A' Cur nam Facal 'nan Àite	Putting the Words in their Place
"The Gaelic of Islay: A Comparative Study" le Seumas Grannd: Aberdeen University Press, Beurla, £9.00 (+£1.30 postachd) bog	"The Gaelic of Islay: A Comparative Study" by Seumas Grannd: Aberdeen University Press, English, £9.00 (+£1.30 postachd) softback
ri fhaighinn bho Roinn Ceiltis Oilthigh Obar Dheathain AB24 3UB lèirmheas le Tònaidh Dilworth (teacs tùsail)	available from Aberdeen University Celtic Department AB24 3UB review by Tònaidh Dilworth (translation)
Nuair a thug mi sùil air an leabhar an toiseach, chòrd an còmhdach sgàrlaid rium le map de Earra Ghaidheal 's rionnagan beaga geala thall 's a-bhos a' comharrachadh na deifir àiteachan far an robh an luchd innse a' fuireach. Nuair a dh'fhosgail mi an leabhar 's a thionndaidh mi na duilleagan, bhuail dà rud orm. Sa chiad àite, thuig mi cho eagarach 's a tha òrdugh an leabhair agus san dara h-àite, bhuail e orm cho dìcheallach 's a bha an Dr Grannd an dà chuid 'na thurasan fad is farsaing air feadh Earra Ghaidheal agus ann a bhith rannsachadh cànanachas na Gàidhlig. Obair ionmholta, da-rìreadh.	With my first look at this book I liked the scarlet cover with its map of Argyll and wee white stars here and there indicating the different areas where the informants lived. When I opened the book and turned the pages, two things struck me. In the first place, I saw how methodical the arrangement of the book was, and in the second I realised how diligent Dr Grannd has been in both his travels far and wide throughout Argyll and in his research of Gaelic linguistics. Praiseworthy work indeed.
Ma bheirear sùil air a' chlàr innse, chithear gu bheil stuth an leabhair air a roinn fo na cinn seo: Acknowledgements, Introduction, Minor Features, Major Features, Conclusion, Bibliography agus Maps.	The contents page tells us that the book is divided under the following headings: Acknowledgement, Introduction, Minor Features, Major Features, Conclusion, Bibliography and Maps.
Tha an Ro-ràdh ag innse dè tha fa near dhan ùghdar. Tha e ag ràdh gu bheil e ag iarraidh coimeas a dhèanamh eadar dualchainnt Ìle is na dualchainntean Earra-Ghaidhealach air fad, eadar Ìle agus na ceàrnaidhean eile air crìochan Earra Ghaidheal, agus cuideachd an t-àite a tha aig dualchainnt Ìle san t-sreath de dhualchainntean eadar Ciarraí is Cataibh. Rinn e ceisteachan san robh 122 fhacal gus faighinn a-mach fuaimneachadh gach facal agus dè am facal Gàidhlig a bhathas a' cleachdadh air son an aon rud ann an deifir àiteachan. Stèidhich e an ceisteachan air a' Bheurla Albannaich.	The Introduction tells us what the author plans to do. He tells us he wants to compare the Islay dialect with all the other Argyllshire dialects, and with other areas bordering Argyll, and to also look at the place the Islay dialect occupies in the string of dialects between Kerry and Sutherland. He drew up a 122-word questionnaire to find out the pronunciation of each word and what Gaelic word was used for each word in the different areas. He based the questionnaire on Scots English.
Se Beag-Eisimpleirean a tha san dara ceann. 'Se a th'ann am beag-eisimpleirean ach "features which generally relate to one lexical item, such as the use of a particular word or the pronunciation of a particular word". Tha 76 dhiubh seo ann, le mìneachadh soilleir air dè na deifir fhaclan Gàidhlig air son an aon fhacail Bheurla agus càite bheil na deifir fhaclan gan cleachdadh. Mar eisimpleir, tha trì faclan cumanta an Earra Ghaidheal air son earthworm - bèisteag, bithean is baoiteag. Tha na ceàrnaidhean far a bheil na faclan seo gan cleachdadh air an sealltainn air map: chan eil map ann mu choinneamh a h-uile beag-eisimpleir, ach ma tha map mu choinneamh facal sam bith tha seantans mu dheireadh an earrainn ag innse sin. Tha 66 mapaichean ann air son nam beag-eisimpleirean.'	The second heading is Minor Features. Minor features are those "which generally relate to one lexical item, such as the use of a particular word or the pronunciation of a particular word". There are 76 here, with a clear explanation of the different Gaelic words for the same word in English and of where the different words are used. For example, there are three words used commonly in Argyll for an earthworm - bèisteag, bithean and baoiteag. The area in which these words are used are shown on a map: there isn't a map for every minor feature, but if there is a map corresponding with any word the last sentence in the section gives that information. There are 66 maps relating to the minor features.
