Each week we record our Gaelic Word of the Week podcast and post the text here with added facts, figures and photos for Gaelic learners who want to learn a little about the language and about the Scottish Parliament – Pàrlamaid na h-Alba.
This week our word is – Mun cuairt mun cuairt!
If you are a Gaelic speaker, one of the first things people ask is often “what does mun cuairt, mun cuairt mean?”
This expression even made its way into the Scottish Parliament – Pàrlamaid na h-Alba recently!
In a Members’ Business Debate led by Murdo Fraser MSP on the Royal National Mòd – Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail – Scotland’s largest Gaelic event, Clare Baker MSP mentioned that she had learnt the expression from TV.
Clare Baker MSP, speaking in the debate on the Royal National Mòd
So where does this mysterious expression come from and why do so many people know it?
As Clare Baker pointed out, it comes from the introduction to the Gaelic children’s television programme Dòtaman which starts with the words “Mun cuairt mun cuairt a dhòtamain bhig, mun cuairt mun cuairt, saoil de thig?”. This means “around and around wee spinning top, around and around, I wonder what will come?”.
“Dòtaman” means “spinning top” and “mun cuairt” means “around”.
Dòtaman ran from 1985 to 2000 and was a staple show for young Gaelic speakers. But because it aired on BBC 2, it was also seen by many non-Gaelic speakers and became a cult TV favourite..
The show’s presenter Donnie MacLeòd – Donnie Dòtaman – is famous for singing songs and for wearing amazing hats relating to subjects he was singing about – ranging from a koala bear to castles and a seagull and much more.
We wonder if Dòtaman was still running if Donnie Dotaman would consider making a hat of the Scottish Parliament building?
The word cuairt is useful to know on its own. It means a cycle, circuit or rotation. It can also be translated as a wee walk or trip.
If you want to read all that was said in the debate about the National Mòd in Perth, read the Official Report.
Left: Murdo Fraser MSP, who introduced the motion; right: Emma Roddick MSP who delivered her first ever speech in Gaelic at the debate.
This week’s Gaelic Word of the Week has been written and read by Alasdair MacCaluim, Gaelic Development Officer who has spent many happy hours watching Gaelic children’s programmes, Murdaidh being his all time favourite!
Each week we publish the text of our Gaelic Word of the Week podcast here with added facts, figures and photos for Gaelic learners who want to learn a little about the language and about the Scottish Parliament – Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. This week our word is dog – cù.
This week we’ll be looking at all things canine here at Gaelic Word of the Week with our week being cù – dog.
Why are we looking at dogs – coin?
A proposal for a Members’ Bill has been introduced by Christine Graham MSP entitled the Proposed Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill which would seek to “improve the health and wellbeing of dogs throughout their lives.”A Members’ Bill is a bill introduced by an MSP who is not a Scottish Government minister. If a proposal for a Members Bill receives enough cross party support, it can be introduced to the Scottish Parliament – Pàrlamaid na h-Alba and may go on to become an act if supported by the Parliament.
Eight proposals have been introduced into the current Parliament, coming from MSPs from 4 different parties and covering issues ranging from Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults to a Right to Food to a Right to Addiction recovery.
You can read all the current Members’ Bill proposals and learn about Members’ Bills on our website. Many Members’ Bills have become law in the past including: the Breastfeeding Act, the Period Products Act and the British Sign Language Act.
As well as being the subject of possible legislation in the Scottish Parliament – Pàrlamaid na h-Alba – dogs are also the subject of a great deal of Gaelic proverbs and folklore.
Parliamentary cù – this is Rey, who belongs to our Education Manager Cara
But before we go any further, it’s important not to confuse the Gaelic for dog – cù –with the Scots coo, meaning cow!
