
19/12/2006
Letter for those at an early stage in learning Gaelic.
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An Litir Bheag 32
Duration: 04:21
An Litir Bheag 32
Anns a’ Mhà rt ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ’s a h-ochd (1848), bha cùisean duilich ann an Ceap Breatainn. Bha gort anns an amharc. Bha na daoine gann de bhiadh agus gann de shìol. Dh’iarr iad air an riaghaltas taic a thoirt dhaibh.
           Seo pà irt de litir a bha anns a’ Chape Breton Spectator: “Chan eil sìol de sheòrsa sam bith aig barrachd na aon duine à s gach còig ceud. Mura faighear grèim air sìol ... bidh ... gort mhòr ann san ath gheamhradh... Tha mòran ... a’ beachdachadh air falbh do na Stà itean [Aonaichte] ...â€
           Bha a’ chùis èiginneach. An do mhothaich sibh dè a’ bhliadhna a bh’ ann? Ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ’s a h-ochd (1848). Bha gaiseadh a’ bhuntà ta ann. Bha sin a’ dèanamh cron air a’ bhuntà ta, mar a bha ann an Alba is Èirinn.
           Bha feadhainn dòchasach, ge-tà . Bha gnìomhachas math aig fear, Iain Rothach. Bha e a’ reic fiodha bho na coilltean. Bha e a’ pà igheadh airgead math. Bha e deònach fiodh a cheannach bho na daoine. Bhiodh airgead aig na daoine an uair sin.
Ach chuir Tormod MacLeòid stad orra. Dh’iarr Tormod orra gun a bhith a’ dèiligeadh ri Iain Rothach. Carson? Uill, bha Tormod ag rà dh gu robh an Rothach ri cùl-mhùtaireachd. Sin smuggling. Cùl-mhùtaireachd. Bha e, a rèir Thormoid, a’ toirt branndaidh a-steach gu mì-laghail. ’S e peacadh a bha sin. Ged a bha acras air na daoine, dh’iarr Tormod orra gun a dhol faisg air bùth an Rothaich.
           Mun à m sin, fhuair Tormod litir agus parsail à Astrà ilia. Bha iad bho a mhac, Dòmhnall. Bha Dòmhnall a’ fuireach ann an Astrà ilia. Bha e na dheasaiche air pà ipear-naidheachd. Chuir e grunn lethbhreacan dhen phà ipear anns a’ pharsail. Leugh Tormod iad. Leugh e mu thalamh math agus aimsir mhath. Leugh feadhainn eile na pà ipearan-naidheachd cuideachd. Thòisich feadhainn air beachdachadh air a dhol a dh’Astrà ilia.
Ach bha Tormod seasgad ’s a h-ochd bliadhna a dh’aois. Bha a’ bhean, Mà iri, còrr is seasgad. Cha robh ise a’ cumail gu math. An robh iadsan deiseil airson falbh gu dùthaich eile? Chì sinn de rinn iad an ath-sheachdain.    Â
Faclan is abairtean
Faclan is abairtean: bha cùisean duilich: things were difficult; bha gort anns an amharc: a famine was in prospect; gann de bhiadh agus gann de shìol: short of food and short of seed; barrachd na aon duine à s gach còig ceud: more than one person in five hundred; mura faighear grèim air sìol: if seed is not obtained; a’ beachdachadh air falbh: considering leaving; è¾±²µ¾±²Ô²Ô±ð²¹³¦³ó: desperate; an do mhothaich sibh dè a’ bhliadhna a bh’ ann?: did you notice what year it was?; gaiseadh a’ bhuntà ta: the potato blight; a’ dèanamh cron air a’ bhuntà ta: damaging the potato [crop]; bha feadhainn dòchasach, ge-tà : some were hopeful, however; bha gnìomhachas math aig Iain Rothach: John Munro had a good business; Bha e deònach fiodh a cheannach: he was willing to buy wood; bhiodh airgead aig na daoine an uair sin: the people would then have money; chuir Tormod MacLeòid stad orra: Norman MacLeod stopped them; dh’iarr Tormod orra gun a bhith a’ dèiligeadh ri Iain Rothach: Norman asked them not to have dealings with John Munro; gu robh an Rothach ri cùl-mhùtaireachd: that Munro was involved in smuggling; a’ toirt branndaidh a-steach gu mì-laghail: importing brandy illegally; peacadh: sin; gun a dhol faisg air bùth an Rothaich: not to go near Munro’s shop; litir agus parsail à Astrà ilia: a letter and parcel from Australia; bha e na dheasaiche air pà ipear-naidheachd: he was the editor of a newspaper; grunn lethbhreacan: several copies; leugh e mu thalamh math agus aimsir mhath: he read about good land and good weather; thòisich feadhainn air beachdachadh air a dhol a dh’Astrà ilia: some start to consider going to Australia; bha a’ bhean còrr is seasgad: his wife was more than sixty [years old]; cha robh ise a’ cumail gu math: she didn’t keep well; an robh iadsan deiseil airson falbh gu dùthaich eile?: were they (emphatic) ready to leave for another country?; chì sinn de rinn iad: we shall see what they did.
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.