| Language | This is a rich text, full of vocabulary relating to a variety of subjects, such as island life, religion, war, philosophy, history, and literature.
The text is often very descriptive as can be seen from the following extracts: ‘An nochd dhèanadh a’ ghaoth tàladh orm o leabhar, le duanagan seòlta mu thìmean eile, làithean a th’air triall mar cheò camhanaich ’s nach tìll a chaoidh. Ach có aige a tha fios nach e aoir a th’ aice air an leabhar a th’ air m’ aire, no brosnachadh do mo thaibhsean frithealtach iad a dh’ éirigh an ceannairc an aghaidh na cainnte choigrich anns am bheil mi sàs an abaicheachd nam bliadhnachan?’ (p. 3). On Gaelic, he says: ‘Tha e nar comas sinn fhéin a dhèanamh beartach le a seann subhailcean, a bhith ga bruidhinn ’s ga leughadh ’s ga sgrìobhadh, a bhith a’ neartachadh a buadhan le cnuasachadh is eadar-theangachadh is ionnsachadh, le sgrùdadh is beachdachadh air inntinnean is cruthan-smuaint nan sgrìobhaidhean ceilteach is Sasanach fa-leth;’ (p. 6), and on the stars: ‘ciod a bu chiall, a bu ghné dhaibh, ’s iad cho biorach, lainnreach, foistineach, a’ breacadh nan nèamhan le an lìonmhorachd’ (p. 16).
The following list gives some idea of the breadth of terminology used in this text: a’ bùrain (p. 1), Fraingis for ‘Francis’ (p. 2), éiridh i uairean ás a gul-tàmh (p. 2), a’ lionadh ’s a’ tràghadh (p. 2), sgeulòrain cheòlmhor shiùbhlach, bàrdachd is rosg làidir deas-bhriathrach (p. 5), margadh for ‘market’ (p. 5), litir-puist (p. 5), aig an uinneig-chìnn (p. 6), beuc na mara (p. 6), ri ceòl allmharra na gaoithe (p. 7), am paidhir ud (p. 7), fad-fheitheamh (p. 7), thuit an dubh-dhosgainn air baile-puirt (p. 7), bàta-teasargainn (p. 7), fèath-nan-eun (p. 8), ròlaisteachd (p. 8), slìobadh lìomharra (p. 8), a’ gabhail seachad air bratlaiste na cuimhne (p. 8), “sgrìob air falbh” (p. 9), gu tìrean mu dheas (p. 9), àrsaidheachd (p. 11), mar mharsanta (p. 12), na saighdearan a’ màrsail sìos an gleann (p. 13), taibhsean cluaineasach m’òige (p. 13), o chaidh mi null thar chuain (p. 13), anns an do dh’uisgicheadh (p. 13), an togail-ìnntinn dìomhair ud (p. 14), do thràth-làithean (p. 14), ’na shamhla no ’na ìomhaigh (p. 14), smaoinich mi le trom-smaoint (p. 15), Thainig e dhachaidh orm (p. 15), doimhneachdan do-thuigsinn (p. 16), chuir leabhar Jeans tolg nach càirte a chaoidh (p. 16), uisge na Sàbaide (p. 16), ag atharrachadh seòl-asdair (p. 16), am priobadh-sùil (p. 16), an sàga ud (p. 23), an lot againn fhìn (p. 24), na bàtaichean-cogaidh (p. 26), fochunn (p. 27), idir-idir (p. 27), leis na faoin-sgeulan gun seagh (p. 29), san dol-a-mach (p. 34), staimhnte (p. 34), gròig na gaoithe (p. 35), air còrsa na ceàrna so (p. 39), gach seuson (p. 39), grùdaireachd na dibhe (p. 40), Hóro-gheallaidh (p. 41), gu bristeadh-là (p. 41) and bial-an-latha (p. 41), ìobairt-daonnda (p. 41), air subhailcean sìobhalta (p. 46), a meadhon ùpraid is carraid gun-sgur (p. 46), am burraidh as dàine (p. 46), mar chraobh-chosgairt (p. 46), Co-dhiùbh na co-dheth (p. 48), air leaba-a-bàis (p. 51), faisg-a-mhìle dha (p. 55), sa’ chadha so (p. 58), uair dhe’n t-saoghal (p. 59), turas-coidse (p. 59), a’ bòrdadh