Dogs – coin – feature often in similes such sa:
Cho fliuch ris a’ chù – as wet as the dog
Cho gòrach ris a’ chù – as daft as the dog
Cho salach ris a’ chù – as dirty as the dog
Cho tinn ris a’ chù – as sick as the dog
Cho mì-mhodhail ris a’ chù – as naughty as the dog
And our particular favourite is:
Cho sgìth ris an t-seann chù air an t-sràid – as tired as the old dog on the street
We found the following funny onomatopoeic proverb in JF Campbell’s “Campbell Collection of Gaelic Proverbs and Proverbial Sayings”:
‘The names of the MacLeans sound like a hound drinking broth – Hector, Lachlan, Hector, Lachlan.’
No offence intended to any MacLeans listening, we have no time for inter-clan rivalries here at Gaelic word of the week!
This is Isla – Education Officer Susan’s lovely dog!
This week’s Gaelic Word of the Week is cù – dog
This week’s Gaelic word of the week has been written and read by Alasdair MacCaluim, Gaelic Development Officer who loves dogs but is very much a cat person and is looking for an excuse to do a cat related Gaelic word of the week!
This is Education Officer Elizabeth’s cù – we fear that look!
Each week we publish the text of our Gaelic Word of the Week podcast here with added facts, figures and photos for Gaelic learners who want to learn a little about the language and about the Scottish Parliament – Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. This week our word istogalach – building.
Architecture has been in the news a lot this week due to the announcement of the 2021 winners of the national architecture awards by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
For this reason, we’ve chosen building – togalach – as this week’s Gaelic Word of the Week.
The word togalach comes from the verb “tog” to build or to lift. Here at the Scottish Parliament – Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, we are very proud of our togalach.
Our building – togalach – at Holyrood – Taigh an Ròid – opened in 2004.
The Scottish Parliament building – togalach Pàrlamaid na h-Alba – sits at the foot of Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile in front of Holyrood Park and the Salisbury Crags. Constructed from a mixture of steel, oak, and granite, the complex building was hailed for its innovative design on opening..
Drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape, the flower paintings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the upturned boats – bàtaichean– on Scottish seashores, Enric Miralles, one of the world’s premier architects – ailtirean –developed a design that he said was a building “growing out of the land”.
When the Parliament building – togalach na Pàrlamaid – officially opened in October 2004, a poem was written for the occasion by the then Scottish makar the late Edwin Morgan. The poem Open the Doors looks at the duties of and aspirations for the Parliament in the context of the unique new building – togalach.
It starts with:
Open the doors! Light of the day, shine in; light of the mind, shine out! We have a building which is more than a building.
A Gaelic translation of the poem was commissioned from the acclaimed Skye-based poet Rody Gorman for the occasion of the first Scottish Parliament Gaelic language plan in 2008.
It starts with :
Fosglaibh na dorsan! A sholais an là, soillsich a-steach; A sholais na h-aigne, soillsich a-mach! Tha togalach againn sa bheil barrachd agus togalach fhèin.
Here is the full Gaelic text:
Fosglaibh na Dorsan Fosglaibh na dorsan! A sholais an là, soillsich a-steach; A sholais na h-aigne, soillsich a-mach! Tha togalach againn sa bheil barrachd agus togalach fhèin. Tha malairt eadar an taobh a-staigh ‘s an taobh a-muigh, Eadar soilleireachadh agus sgàil, Eadar an saoghal ‘s an fheadhainn a smaoinicheas mun t-saoghal. Nach e rùn-dìomhair a th’ ann? Bidh gach rud a’ tighinn ri chèile Mar a bhios na bileagan air an t-sìthean Ach cuideachd bidh iad a’ sgaoileadh nan teang’ ac’ air aghaidh Gus beantainn ris is blaiseadh air an fhonn a’ taomadh. An robh sibh ‘g iarraidh taigh-comhairle No taigh-dubh-no-geal air ùrachadh mas fhìor? Taigh-mòr an uachdarain? Cùil is ceàrn air an cuairteachadh? Cha robh ‘n seo, cha robh na! Cha robh ìomhaigh no IKEA no beinn-eighe Ach cuarsgagan is cuasan, cruinneachadh is camadh, Còmhlachadh is càrnadh, contrarradh is clisgeadh. Cumaibh a-mach o chunbhalachd Ach cuiribh còmhla leacan is cruaidh gun smal, Eibhear dubh ‘s eibhear glas, Darach agus craobh-gheal abaich, Cruadhtan a tha cho bàn ‘s cho mìn ris an t-sìoda – Cha mhòr nach eil am measgachadh na bheò – tha e ri anail ‘s a’ smèideadh. Chan e marmor na mòrachd is nam morairean a th’ ann idir ann!
