Cynthia Cathcart wrote:
T:Bodachan ar-i-ar-o
A bodach is an old man, generally someone from the countryside. An
old farmer, for example, might be a bodach. Add the -an to the end,
and you have a small old man. (I learned this word because it
describes my dad pretty well.)
I should have been able to work that one out for myself - sorry about
that.
Ariaro is a challenge. It doesn't look Gaelic.
I think it's nonsense, or as you say, syllables to sing.
...How old is this tune?
I can't say. It's in a book which is almost all in Gaelic, so I can't
understand it. The original publication (of a collection of Lewis
songs) came out in 1938, and my one is an expanded re-publication.
However, many of the songs will be old.
Bidh e ruith nan caoach.
I don't know what caoach is, and it's not in my dictionaries.
I'm not surprised, because it's a mistype. Should have been caorach.
On a previous page there's another song:
Mo nigh'nn donn nan caorach ó
Mo nigh'nn donn nan caorach o-i
Mo nigh'nn donn nan caorach ó
Shiùbhlainn leat 's aonach o-i
The song includes this phrase: Bhid-lighich with an English
translation (on bare wet tiptoes);
I've only been studying the Gaelic for 2 years, but you know new
learners, they love to try and use their knowledge. A native speaker
would know better. I won't see my teacher again until the end of
July. Nigel, if you ask me nicely I'll phone him. :-)
No, I can wait. I'm using the tune at a workshop for beginners tonight,
so it's handy to be able to tell them what it means. I should have
stuck at my Gaelic all those years ago, but it proved too hard for me.
Now I don't have the time, although I have a dictionary at my dad's
house, so I should at least dust that off.
Thanks, Cynthia, and good to hear from you again.
--
Nigel Gatherer, Crieff, Scotland
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To
subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