a’ charbaid (p. 59), tigh-stad (p. 59), susbaint nan tìmean a dh’fhalbh (p. 61), saorsa-rannaigheachd (p. 63), soisgealach eudmhor na feallsanachd Ghearmailtich (p. 63), tigh’nn-gu-ìre (p. 65), chaidh oidhirp air [...] gu tur mu làr (p. 65), leis an Teaghlach Rìoghail is a’ Phàrtaidh Thòraidh (p. 67), Pàpanaich (p. 67), trèn (p. 70), an aghaidh an dràgoin (p. 73), an cinne-daoin (p. 74), gun stàth (p. 74), san allaban chian (p. 74), drionganach (p. 78), Rìgheachdan nan Sacsanach (p. 83), muinntir-tathaich (p. 84), bàrr m’ àilghis (p. 87), leasgodach mu choinneamh ath-oilein (p. 87), air nàdur a iuinibhears (p. 88), rùrachd-eòlais (p. 88), làn-dì-bheatha (p. 89), an traidision (p. 91), modhan-cainnte (p. 102), a’ chomhachag (p. 109), mar usgar fuadain (p. 109), ìunntas (p. 110), bho ar spiris, san fhicheadamh lìnn (p. 117), muigh-na-mach (p. 119), and bha ’n ceòl air feadh na fìdhle (p. 119).
In particular, there is much terminology throughout the text relating to religion, including an Cruthadair (p. 9), mar fhoirbheach (p. 12), Sàtan ’s a chuid ainglean (p. 12), “deanamh ri monadh” (p. 12), air nàdur mhic-an-duine (p. 14), bheir creudan feallsa, aobharan teagamhach, a’ tairgsinn bunait no meadhon-beatha spioradail, buaidh orra (p. 14), ceistean cunnartach saobhchràbhach, a bha toirmsgte do bhalach a bha mealtainn teagasgan is dearbhaidhean neo-ghluasadach na h-Eaglais Shaoire (p. 16), ann an Dia cronachail nam buidheann-eudmhor, am Bodach feargach san adhar (p. 16), air an Latha bheannaichte (p. 16), Fear-teagaisg Mór do Chlann nan Daoine (p. 28), a thur-iompachadh (p. 28) and a ghrad-iompachadh (p. 28), Calbhin (p. 28), an Diadhaire (p. 31), Fàidh (p. 32), a’ togail fuinn an t-sailm (p. 50), oidhche gabhail-nan-Leabhraichean (p. 50), a’ leughadh na caibidil (p. 51), ás an t-Seann Tiomnadh (p. 51), Leabhar an Taisbeanaidh (p. 51), ’n Tiomnadh Nuadh (p. 51), ceann-teagaisg (p. 53), feasgar Comanachaidh (p. 53), mu Phàrrasan glòrmhor ’s mu Nèamh anns na h-àrdaibh, Tìr-nan-Og is Abhalon (p. 56), an Tuiteamas (p. 60), An Sinagog (p. 65), fàidhean feallta (p. 66), Focal Dhé (p. 66), modhan-cràbhaidh ionadail (p. 66), le teagasg cumhang na cùbaide (p. 66), Latha mór a’ Bhreitheanais—Latha an Taghaidh (p. 67), an Soisgeul (p. 74), na diathan ’s na creideamhan (p. 77), stìopaill nan teampuill (p. 78), àite-coisrigte (p. 82), easbuig (p. 83), na laghan eaglaiseil (p. 87), eadhon dhaoine bha ’nam mì-chreidmhich fhollaiseach (p. 103), oirdhearcas-cainnte a’ Bhìobuille Ughdarraichte (p. 103), caoban Sgriobtur (p. 103), mar phioghaidean (p. 104), cruthan aonteagasgail (p. 106), gloibhcealachd nam moderates (p. 107), Maois (p. 107), ás an Leabhar Mhath (p. 107), Cosmhalachd Chrìosd (p. 114), Ath-leasachadh mór na h-Eaglaise (p. 117), na Daonndaich (Humanists) (p. 118), Daonndachas (p. 118), Latha-nan-Uile-Naomh (p. 119), and den eaglais Easbuigeach Mheadhon-Lìnntich (p. 126). At one point, a number of musical instruments are named: ‘Tha corra inneal ciùil air an ainmeachadh anns a’ Bhìobull, clàrsaichean is saltairean, nabalan is tiompanan, ciombalan is trompaidean—eadhon ar seann charaide an t-òrgan’ (p. 55).
