91Èȱ¬

1. bhathas

Calum Angus MacAoidh (‘Taisgte’)

“Àirnean Moire – a bhathas a’ cleachdadh, a-rèir coltais, gus a bhith na chuideachadh do bhoireannaich, leanabh a thoirt dhan t-saoghal.”
“Virgin Mary kidneys [sea-beans] – which were used, apparently, to be a help to women to bring a child into the world’ - ‘to help women bring a child into the world’.

a bhathas a’ cleachdadh = that people used, that were used

Bhathas / Bhathar ag iarraidh orm a bhith ag obair tron oidhche.
[They] were asking me, I was being asked to work through the night.
Cha robhas / Cha robhar a’ teagasg Gàidhlig aig an am sin idir.
Gaelic wasn’t being taught then at all.

Thathas / Thathar a’ creidsinn gun tig na ceudan.
It’s thought that hundreds will attend.
Chan eileas / Chan eilear cinnteach carson a thachair e.
Nobody’s sure why that happened.

2. an TÈ /am FEAR as motha, as lugha / the biggest, smallest ONE

Fionnlagh MacLeòid (‘Taisgte’)
“Agus ’s i an tè as motha de na seòrsaichean a th’ ann - cnò-moire.”
“And the biggest one of the different kinds that exist is the Virgin Mary nut.”

an tè as motha - the biggest one (feminine / boireanta)
am fear as motha - the biggest one (masculine / fireanta)

Fireanta ♂
an còta as motha - the largest coat - the largest one - am fear as motha.
Tha mi ag iarraidh còta – am fear as motha a tha agaibh.
The largest one (♂) you’ve got.

Boireanta ♀
an t-seacaid as motha - the biggest jacket
the biggest one - an tè as motha.
Tha mi ag iarraidh seacaid – an tè as motha a tha agaibh.
The largest one (♀) you’ve got.

am fear as lugha / an tè as lugha : the smallest one
Tha mi ag iarraidh còta – am fear as lugha a tha agaibh. The smallest one (♂) you’ve got.
Tha mi ag iarraidh seacaid – an tè as lugha a tha agaibh. The smallest one (♀) you’ve got.

3. AS MOTHA, AS LUGHA : the most, the least.

AS MOTHA + verb: the most

Fionnlagh MacLeòid (‘Taisgte’):
“An duine as motha rinn a chruinneachadh orra sna h-eileanan againne, ’s e Uilleam MacGilvaray.”
“The person who did the most collecting of them in our islands, is William MacGilvaray.”

We all spoke, but Barbara spoke the most.
Bhruidhinn sinn uile, ach ’s i Barbal as motha a bhruidhinn.

am baile as motha - the biggest town
ach
am baile as motha a tha a’ còrdadh rium - the town I like the most

an rud as motha - the biggest thing
ach
an rud as motha tha a’ cur eagal orm - the thing that most frightens me

an naidheachd as motha - the biggest news’
ach
an naidheachd as motha a chuir iongnadh orm - the news that most surprised me

AS LUGHA + verb: the least

an rud as lugha - the smallest thing
ach
an rud as lugha a chuir iongnadh orm - the thing that least surprised me
an rud as lugha bha dùil agam ris - the thing I least expected

4. CÀIL A (dh’fhios / chuimhne / leisge) : ‘the slightest…’

Tha fhios agam. I know.
Chan eil fhios agam. I don’t know.
Chan eil càil a dh’fhios agam. I haven’t got the slightest idea, I haven’t got a clue.
A bheil càil a dh’fhios agad càit an deach iad? Chan eil, tha mi duilich, chan eil càil a dh’fhios agam.
Do you have any idea where they went? I don’t, sorry, not a clue.
Fàgaidh sinn aig a sin e, mus smaoinich sibh nach eil càil a chuimhn’ agam dè an uair a tha e.
We’ll leave it there, in case you think I’ve completely forgotten what time it is.

Tha cuimhn’ agam. I remember.
Chan eil cuimhn’ agam. I don’t remember.
Chan eil càil a chuimhn’ agam. I’ve got no memory whatsoever, I can’t remember at all.
I don’t have the slightest memory.
A bheil càil a chuimhn’ agad càit an deach iad? Chan eil, tha mi duilich, chan eil càil a chuimhn’ agam.
Can you remember at all where they went? No, I'm sorry, I can't remember at all.

Patsi NicCoinnich (‘Sàr Chlàr’):
“Cha robh càil a leisg’ ort!” “You had absolutely no hesitation.”

Bha leisg’ orm. I hesitated, I was reluctant (‘reluctance was on me’).
Cha robh leisg’ orm. I had no hesitation.
Cha robh càil a leisg’ orm. I had absolutely no hesitation.
Tha mi an dòchas nach bi càil a leisg’ oirbh sùil a thoirt air na notaichean air-loidhne.
I hope you won’t hesitate to have a look at the online notes.

Abairtean eile (‘Sàr-chlàr’) :

1. Patsi NicCoinnich:
“Cha b’ e ruith ach leum nuair a thàinig mi thugad ag iarraidh ort clàr a thaghadh".”
“You jumped at the chance when I came to you to ask you to pick a record.”

Cha b’ e ruith ach leum - It wasn’t a run but a leap, i.e. You jumped at the chance.

2. Patsi NicCoinnich:
“Tha fios a’m gu robh sinn a’ bruidhinn a-null ’s a-nall ’s mar sin air adhart, mar a bhios sinn, le leithid a chuspair agus leithid a cheist a tha gu math doirbh.”
“I know we talked to-and-fro and so on, as we do, with that kind of topic and that kind of question that’s quite difficult.”

(a) leithid a rud - such a thing, that kind of thing
LEITHID A + sèimheachadh:

Chan fhaca mi leithid a bhùrach riamh. I’ve never seen such a mess.
Chan eil e furasta bruidhinn mu leithid a chuspair. It’s not easy talking about such a subject.
Cha bhiodh iad deònach leithid a cheist a fhreagairt. They wouldn’t be willing to answer that kind of question.