The Deacon's Wife
Cailleach an Deacoin
In the letter written by Fred MacAulay he mentions Cailleach an Deacoin (The Deacon's Wife) (04:30-05:02).
This is the name of a comic character created by Murchadh MacMhathain (Murdo Matheson) from Gravir.
Murchadh would create sketches with this character and travel around the Isle of Lewis with her.
Look up the word duis in the dictionary:
Dè tha e a' ciallachadh agus dè tha Fred MacAmhlaigh a' ciallachadh anns an litir aige?
What does it mean and what does Fred MacAulay mean in his letter?
'S ann air 'entrails' a bha Fred MacAmhlaigh a' bruidhinn anns an litir aige agus tha e a' toirt iomradh air marag a dhèanadh daoine le duis.
It was 'entrails' that Fred MacAulay was talking about in his letter and he refers to a pudding that people would make with entrails.
Leis nach bi mòran dhaoine a' dèanamh na maraig aca fhèin an-diugh, tha 'duiseachan an-diugh a chòrr agus a' dol a dholaidh'.
Since not many people make their own marag today, there are 'too many entrails and they're going to waste'.
An seo, tha Fred a' ciallachadh gu bheil barrachd dhuiseachan ann air sgàth 's nach bi daoine gan cleachdadh airson marag a dhèanamh.
Here, Fred means that there are more entrails because people don't use them to make pudding.
A bharrachd air a' chiall seo, tha duis cuideachd na iolra den fhacal dos, sin duis na pìoba mòire (bagpipe drones).
In addition to this meaning, duis is also the plural of the word dos (drone), that’s duis na pìoba mòire (the bagpipe drones).
DÈ DO BHEACHD? | WHAT DO YOU THINK?
An robh an litir aig Fred MacAmhlaigh doirbh a thuigsinn?
Was Fred MacAulay's letter difficult to understand?
Dè a' phàirt as fhasa agus cò/dè a' phàirt as dorra?
What is the easiest part and which/what is the hardest part?
A bheil na miannan aig Fred MacAmhlaigh a' dèanamh ciall dhuibh?
Do Fred MacAulay's wishes make sense to you?
An robh e làidir na bheachdan agus ma bha, ciamar a chuir e seo an cèill?
Was he strong in his views and if so, how did he express this?
Dè seòrsa ìomhaigh a bheir Fred dhuinn mu staid na Gàidhlig anns na sgoiltean ann an 1994? leis an loidhne seo: 's e brochan dha-rìribh a thathar a' dèanamh den obair sin?
What kind of image does Fred give us about the state of Gaelic in schools in 1994? with this line: it's a real brochan (porridge) that is being made of that work?
Listen to a clip of this recording with Murchadh MacMhathain (Murdo Matheson) playing Cailleach an Deacoin on YouTube.