20/07/2012

O chionn dà bhliadhna gu leth, ann an Litrichean còig ceud, trithead ’s a h-ochd (538) agus còig ceud, trithead ’s a naoi (539), thug mi sùil air seanfhaclan co-cheangailte ri gobhair – no goibhrean, no goibhrichean mas e sin as fheàrr leibh. Uill, lorg mi fear eile o chionn ghoirid, agus seo e: Mas dubh, mas odhar, mas donn, is toigh leis a’ ghobhair a meann.

Tha gobhair gu math sòisealta. Tha iad a’ cumail gu dlùth ri chèile. Chan eil e gu diofar dè an coltas a th’ air meann no àl a’ mhinn, bidh an t-seann fheadhainn measail orra. Chan eil e gu diofar dè an dath a th’ air meann, bidh a mhàthair ga thomhas mar brèagha. Nach eil sin fìor mu dhaoine cuideachd? Mas dubh, mas odhar, mas donn, is toigh leis a’ ghobhair a meann.

Anns an leabhar aige In The Shadow of Cairngorm, tha an t-Oll. Urr. Uilleam Fearsithe ag ràdh gum biodh teaghlaichean de ghobhair gan rangachadh fhèin anns a’ bhuaile airson cadal air an oidhche. Gu h-àrd, bhiodh a’ mhàthair, an uair sin an Nighean, an uair sin an t-Ogha. Às dèidh sin, bhiodh am Fionn-ogha, “the great-grandchild”, agus an Dubh-ogha, “the great grandson’s grandson”.

Nise, chan eil mi buileach cinnteach am biodh a h-uile duine ag aontachadh gur e fionn-ogha “great grandchild” no gur e dubh-ogha “great great great-grandchild”. Tha dà ghinealach eadar na dhà a tha sin, agus cha chreid mi nach cuala mi daoine ag ràdh gur e dubh-ogha “great great-grandchild”, sin “the grandchild of a grandchild”.

’S dòcha gum bi beachd agaibh fhèin air seo, agus bhithinn toilichte cluinntinn bhuaibh. Ach seo mar a tha Dwelly ga aithris anns an fhaclair aige. Seo na ginealaich sreath chèile: athair, mac, ogha, iar-ogha, fionn-ogha agus dubh-ogha.

Nam biomaid a’ dèanamh eadar-theangachadh gu Beurla, chanamaid mar a leanas: ogha, grandson; iar-ogha, great-grandson, fionn-ogha, great-great-grandson; agus dubh-ogha, great-great-great-grandson. Agus, nam biodh sibh ag iarraidh a dhol na b’ fhaide na sin, chanadh sibh: iar-dubh-ogha is iar-iar-dubh-ogha agus ’s dòcha an uair sin direach fear no tè de shliochd an duine!

Mas ann air nigheanan a bhiodh sibh a’ bruidhinn, bhiodh e ag obair mar seo: ban-ogha, granddaughter; iar-bhan-ogha, great-granddaughter. Cha chuala mi fionn no dubh air an cleachdadh le ban-ogha. Ach ma tha sibh fhèin gan cleachdadh, bu mhath leam cluinntinn bhuaibh.

Ma tha sinn ag obair an rathad eile – suas na ginealaich – tha e a’ dol mar seo: athair, father; seanair, grandfather; sinn-seanair, great-grandfather; sinn-sinn-seanair, great-great-grandfather is mar sin air adhart. ’S dòcha, an dèidh sinn-sinn-seanair gun canadh sibh dìreach “sinnsear”!

Le boireannaich, tha e ag obair ann an dòigh choltach: màthair, mother; seanmhair, grandmother, sinn-seanmhair, great-grandmother, sinn-sinn-seanmhair, great-great-grandmother.

Nise, seo tòimhseachan dhuibh: Is mise iar-ogha mo shinn-seanar. Cò mi? Is mise iar-ogha mo shinn-seanar. Cò mi? Uill, ’s e am fuasgladh – mise! Ach bhiodh sibh ceart cuideachd le bhith ag ràdh “mo bhràthair” no “mo phiuthar” no “mo cho-ogha”. Uill, tha mi air a dhol fada bho na gobhair, ach sin mar a tha. ’S dòcha gun till mi thuca anns an ath Litir.

sòisealta: sociable; an t-Oll. Urr. Uilleam Fearsithe: Rev. Dr. William Forsyth; tòimhseachan: puzzle; piuthar: sister; co-ogha: [first] cousin.

O chionn dà bhliadhna gu leth: two and a half years ago; thug mi sùil air seanfhaclan co-cheangailte ri gobhair: I took a look at proverbs connected to goats; tha iad a’ cumail gu dlùth ri chèile: they keep close to each other;do you understand it?; chan eil e gu diofar dè an coltas a th’ air meann no àl a’ mhinn: the appearance of a kid goat, or the kid’s offspring, doesn’t matter; bidh an t-seann fheadhainn measail orra: the old ones will like them; bidh a mhàthair ga thomhas mar brèagha: its mother will reckon it’s beautiful; nach eil sin fìor mu dhaoine cuideachd?: isn’t that also true of people?; gan rangachadh fhèin anns a’ bhuaile: ranking themselves in the fold; airson cadal air an oidhche: for sleeping at night; cha chreid mi nach cuala mi daoine ag ràdh: I think I’ve heard people say; bhithinn toilichte cluinntinn bhuaibh: I would be pleased to hear from you; nam biomaid a’ dèanamh eadar-theangachadh gu Beurla: if we were translating into English; nam biodh sibh ag iarraidh a dhol na b’ fhaide: if you were wanting to go further; fear no tè de shliochd an duine: one of the man’s offspring; suas na ginealaich: up the generations; is mise iar-ogha mo shinn-seanar: I am the great-grandson of my great-grandfather; cò mi?: who am I?; ’s e am fuasgladh – mise: the solution is – me; tha mi air a dhol fada bho na gobhair: I’ve gone a long way from the goats; sin mar a tha: that’s how it is; ’s dòcha gun till mi thuca: perhaps I’ll return to them.

Here, for the record, are the Gaelic equivalents of the various generational relationships given in the Litir above, using masculine examples (sometimes females are represented by feminine forms, but not always) – and note that sinn can be replaced dialectally by the developed form sìr: sinn-sinn-seanair (great-great-grandfather), sinn-seanair (great-grandfather), seanair (grandfather), athair (father), mac (son), ogha (grandson), iar-ogha (great-grandson), fionn-ogha (great-great-grandson), dubh-ogha (great-great-great-grandson). If your own usage differs from that, I’d be really pleased to hear from you on [email protected].

Mas dubh, mas odhar, mas donn, is toigh leis a’ ghobhair a meann: whether it be black, dun or brown, the goat likes her kid. A mother always loves her child, whatever its appearance.

Tha “Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh” air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA