Little by Little Beag air Bheag

Introduction

A’ mhuir

The sea

Some of us live by the sea. Others visit it from time to time. There is a wonderful Gaelic vocabulary associated with the marine environment. We shall merely scratch the surface here – but we hope that many of you will delve deeper! You will note that some words, like muir, have a genitive (or possessive) form which is very different from the standard nominative form of the word. The genitive of muir (sea) is mara (of the sea - think of 'marine' or 'maritime').

Here is some vocabulary to get you started – both the nominative and genitive forms of the words, and their meanings, are given.

Conversation 1

Now listen to Seònaid and Iain as they take a walk down to a busy fishing harbour.

Conversation 1

Listen to the conversation:

Seònaid:

An toigh leat a’ mhuir, Iain?

Do you like the sea, Iain?

Iain:

Is toigh l'. Tha mo bhràthair na iasgair.

Yes. My brother is a fisherman.

Seònaid:

O, cha robh fios agam air sin.

Oh, I didn’t know that.

Iain:

Seadh. Nuair a bha sinn òg bha bàta againn.

Aye. When we were young we had a boat.

Seònaid:

Càite a bheil am bàta a-nise?

Where is the boat now?

Iain:

Shìos aig a’ chala.

Down at the harbour.

Seònaid:

Carson nach tèid sinn don chala an-dràsta?

Why don’t we go to the harbour just now?

Iain:

Glè mhath. Chan eil e fada co-dhiù.

Very good. It’s not far anyway.

Seònaid:

Chan eil. Is tha mi a’ faighinn fàileadh na mara an-dràsta.

No. And I am getting the smell of the sea just now.

Iain:

Fàileadh na mara. Feamainn a’ grodadh!

The smell of the sea. Seaweed rotting!

Seònaid:

Ist! ’S e fàileadh math a th’ ann!

Be quiet! It’s a good smell!

Iain:

Agus fàileadh a’ chala? Dè mu dheidhinn sin?

And the smell of the harbour? What about that?

Seònaid:

Tha sin math cuideachd. Èisg is dìosail!

That’s good too. Fish and diesel!

Iain:

Mmm. Is fheàrr leam fàileadh na feamann.

Mmm. I prefer the smell of the seaweed.

Seònaid:

Ach tha fàileadh anns a’ chala a tha math.

But there is a smell in the harbour that is good.

Iain:

Dè th’ ann?

What is it?

Seònaid:

Fàileadh nan iasgairean!

The smell of the fishermen!

Iain:

Tha thu ri fealla-dhà a-nise!

You are being silly now!

Seònaid:

Tha mi a’ ciallachadh - am fàileadh a tha dhiubh aig toiseach an là!

I mean – their smell [the smell that is from them] at the start of the day!

Iain:

Uill, chan eil fàileadh math dhiubh aig deireadh an là.

Well, they don’t smell good at the end of the day.

Seònaid:

A bheil do bhràthair aig muir an-dràsta?

Is your brother at sea just now?

Iain:

Tha, ach bidh e aig port ann an còig mionaidean.

Yes, but he will be in [the] port in five minutes.

Seònaid:

Ciamar a tha fios agad air sin?

How do you know that?

Iain:

Tha mi a’ cluinntinn fuaim a’ bhàta.

I am hearing the noise of the boat.

Conversations

A’ Mhuir

The Sea

Conversation 2

In Conversation 2, we will further develop the phraseology and vocabulary used in Conversation 1. Read and listen to Alasdair and Ceitidh as they take a walk along a beach.

This is the end of Unit 24. Why not test yourself to see how much you've learnt?

Find out how to talk about TV and radio programmes you like (or dislike) by going on to Unit 25.

Slàn leat!

Conversation 2

Listen to the conversation:

Alasdair:

’S e tràigh mhòr a tha seo.

This is a big beach.

Ceitidh:

’S e. Tràigh mhòr dha-rìribh.

Yes. A very big beach.

Alasdair:

Dè tha sin – crochte air na puist?

What is that – hanging on the posts?

Ceitidh:

’S e lìon a th’ ann.

It’s a net.

Alasdair:

Heidh – carson nach cluich sinn ball-coise?

Hey - why don’t we play football?

Ceitidh:

Thalla! ’S e lìon-iasgaich a th’ ann.

Go away! It’s a fishing net.

Alasdair:

Dè bhios iad a’ glacadh le lìon mar sin?

What do they catch with a net like that?

Ceitidh:

Bradain. Glacaidh iad bradain fhiadhaich.

Salmon. They catch wild salmon.

Alasdair:

A bheil sin ceadaichte?

Is that allowed?

Ceitidh:

Tha. Tha cead aig na h-iasgairean.

Yes. The fisherman have permission/a licence.

Alasdair:

Bu toigh leam an lìon fhaicinn.

I would like to see the net.

Ceitidh:

Trobhad ma-thà. Bheir sinn sùil air.

Come on then. We’ll take a look at it.

Alasdair:

Tha e mòr. Is tha feamainn ann.

It’s big. And it has seaweed in it.

Ceitidh:

Tha. A bheil thu a’ faighinn fàileadh na feamann?

Yes. Are you getting the smell of the seaweed.

Alasdair:

Tha. Tha e math.

Yes. It’s good.

Ceitidh:

Dè aois an lìn? A bheil e sean?

What is the age of the net? Is it old?

Alasdair:

Chanainn gu bheil e sean.

I would say it is old.

Ceitidh:

Chunnaic e bradain gu leòr.

It has seen a lot of salmon.

Alasdair:

Chunnaic, tha mi cinnteach. Agus feamainn gu leòr.

It has, I am sure. And plenty of seaweed.

Ceitidh:

Seall air sin.

Look at that.

Alasdair:

Dè th’ ann?

What is it?

Ceitidh:

Sealladh na tràghad.

The view of the beach.

Alasdair:

O uill, tha sin dìreach àlainn.

Oh well, that is just beautiful.