A2
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Dè am fonn a th' ort?

How are you?

Let’s have a look at this discussion. By the end of this section, you will be able to have this conversation! It’s full of useful phrases that you can adapt to suit a whole range of situations.

Sin thu, Iain. Dè am fonn a th’ ort? There you are, John. How are you? (lit. what mood/tune is on you?)
Fonn math, tapadh leat, Anna! Deiseil is deònach! Ciamar a tha sibh uile? I’m well, thank you, Anne. Ready and willing! How are you all?
Tha gu math! Well!
Tha mise gu math. Tha guth math! I’m well. I’m well (lit. there is a good voice!)
Hà, hà. Èibhinn! Ha, ha! Very funny!
Èistibh, a chàirdean. Tha sinn a’ gabhail Rathad nan Eilean, agus a’ dèanamh air an aiseag aig Malaig feasgar. An uair sin bidh sinn a’ gabhail sgrìob a Phort Rìgh. ‘S e seo an rathad as fheàrr dhuinn. Agus ‘s e seo an rathad as fheàrr leam airson soidhnichean-rathaid, gu h-àraidh an fheadhainn dà-chananach. Listen, folks (lit. friends). We are taking the Road to the Isles, and making for the ferry at Mallaig in the afternoon. Then we’ll be taking a trip to Portree. This is the best road for us. And it’s my favourite road for road signs, especially bilingual ones.
Soidhnichean rathaid dà-chànanach? Bilingual road signs?
Uill, ‘s e geama a th’ ann dhomh. Bidh mi a’ faicinn facail Ghàidhlig a nochdas air a’ mhapa agus ‘s toil leam a bhith a’ faicinn nan soidhnichean agus na h-àiteachan fhad ‘s a bhios mi a’ dol seachad. Well, it’s a game for me. I see Gaelic words that appear on the map and I like to see the signs and the places as I go past.
Seadh … Uh-huh …
Gu tric, bidh a h-uile facal a’ peantadh dealbh den dùthaich dhomh nam inntinn. Na dathan: dubh, gorm, ruadh, glas – Glaschu. Agus faclan mar phort – Port Rìgh, abhainn – Port na h-Aibhne, caol – Caol Acain, ach chan fhaic sinn sin air an rathad seo an-diugh. Often, every word paints a picture of the country for me in my mind. The colours: black, blue, russet, grey-green – Glasgow. And words like port – Portree, river – Portnahaven, kyle – Kyleakin, but we won’t see that on the road today.
Seadh … Uh-huh …
Bidh na soidhnichean seo ag innse sgeulachd mu na daoine a bha ann romhainn. Agus tha ainmean ann a bhios a’ cleachdadh faclan airson buill dhen bhodhaig! Seo soidhne eile a’ nochdadh. An cuala tu an t-ainm Lochan na h-Achlaise riamh? These (road) signs tell a story about the people who were here before us. And the place names even use words for parts for the body! Here’s another sign appearing. Did you ever hear the name Lochan na h-Achlaise (The Lochan of the Oxter!)?
Cha chuala! Ach tha sin a’ peantadh dealbh dhomh an-dràsta fhèin, gun teagamh sam bith. I didn’t (hear)! But it’s painting a picture for me right now, without a doubt.