The terminology relating to war includes balgan-adhair a dhìon dhocaichean (p. 77), air an raoin-adhair (p. 77), turas-rathaid (p. 77), ann an conbhoidh (p. 77), an nàmhaid (p. 77), o raoin-laighe (p. 78), plèanaichean (p. 78), sligean a’ sianail bho na sliosan coillteach (p. 78), a’ spreadhadh air an àrainn (p. 78), and bomairean Siapanach (p. 78).
Ros also touches on some aspects of Scottish history in his essays, as can be seen from the following quote: ‘B’ann am meadhon na h-ochdamh-lìnn-deug a chaidh baile beag a stéidheachadh le Diùc Ghòrdain air an druim fhada chòmhnard so eadar dà abhainn, far an robh roimhe sin croit no dhà, sabhal—bhon tugadh ainm an àite—agus àirighean timcheall air na leathadan. Tha tuathan mar tha “Blàr-nam-Marbh,” is “Bad-nam-Freumh” faisg air làimh [...]’ (p. 34).
The text contains much vocabulary relating to the author’s childhood in Glendale, particularly in the second and third chapters, and to other Highland areas the author has known over the years, such as Tomintoul and Gigha. Examples include tigh is cnoc is craobh, abhainn is tobar, is bàthach, caoraich air monadh is mart no dhà air croit (p. 13), Air taobh thall a’ ghlinne sheas tighean cuanta Holmasdail (p. 19), an crodh a thoirt gu fiar (p. 32), glagraich nan sglèat (p. 33), and cruaidh-ghaillionn a tha coingeis ri pòir is fàs an earraich (p. 33). Often particular places are mentioned, as in the following passage: ‘Tha mo nàbachd a nise ris a’ Chàrnghorm ’s an abhainn Spé, ri Srath-Abhainn (no Srath-Ath-fhìnn, mar a their cuid a th’ ann), is ri Dal-nam-Bó, agus ged a tha Tom-an-t-Sabhail fhéin an Siorrachd Bhanbh, tha trì Siorrachdan eile làimh rinn, Moireibh, Inbhirnis agus Obaireadhain, a tha ’nan trì a’ putadh uilnean a nuas an taobh so’ (pp. 33-34).
A large number of place-names, particularly from Scotland but also from elsewhere, are mentioned throughout the text, for example, Ameiriga (p. 6), bhon Ghreig (p. 6), gu’n Ruis (p. 6), Cinntìr (p. 6), Innse Gall (p. 7), An Cuan Barrach ’s an Cuan Sgìth (p. 7), cuid de chlachan-cìnn Chìll-Chatain (p. 7), naoimh na h-Eaglaise Ceiltich agus creach nan Lochlainneach (p. 7), Arcaibh (p. 7), Gleanndail (p. 9), Malaig (p. 9), Tairbeart Loch-Fìne gu Giodha is Ile (p. 9), sna h-Innsean (p. 9), an Cuilthionn (p. 9), lots of places in Skye (e.g. p. 12), Bràigh Chailboist (p. 13), “Mulladh a’ Bhràigh” (p. 13), Bàideanach (p. 31), muinntir Choire-cheatachain (p. 48), Dunéideann (p. 53), seachad air a’ Chrianlàraich (p. 71), Baile-Eilidh (p. 71), and an t-Ath-leathann is Portrìgh is Dunbheagain (p. 123).
Throughout the text the author includes quotes from Gaelic poems (e.g. p. 1, p. 10), and also some of his own verse (e.g. p. 11, p. 35). For example, when discussing Gigha, Ros includes a poem that he wrote one morning as he looked out over the island from a hill above the church. The poem begins ‘Neamhaid gheal thu air clàr cuain, \ ’s bristeadh stuadh air do thràigh, \ muir is adhar ’s rogha tìr, \ cladach mìn-gheal do bhàgh’ (p. 35). |
