartachadh?” Chaidh an duais a thoirt gu … Siorrachd Pheairt …’
Uill, ʼs dòcha gun do chuir sin iongnadh oirbh. Ach cuimhnichibh gun robhar a’ deasbad na ceist tràth anns an naoidheamh linn deug. Carson, ma-thà, a thug na h-oileanaich an duais do Shiorrachd Pheairt, seach sgìre eile dhen Ghàidhealtachd? Bha ceithir adhbharan aca, agus seo iad:
Anns a’ chiad àite, ’s ann an Siorrachd Pheairt a rugadh an fheadhainn a rinn eadar-theangachadh dhen Bhìoball gu Gàidhlig – an t-Urr. Seumas Stiùbhart à Cill Fhinn agus a mhac, Iain. Anns an dàrna àite, ʼs ann an Siorrachd Pheairt a rugadh am bàrd Gàidhlig a bu chliùitiche – Dùghall Bochanan.
B’ e an treas adhbhar gun do rugadh an t-Oll. Urr. Alasdair Stiùbhart ann an Siorrachd Pheairt. Bha esan na mhinistear ann am Maoilinn, faisg air Baile Chloichridh. Rugadh e ann an Athall. Agus carson a bha na h-oileanaich ga mholadh? Uill, sgrìobh e, nam beachd, an leabhar-gràmair a b’ fheàrr a bh’ ann. Smaoinichibh air sin – duine a’ faighinn moladh mòr airson leabhar-gràmair a chur ri chèile!
Agus b’ e an ceathramh adhbhar gun robh Siorrachd Pheairt na b’ fheàrr na sgìre sam bith eile, gun do rugadh Raibeart Armstrong anns a’ Cheannmhor. Sgrìobh esan am faclair Gàidhlig a b’ fheàrr a bh’ ann aig an àm sin.
Tha a’ chuid as motha dhen alt anns ‘An Gàidheal’ mu dheidhinn Armstrong, agus thig mi gu cunntas air a bheatha ann am mionaid. Ach, ann an naoi ceud deug, fichead ʼs a ceithir (1924), an robh daoine fhathast dhen bheachd gur ann an Siorrachd Pheairt a b’ fheàrr anns an robhar a’ bruidhinn na Gàidhlig? Uill, cha robh. Tha an t-ùghdar ag ràdh gun robh a’ Ghàidhlig air a dhol bhuaithe anns an t-siorrachd, agus gun robh na Peairtich ga measgachadh le tòrr Beurla. Bu bhochd sin, gu dearbh.
A-nise, gu Raibeart Armstrong, fear an fhaclair. Thàinig ‘A Gaelic Dictionary in Two Parts’ aige a-mach ann an ochd ceud deug, fichead ʼs a còig (1825). Rugadh Armstrong anns a’ Cheannmhor, aig ceann an ear Loch Tatha, ann an seachd ceud deug, ochdad ʼs a h-ochd (1788). Innsidh mi dhuibh tuilleadh mun duine ainmeil seo anns an ath Litir.
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Faclan na Litreach: duais: prize; Siorrachd Pheairt: Perthshire; adhbharan: reasons; Dùghall Bochanan: Dugald Buchanan; an t-Urr. Alasdair Stiùbhart: Rev. Alexander Stewart; Athall: Atholl; An Ceannmhor: Kenmore; Loch Tatha: Loch Tay.
Abairtean na Litreach: Dè an sgìre anns an cluinnear a’ Ghàidhlig as fheàrr?: in which district is the best Gaelic heard?; chan eil mi fhìn a’ dol a thoirt beachd sam bith seachad air a’ ghnothach: I’m not going to offer any opinion on the matter; air mo bheulaibh, tha alt a nochd anns an iris: in front of me is an article that appeared in the magazine; b’ e ùghdar an uilt An t-Urr. Uilleam MacGillÌosa: the author of the article was the Rev. William Gillies; oileanaich Ghàidhealach a bha ceangailte ri Comann Deasbaireachd Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann: Highland students who were connected with the Debating Society of Edinburgh University; dè an sgìre de dh’Alba as fheàrr anns a bheil Gàidhlig ga bruidhinn: in what district of Scotland is the best Gaelic spoken; dè an sgìre as motha anns an deach an cànan adhartachadh?: which district has done the most to promote the language; ʼs dòcha gun do chuir sin iongnadh oirbh: perhaps that surprised you; cuimhnichibh gun robhar a’ deasbad na ceist: remember that the question was being debated; an t-Urr. Seumas Stiùbhart à Cill Fhinn agus a mhac, Iain: the Rev. James Stewart of Killin and his son, John; bha e na mhinistear ann am Maoilinn, faisg air Baile Chloichridh: he was minister at Moulin, near Pitlochry; duine a’ faighinn moladh mòr airson leabhar-gràmair a chur ri chèile: somebody being praised for compiling a grammar book; gun robh a’ Ghàidhlig air a dhol bhuaithe: that Gaelic had sunk to a low ebb; gun robh na Peairtich ga measgachadh le tòrr Beurla: that the Perthshire folk were mixing it [fem.] with a lot of English; bu bhochd sin: that was poor, a pity.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Bidh a bheachd no a beachd fhèin aig gach neach: each person will have his or her opinion. His opinion – a bheachd; her opinion – a beachd (these are lenition rules connected to the third personal singular possessive pronoun). I’ve used neach, the gender-neutral noun which can stand for fear or tè, both of which represent a distinct gender. However, I could have said aig gach duine because, although duine can mean ‘man’ or even ‘husband’, it can also stand for ‘person’ and not be gender-specific, depending on the context.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Chan eil math dhomh: I’d better not. It can also mean ‘there’s no point [in me …]’
Tha “Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh” air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA