[just a few words of Gaidhlig - but worth it]
Tuesday
'...will never scribble as much as a note to the milk person in that cheap language.'
Seall seo, fichead mile not sa bhliadhna.
Look at this £20,000 a year.
'What do you think of that, then....'
And to help you towards such a tuarasdal (wage), remember that the Gaidhlig for sea urchin is crogan feannaig.
Friday, 15 January 2010
Monday, 11 January 2010
Aimsir Eachainn, 20 April 1984
Monday
For some time I have been considering making more use of the 8 acres of land that are between me and the shore which we call 'the croft' or "the lot". At one time I was half-thinking that perhaps I would get 2000 chickens, but I was afraid that Domhnall Beag Ceann Urnabhaigh would jump. But then the IDP [Indegrated Development Programme] came along and I thought to myself - here is my chance. I'll put, I said to myself, the entire croft under asparagus. And if Eachann Ruadh had not come to visit me a fortnight ago perhaps I would have started on it. You poor sad case, he said, giving [me] a blow to the back of the head, didn't your mother tell you anything? Did you hear about the first man who came home with a scythe with two handles to it. They turned out of every corner to make fun of him. The fool they cried, he will break his back, and they went off home to their old single-handed sickles that they had had from the time of Noah.
Who knows if they were not right. Perhaps asparagus will not grow in any case.
For some time I have been considering making more use of the 8 acres of land that are between me and the shore which we call 'the croft' or "the lot". At one time I was half-thinking that perhaps I would get 2000 chickens, but I was afraid that Domhnall Beag Ceann Urnabhaigh would jump. But then the IDP [Indegrated Development Programme] came along and I thought to myself - here is my chance. I'll put, I said to myself, the entire croft under asparagus. And if Eachann Ruadh had not come to visit me a fortnight ago perhaps I would have started on it. You poor sad case, he said, giving [me] a blow to the back of the head, didn't your mother tell you anything? Did you hear about the first man who came home with a scythe with two handles to it. They turned out of every corner to make fun of him. The fool they cried, he will break his back, and they went off home to their old single-handed sickles that they had had from the time of Noah.
Who knows if they were not right. Perhaps asparagus will not grow in any case.
Aimsir Eachainn, 15 July 1983
Friday
I heard a good one last night in Raebhat House. As you yourself know, the West Siders are terribly backwards. They do not do much in general society and so they do not learn. It appears that when the first croman [bent-handled hoe] came to Baravas, and it was not so long ago as all that, that there was great joy in the village. They came out of the black houses, young and old, so that they could see this amazing device. Then it happened that an old lad took a strong fancy to it and asked if he could have it for a short time. He got on with it so well that he hoed the entire village's potatoes. The man who the croman belonged to got mad. "Look at you there" he said, "going around the village making a big man of yourself with another man's croman. "
I heard a good one last night in Raebhat House. As you yourself know, the West Siders are terribly backwards. They do not do much in general society and so they do not learn. It appears that when the first croman [bent-handled hoe] came to Baravas, and it was not so long ago as all that, that there was great joy in the village. They came out of the black houses, young and old, so that they could see this amazing device. Then it happened that an old lad took a strong fancy to it and asked if he could have it for a short time. He got on with it so well that he hoed the entire village's potatoes. The man who the croman belonged to got mad. "Look at you there" he said, "going around the village making a big man of yourself with another man's croman. "
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Aimsir Eachainn, 15 October 1982
Walter Murdy...
***
I could not get over [usually faigh leis - get away with, succeed] that fool Walter telling you about the journey of Eachann to Glasgow, but time will tell if we will live through the coming week.
***
I could not get over [usually faigh leis - get away with, succeed] that fool Walter telling you about the journey of Eachann to Glasgow, but time will tell if we will live through the coming week.
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Aimsir Eachainn, 8 October 1982
Tuesday
Here's ...[beagan Bheurla eile]...
...As I have told you a hundred times, t'was a truly bad marriage that Calum Ruairidh Chaluim made [giving his lineage - Callum, son of Rory, son of Callum]. She nearly finally put him in the Poor house. She and the daughters did not leave a single chair inside the house unburned because of being too lazy to cut peat. One day Callum was speaking with 'Guru', Seonaidh Choinnich [Johnny, son of Kenneth]
"It's a sad day we are living in Seonaidh, but the mouth of a person is scarcely open before it speaks enough to put an end to itself. "
"You had better buy yourself a coffin now before they become too dear?" said Seonaidh .
" Don't you know that if I were to do that the 'dumplings' will burn it." [turraisg - dumpling, also colloquially a foolish woman]
Here's ...[beagan Bheurla eile]...
...As I have told you a hundred times, t'was a truly bad marriage that Calum Ruairidh Chaluim made [giving his lineage - Callum, son of Rory, son of Callum]. She nearly finally put him in the Poor house. She and the daughters did not leave a single chair inside the house unburned because of being too lazy to cut peat. One day Callum was speaking with 'Guru', Seonaidh Choinnich [Johnny, son of Kenneth]
"It's a sad day we are living in Seonaidh, but the mouth of a person is scarcely open before it speaks enough to put an end to itself. "
"You had better buy yourself a coffin now before they become too dear?" said Seonaidh .
" Don't you know that if I were to do that the 'dumplings' will burn it." [turraisg - dumpling, also colloquially a foolish woman]
Aimsir Eachainn, 19 February 1982
Monday
I remember one winter's night, shortly before Mussolini fell on the Abyssinians, going to visit Murdo the Soldier, as I often did. He was at his writing with his back to Peggy. "I am just now, my lad, writing a piece of poetry - me and the Wind in conversation. Sit down quietly and I will read a verse or two to you. Here now is me speaking to the Wind: "Who understands strength will not see the eye and will never be at rest, but he who often is mending sails would be playing football.
" Here then is the Wind replying ," said Murdo.
" It is that indeed," said Peggy, "and plenty of it."
... ...
Tuesday
"Are not men better than sheep?" (Matt., Verse 7). Notice, friends, that it was a question that the man who wrote those words was asking. It is clear that he was not sure which was better. Why else is there a question mark after the words? Perhaps on the other hand he was asking who is better OFF, men or sheep. In 1982 in this poor country which we live in, there is no doubt who is better off. There is a £6.50 subsidy on sheep but there is only £5.25 on children.
... ...
Wednesday
... ...
"When you were a painter, you were good at white-washing -
and many a lovely lad you spoiled with your splashing."
[the joke is partly having balach - boy, lad in the 'song' where here balla - wall would be more expected for white-washing.]
I remember one winter's night, shortly before Mussolini fell on the Abyssinians, going to visit Murdo the Soldier, as I often did. He was at his writing with his back to Peggy. "I am just now, my lad, writing a piece of poetry - me and the Wind in conversation. Sit down quietly and I will read a verse or two to you. Here now is me speaking to the Wind: "Who understands strength will not see the eye and will never be at rest, but he who often is mending sails would be playing football.
" Here then is the Wind replying ," said Murdo.
" It is that indeed," said Peggy, "and plenty of it."
... ...
Tuesday
"Are not men better than sheep?" (Matt., Verse 7). Notice, friends, that it was a question that the man who wrote those words was asking. It is clear that he was not sure which was better. Why else is there a question mark after the words? Perhaps on the other hand he was asking who is better OFF, men or sheep. In 1982 in this poor country which we live in, there is no doubt who is better off. There is a £6.50 subsidy on sheep but there is only £5.25 on children.
... ...
Wednesday
... ...
"When you were a painter, you were good at white-washing -
and many a lovely lad you spoiled with your splashing."
[the joke is partly having balach - boy, lad in the 'song' where here balla - wall would be more expected for white-washing.]
Monday, 4 January 2010
Aimsir Eachainn, 18th December 1981
Saturday
If we are still alive next week I must give you some advice about the shorter days that are coming on. It would not be any use doing a sermon in English as it is not the fashion amongst English Speakers to open up about things in the way that Gaelic speakers do. Remember the proverb: D = (UG)2, where D = the state of a man on Hogmanay, U = whisky, G = all the words of Gaelic which that man knows. Try to be equally sensible, friends.
If we are still alive next week I must give you some advice about the shorter days that are coming on. It would not be any use doing a sermon in English as it is not the fashion amongst English Speakers to open up about things in the way that Gaelic speakers do. Remember the proverb: D = (UG)2, where D = the state of a man on Hogmanay, U = whisky, G = all the words of Gaelic which that man knows. Try to be equally sensible, friends.
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