Thigibh sìos am Mìle, a-steach ann an cridh’ a’ bhaile, seachad air an eaglais Aig MacIllìosa ‘s na clobhsachan ‘s na lònaidean-cùil Far an robh na taibhsean a bh’ ainmeil rin linn, A dh’òl am fìon dearg is a thuit ri ceumannan nan àros A-steach ann an gàirdeanan nam biùganach ach a sgrìobh ‘S a bhruidhinn mu Shoillseachadh soilleir an latha – ‘S romhpa na bàird aost’ a mheall cluas Rìgh na h-Alba Le ceòl ‘s le drabastachd is le comhairle fhosgailte – ‘S nuair a tha sibh ann, shìos an sin, an lùib nithean, Chan ann air ur socrachadh air tulach le sròn san adhar agaibh, Bidh fios agaibh gur h-e seo ‘n t-àite sam bu chòir don mhòd Agaibh fhèin a bhith agus seo far a bheil e, ‘n seo dìreach.
Dè tha na daoine ‘g iarraidh bhon àite? Tha iad ag iarraidh gum bi e Ga lìonadh le daoine ri beachdachadh a tha cho fosgarra ‘S cho adhartach ris an ailtireachd na chois. Nead a dhaoine fon eagal, chan e sin a tha iad ag iarraidh. Coinneamh mhòr luchd-dàlach, chan e sin a tha iad ag iarraidh. Feachd luchd-sodail, chan e sin a tha iad ag iarraidh.
Agus theagamh seach càil sam bith, chan e na briathran fada sin, ‘Cha b’ e mo choire-sa bh’ ann’ a tha iad ag iarraidh. A chàirdean a nì na laghan, a luchd a’ mhòid, ‘s ann a tha sibh A’ leantainn làraich de mhòrtas is de mhoit a chaidh a bhriseadh Cha mhòr, ach nach deach, seadh, nach deach idir, Nach deach a bhriseadh no a chur air dhearmad a-riamh. Nuair a thig sibh còmhla, bidh sibh a’ gairm às ùr, le mothachadh Nach làn air a’ chumhachd, nach làn fhathast air a’ chumhachd làn, Ach mothachadh math air na bh’ ann an urram ur glacaidh uair a bh’ ann.
Ceart gu leòr. Cuiribh far ur cuimhne, no na cuiribh, an t-àm a dh’fhalbh. Tha dùdaichean is fallaingean glan ach anns an àm a tha ‘n làthair Is anns an àm a th’ air thoiseach bidh barrachd a dhìth oirbh. Dè th’ ann? Chan fhaod sinne, na daoine, Cur an cèill dhuibh fhathast ach bidh fios agaibh Nuair a chuireas. Thug sinn dhuibh cead a bhith gar riaghladh, Na cuiribh nur sporan e ‘s toirt air falbh. Thug sinn dhuibh a’ mhiann a bu dhùrachdaich’ againn riaghladh gu math, Na canaibh nach eil ùghdarras againn a bhith cho danarra. Thug sinn an togalach mòr seo dhuibh, Na leigibh le ur cuid obrach is dòchais a bhith càil ach mòr Nuair a thèid sibh na bhroinn ‘s a nì sibh toiseach-tòiseachaidh. Tòisichibh ma-thà. Fosglaibh na dorsan is tòisichibh
As well as being part of the word “togalach”, the verb tog is a very useful word in Gaelic and features in many useful phrases and idioms.
“Tog dealbh” means to take a photograph – literally lift a photograph.
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