91Èȱ¬

CRIOMAG: ‘Bob Dylan’ (Rody Gorman & Iain Moireach)

1. CHO MATH IS A THA E: ‘how good it is’

Rody Gorman:
“Dhomh fhìn an rud a tha cudromach – cho math ’s a tha e mar cheòl, cho math ’s a tha e mar bhàrdachd, agus ’s e cho math ’s a tha e mar bhàrdachd an rud a tha ga tharraing gam ionnsaigh.”
“For me, the thing that’s important is how good it is as music, how good it is as poetry, and the thing that draws it towards me, is how good it is as poetry.”
“Thuirt Liam Clancy nuair a thachair esan ris, an toiseach nan sixties, gur e blotting paper a bh’ ann leis cho fosgailte ’s a bhiodh rudan a’ drùdhadh air.
“Liam Clancy said when he met him, in the early sixties, he (Dylan) was [like] blotting paper with how openly things would make an impression on him.” (‘how openly his mind would soak things in’)

cho *** agus a... / cho *** is a... : ‘how *** ...’

Mar eisimpleir:
Chuala sinn cho measail is a tha Rody Gorman air òrain Dylan.
‘We heard how keen Rody Gorman is on (how much he admires) Dylan’s songs.’
Chan eil iad a’ tuigsinn cho duilich is a tha mi.
‘They don’t realise how sorry I am.’
Chan eil an sanas ag innse cho sean is a tha e.
‘The sign doesn’t say how old it is.’
Cho laghach is a tha iad!
‘How nice they are!’

2. DÈ CHO MATH IS A THA E?: ‘How good is it?’

A’ cheist: DÈ CHO *** is a... ? ‘How *** ... ?’

Dè cho sean is a tha an caisteal?
‘How old is the castle?’
Dè cho measail is a tha sibh air maorach?
‘How keen are you on shellfish?’
Dè cho math is a tha Dylan na do bheachd-sa?
‘How good is Dylan in your opinion?’
Dè cho daor ’s a bha an t-seacaid sin?
‘How expensive was that jacket?’
Dè cho fosgailte ’s a bhios iad?
‘How open-minded will they be?’
Dè cho luath is a dh’fhalbh iad?
‘How quickly did they go away?’

3. CHO MATH: ‘SO GOOD’

Bha an fhèis cho math!
‘The festival was so good!’
Tha mi cho measail air an obair aige!
‘I’m so admiring of (so keen on) his work!
Bha an t-seacaid sin cho daor!
‘That jacket was so expensive!’
Tha iad cho laghach!
‘They’re so nice!’
Dh’fhuirich sinn cho fada ris!
‘We waited so long for it!’

4. CHO MATH RI... : ‘AS GOOD AS ...’

A bheil iad cho math ri Dylan?
‘Are they as good as Dylan?’
A bheil thu cho measail rium fhìn orra?
‘Are you as keen as me on them?
Chan eil i cho àrd ri a piuthar.
‘She’s not as tall as her sister.’
Bha iad cho laghach ris an òr.
‘They were as nice as ninepence.’ (‘as nice as the gold’)
Bha mi a’ faireachdainn cho sgìth ri seann chù ag èisteachd ris.
‘I felt as tired as an old dog listening to him.’

Ach:
‘as *** as’ + verb (e.g. ‘as fast as they did’, ‘as soon as you can’):
cho *** agus a . . . (Faic 1.)
Cha do ruith mise cho fada is a ruith iadsan.’
‘I didn’t run as far as they did.’
Dèan e cho luath is as urrainn dhut.
‘Do it as quickly / as soon as you can.’