Page 38 - Joe Neil MacNeil Stories from English into Gaelic

ISSUE : Issue 54

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1990/6/1

Gu d6 dhe do ghnothach-sa gu d6 tha dol aig na leabannan? Mar nach biodh gnothach aice-se ri sian. Cha robh sin fada dol an aghaidh nuair a smaointich e mar a bha gnothaichean a'dol 's dh'fhalbh e suas. (Tha mi creidsinn gun tug e fainear an trioblaid a bha 'san air- gead dha.) Chaidh e suas far a'robh am fear leis am bu leis an taigh:m'il agus thug e 'n sporran as a ph6c' agus chuir e air a'bhord e. "Seo dhuibh," ors' esan, "ur sporran air? igid. Cha n-urrainn dhomhs' a bhi b6o as aonais mo chuid 6ran." Sin agaibh an naidheachd air a'ghreusaiche bhochd. Joe Neil MacNeil: (Now, Joe, let me under? stand. Did you put them into Gaelic years ago, or did you just do it recently?) Re? cently. Recently, yes. (So they were sto? ries that you knew in English.) Yes, when I went to school. In later years, when I was in my 70's, I translated them. When I was only perhaps around maybe 9 or 10 years old, when I came across those sto? ries. But I was in my 70's when I trans? lated them. They could use them for teach? ing. (Teaching Gaelic.)... Well, the way I look at it--maybe they wer? en't originally set in the Gaelic language, but the Gaelic is an older language than the English. So, that could go back. Going to English, setting them to Gaelic, you were going back further than the English. I would allow that translating them to Gaelic, it was giving the Gaelic that much extra. There were stories going over to Gaelic. Readers are reminded that these stories are not word-for-word translations. Joe Neil gives the story briefly In English, and then tells them completely in Gaelic. We present them this way to encourage the serious learner to read all the Gaelic. Our thanks to Jim Watson of River Denys, who recorded these stories in Gaelic from Joe Nell MacNeil, and transcribed and edited them. They are part of a collection held by the Nova Scotia Highland Village Museum in lona, entitled Sgeoll a'Chlachain (Village Tales). Readers will be interested in Joe Neil MacNeil's recent book Tales until Dawn: The World of a Cape Breton Gaelic Storyteller, collected, transcribed, and translated--wlth notes and an introduction-by John Shaw of Glendale. It is available in bookstores: cloth edition (Gaelic, with English translation) $50.00; paper edition (English trans- lation only) $15.95. jf ' ' Motel and ''' VVVI' i'V%''''' (LICENSED) CHETICAMP Rated AAA Excellent Listed in yfhere to Eat in Canad' Colour TVs • Phones ideally located beside 0. B. HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK hiking • fishing • golfing saltwater beach • more! P. O. Box 1 Cheticamp, N.S. BOC IHO (902) 224-2400 Est. 1938: McKeown Family RfiDON GfiS SCfiRE! Don't panic! Many things can be done, or may not have to be done. Yes, you can do the test yourself. Yes, we can set up a test kit for you. 'nna Yes, we do recommendations. HOME IMPROVEMENTS Covering Cape Breton and Eastern Nova Scotia COMPLETE TESTING & SEALING SPECIALISTS • Air Leakage Testing • Humidity Testing • Thermo Flow Infra Red Testing • Vinyl & Aluminum Siding • Aluminum Storms • Roofing • Air to Air Exchanges • Blown Insulation • Interior Storms • BBB member, CIA member AIR TESTING & CONSULTING FOR: • Uncontrolled Air Leaks • Moisture & Humidity Problems • Heat Cost Reductions • Testing of New Tight Homes and Older Drafty Homes P.O. BOX 281 r%Mf -9/>/%o DOMINION. N. s. 849-7000 B0A1E0 'ai C HOME IMPROVEMENTS LTD. n U LC ENERGY SAVING CONSULTANTS ' Cape Breton Mental Health Centre Main Location: 1st Floor, Cape Breton Hospital, Sydney River Satellite Clinics Serve These Areas: North Sydney ~ Glace Bay ~ New Waterford ~ Neil's Harbour Ingonish ~ Cheticamp ~ Baddeck ~ St. Peter's Services: Psychotherapy - Individual Counselling ~ Marriage & Family Counselling Group Therapy ~ Consultation to Agencies, Schools, etc. Drug Therapy ~ Forensic Assessment ~ Psychological Testing Parenting ~ Children's Sen/ices Referrals accepted from all sources. You can even refer yourself. Please Call 562-3202 or 562-3110 or 562-3333 38

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