| Contents | This volume contains 18 chapters as follows: 1. Pàirce an Taobh an Iar (pp. 1-3), 2. Fear na Seacaid Uaine (pp. 4-7), 3. Tè nan Sùilean Donn (pp. 8-11), 4. “Angel Eyes” (pp. 12-16), 5. Donnchadh MacPhàil (pp. 17-20), 6. Fear na Deise Loirich (pp. 21-13), 7. Fàileadh an Uilc (pp. 24-27), 8. A’ Chaileag-Fhrithealaidh Bheag (pp. 28-34), 9. Oidhche Chiùil (pp. 35-39), 10. Caidreachas na h-Iolaire (pp. 40-42), 11. Sgàil a’ Bhàis (pp. 43-46), 12 An Càrn Dubh (pp. 47-49), 13. An Cadha Dorcha (pp. 50-55), 14. Taigh na Bruaiche (pp. 56-59), 15. “Clinker” (pp. 60-62), 16. Clann nan Gaidheal (pp. 63-67), 17. An Guaillean a Chèile (pp. 68-72), 18. Deireadh Gnothaich (pp. 73-76). |
| Language | This text is a good source of contemporary Gaelic vocabulary including political terminology, Gaelic idioms, terms of address and endearment, oaths, and English borrowings.
The contemporary political terminology includes words and phrases such as Roinn na Dachaidh (p. 73), Gàrradh Alba (p. 73), anns an t-seirbhis shìobhalta (p. 73), deamocrataich (p. 30), san t-seirbhis dhìomhair (p. 30), na Nàiseantaich (p. 30), anns a' pharlamaid (p. 32), cuid de bhuill-pàrlamaid (p. 30), ris an aimhreit shòisealta agus phoiliticeach (p. 32), and Nazidhean (p. 45).
This text is a good source of Gaelic idioms such as a chur an làimh (p. 73), tha i air bhioran (p. 74), ’s e Aonghas am balach! (p. 75), deach agad air (p. 4), and chaidh e le creig (p. 19). This text also contains examples of different constructions using the verb ‘phone’ e.g. dh’fhòn e ga h-ionnsaigh (p. 73), dh’fhòn mi gu (p. 75), and fònadh dhachaidh (p. 71).
This text is a useful source of terms of address and endearment, such as a thasgaidh (p. 75), m’ eudail (p. 75), a bhalaich (p. 74), ’ille (p. 74), a’ Mhdn-uasal (p. 75), A’ Bhean-phòsda (p. 63), Mgr (p. 75), thìocais (p. 30), glaoic (p. 33), shin thu (p. 70). It is also a good source of oaths, for example, An ainm a h-uile càil math (p. 6), An ainm an Aigh (p. 29), Dhia, cuidich me! (p. 44), A Dhè, cuidich sinn (p. 67), An ainm Dhè (p. 49), dèan trocair orm! (p. 57), ann an làmhan an Tighearna (p. 69), ann an làmhan a’ Chruithear (p. 69), and Taing do Dhia (p. 71).
There are a number of words and phrases of English origin, e.g. fuaim na trabhaig (p. 1), thionndaidh e air a shàil (p. 1), an lioft (p. 2), anns an t-seuthar mhòr leathrach (p. 3), pannaladh fiodha (p. 4), mheileabhaid (p. 4), seàirdeant (p. 19), làraidh (p. 20), na steapaichean (p. 23), siogàr (p. 24), strèin (p. 28), loighne (p. 29), fhuair Aonghas a leabhraichean (p. 31), baga a phacaigeadh (p. 33), tàirgnean-sgriubha (p. 43), ann am pocaid an anoraic (p. 45), siostam (p. 45), poidsearan (p. 56), ratreut (p. 57), polasman (p. 70), am Pròbhaist (p. 62), stèids (p. 64), stiùbhartan (p. 64), giotàraichean (p. 65), ionnstramaidean (p. 65), air a’ mhicrofòn (p. 65), aig a’ phiana (p. 65), fàilingean (p. 67), fon bhalconaidh (p. 70), an t-Àrd-Inspector (p. 70), faighinn na companaidh air a casan (p. 75), rumannan (p. 75), spot de dhust (p. 75), and naipicinn (p. 75).
The text is also a useful source of contemporary Gaelic terminology relating to various topics, e.g. anns a’ chompanaidh sanasan-reic (p. 2), Feòrachadh ‘Inquiries’ (p. 3), an t-Àrd fhear-stiùiridh (p. 3), bocsa nan cungaidhean-leighis ‘First Aid Box’ (p. 19), clag na fòna (p. 22), taigh loidsidh (p. 23), pios-làimhe na fòna (p. 25), inneal-bearraidh fiasaig (p. 44), dà bhiora-droma ‘drumsticks’ (p. 65), and innealan bualaidh ‘percussion instruments’ (p. 65). |
| Orthography | The author’s dialect may be represented in the use of such forms as a’ faireachadh (p. 73), a’ bruidheann (p. 73), ruigheachd (p. 23), a thathainn (p. 5), cha dhèan (p. 74), gun robhas (p. 73), on rather than bhon (p. 75), lathaichean (p. 73), ge bith (p. 1), uimhir rather than uiread (p. 4), dòigh-bruidhne (p. 5), gaoirdean rather than gàirdean (p. 5), deas rather than deiseil (p. 6), naodh (p. 26), bùthainnean (p. 27), cuide ris (p. 45), and matà (p. 57).
The author also uses the following forms: nam bitheadh (p. 1), an deaghaidh (e.g. p. 74), nach deachaidh (p. 28), an raoir (p. 75), and the dative singular ending in air a mhalaidh (p. 30).
The orthography is generally that of the late twentieth century. |