An uair sin, na Mòr-Eisimpleirean, "which can relate to a cross section of words across the lexicon, such as the pronunciation of a vowel or a consonant in a particular environment". Tha 13 dhiubh seo ann agus gach aon air map. Tha rudan ann mar sr- air a ràdh le -t- a' bristeadh a-steach no gun bhristeadh a-steach, agus ro-analachadh ann am faclan mar mac, cnap agus cat. Gus a' phàirt seo den leabhar a leughadh, bhiodh beagan eòlais air comharraidhean an International Phonetic Alphabet 'na chuideachadh.	After that the Major Features, "which can relate to a cross section of words across the lexicon, such as the pronunciation of a vowel or a consonant in a particular environment". There are 13 of these and each has a map. There are such items as sr- pronounced as if there was a -t- in the middle or otherwise, and preaspiration in words like mac, cnap and cat. For reading this part of the book one would benefit from a little knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet would be beneficial.
'Se an Co-Dhùnadh an ath rud, far a bheil an t-ùghdar ag innse mu na rudan a tha coitcheann an cainnt Ìle is an còrr de dh'Earra Ghaidheal, agus tha iad air an clàradh mar àireamh sa cheud. Mar a bhiodh dùil, mar as fhaide air falbh bho Ìle a tha an ceàrnaidh, 'sann as lugha tha an ceudad gus an ruigear Àird Ghobhar. Ged a tha còrr is 40 bliadhna on a bha mi air taobh Loch Iall, mas math mo chuimhne bha Gàidhlig taobh a-deas Loch Iall nas coltaiche ri Gàidhlig Bun Loch Abair na bha i ri Gàidhlig nan àite deas air an Linne Sheilich. Ach cha ghabhainn gu h-olc e nan canadh neach sam bith gu bheil mi ceàrr. Mar a tha am bòidhchead ann an sùil an neach a chì, tha am blas cainnte gu math tric an cluais an neach a chluinneas.	The Conclusion is the next section, where the author tells of the Gaelic features that are common to Islay and to the rest of Argyll, these being recorded as percentages. As would be expected, the further the area from Islay, the smaller the percentage until we reach Ardgour. Although it is more than 40 years since I visited Locheilside, if I remember rightly the Gaelic of south Loch Sheil was more akin to the Gaelic of Nether Lochaber than it was to anywhere south of Loch Linnhe. But I would not take it amiss if someone were to say I was wrong. As beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the sound of a dialect is frequently in the ear of the one who hearkens.
Tha an t-ùghdar ag innse beagan mun dòigh san robh e ag obair còmhla ris an luchd innse. Thug e ùine mhòr air a' cheisteachan gun a bhith cur cabhag air daoine, oir bha na daoine air son bruidhinn mu na cùisean a dh'èirich anns a' chòmhradh. Mar a tha e fhèin ag ràdh, bhiodh e mì-mhodhail stad a chur orra, ach a bhàrr air sin dh' ionnsaich e mòran bhuapa oir bha iad cho foghlamaichte ann an eachdraidh agus cultar na Gaidhealtachd. Tha e ri mholadh air son an dòigh obrach chneasta seo a tha gu math soirbheachail.	The author tells a little of his methodology in working with his informants. He spent a lot of time on the questionnaire without hurrying the speakers, as they wanted to talk about the subjects arising during the conversation. As he says himself, it would be impolite to stop them, but apart from that he learnt much from them as they were well versed in the history and culture of the Highlands. He is to be commended for this courteous mode of working which successfully produces the goods.
Bu mhath leam an leabhar seo a mholadh do neach sam bith a tha ag iarraidh 'eòlas a mheudachadh air dualchainntean na Gàidhlig. Tha a h-uile nì air a mhìneachadh cho soilleir 's nach ruigear a leas iomagain a bhith ort a cheannach.	I would like to recommend this book to anyone who wants to increase his knowledge of Gaelic dialects. And everything is explained so clearly that you should have any qualms about buying it.

You can find more articles in the archive under Gaelic Column and information on the organization at C.L.I.