Bilingual transcription: Na h-Eileanan

Watch this còmhradh (conversation) between Sophie and Pàdraig.

SOPHIE: Sin an dealbh mu dheireadh bhon chuairt agam ach chan fhaca mi sgeul air an uilebheist. Ciamar a tha thu co-dhiù?

That’s the last photo from my trip but I never saw the monster. How are you anyway?

PÀDRAIG: Tha mi gu math. Tha mi a’ faireachdainn gu math misneachail mun chùrsa a-nise. Tha na caraidean agam air a bhith taiceil ach tha mi a’ coimhead air adhart ri cuairt air a’ bhàt’-aiseig eadar Malaig agus Armadal air mo shlighe dhachaigh.

I’m very well. I’m feeling quite confident about my course now. My friends have been supportive but I’m looking forward to taking a trip home on the ferry between Mallaig and Armadale.

SOPHIE: Cuin a bhios am bàta sin a’ seòladh?

When does that boat sail?

PÀDRAIG: Bidh i a’ seòladh trì tursan san latha, leis a’ chiad tè aig còig mionaidean an dèidh seachdsa mhadainn. Gheibh mi a’ chiad trèana à Glaschu aig fichead mionaid an dèidh ochd agus gheibh mi an t-aiseig aig dà uair feasgar.

It sails three times a day with the first one at five minutes past seven in the morning. I’ll get the first train from Glasgow at twenty minutes past eight and I’ll catch it at two in the afternoon.

SOPHIE: Dè cho fad ’s a bheir i?

How long does it take?

PÀDRAIG: Bheir i mu thrì chairteal na h-uarach, agus mas e am bàta as motha a bhios ann, cha toir i sin ach mu leth-uair. Is toil leam a’ mhuir. Tha eathar aig m’ athair.

It takes about three quarters of an hour, and if it’s the larger boat, it only takes about half an hour. I like the sea. My father has a small boat.

SOPHIE: Eathar. Dè tha sin?

What’s that?

PÀDRAIG: Sin bàta beag airson iasgach. Bidh m’ athair ag iasgach mar chur-seachad.

It’s a small fishing boat. My father fishes for a hobby.

SOPHIE: Dè a bhios d’ athair a’ glacadh?

What does your father catch?

PÀDRAIG: Bidh e a’ glacadh iasg agus maorach. Bidh e a’ cur a-mach cliabh no dhà, bidh iad sin a’ dol fodha, sìos fon uisge gu grunnd na mara, agus ma bhios e fortanach, glacaidh e crùbagan neo giomaich.

He catches fish and shellfish. He puts out a creel or two out, they go under the water, down to the seabed and if he’s lucky, he’ll catch crabs or lobsters.

SOPHIE: Chunnaic mi iasgairean le slatan air Abhainn Nis.

I saw fishermen with rods on Loch Ness.

PÀDRAIG: Chan e slat a bhios againne anns an eathar, ach dorgh! Sin loidhne fhada air am bi iomadh dubhan. Bidh na dubhain a’ dol sìos fon uisge agus a’ glacadhtòrr èisg aig an aon àm.

We don’t use rods on the boat, but a handline. That’s a long line with lots of hooks. It goes under the water and catches lots of fish at the same time.

SOPHIE: Dè an seòrsa iasg as cumanta?

What’s the most common type of fish?

PÀDRAIG: Bidh sinn a’ glacadh rionnach agus liùgh. Uaireannan bidh m’ athair a’ sailleadh an rionnaich.

We catch mackerel and lythe. Sometimes my father salts the mackerel.

SOPHIE: Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gun còrdadh e rium a dhol a-mach ann an eathar beag mar sin ach bhiodh eagal orm gun deidheadh i fodha.

I think I’d like to go out in a small boat like that but I’d be afraid it would sink.

PÀDRAIG: Cha deidheadh i fodha! Cha deidheadh iasgair a-mach le eathar ann an droch shìde. Ach…an robh cur na mara ort a-riamh?

It wouldn’t sink! A fisherman wouldn’t go out with a small boat in bad weather. But…have you ever been seasick?

SOPHIE: Dè tha sin?

What’s that?

PÀDRAIG: Am bi thu a’ faireachdainn tinn nuair a bhios tu ann am bàta?

Do you feel sick when you’re on a boat?

SOPHIE: Cha robh mi a-riamh air bàta aig muir. Neo ag iasgach.

I’ve never been on a boat at sea. I’ve never been fishing.

PÀDRAIG: An itheadh tu an t-iasg no an cuireadh tu air ais e?

Would you eat the fish or would you return them to the water?

SOPHIE: Chan eil mi cinnteach. Ach is toil leam iasg; ’s e biadh math, fallain a th’ ann. A bheil croit agaibh anns an Eilean?

I’m not sure. But I like fish, it’s good healthy food. Do you have a croft on the island?

PÀDRAIG: Tha croit bheag againn.

We have a small croft.

SOPHIE: Le crodh agus caoraich?

With sheep and cattle?

PÀDRAIG: Chan eil againn ach caoraich. Tha cus obrach ann an crodh.

We only have sheep. There’s too much work in cattle.

SOPHIE: Nach eil obair mhòr anns na caoraich cuideachd?

Isn’t there a lot of work in sheep as well?

PÀDRAIG: Tha obair annta aig àm rùsgaidh agus àm breith nan uan. Ach bidh na nàbaidhean a’ cuideachadh a chèile.

There’s work at shearing time and lambing time. But the neighbours all help each other.

SOPHIE: ’S toil leam sin. Chòrdadh e rium ùine a chur seachad ann an coimhearsnachd mar sin.

I like that. I would like to spend some time in a community like that.

In the còmhradh we heard new vocabulary related to fishing and being at sea.

We also heard Emma asking the question: Dè cho fada ‘s a bheir i a’ dol a‑null? (How long does she/it take going across?).

Even though words bàta and eathar are fireann (masculine), as we do in English, people often talk about or refer to them using a riochdair boireann (feminine pronoun) i (she/her). Pàdraig tells Emma gun toir i mu thrì cairteal na h‑uarach (that she (it) takes about three quarters of an hour).

You’ll find more còmhraidhean (conversations) for each cuspair on the SpeakGaelic YouTube Channel.