| Social Context | For further biographical information about the various authors: Paul MacInnes (Pòl MacAonghais), see Text 318; for Eilidh Watt, see Text 316; for Iain Crithton Smith (Iain Mac a’ Ghobhainn), see Text 199; for Paul Galbraith (Pòl Mac a’ Bhreatunnaich), see Text 19; for Colin MacKenzie (Cailean MacCoinnich), see Text 36; Donald John MacIver (Dòmhnall Iain MacÌomhair), see Text 314.
Duncan MacLaren (Donnchadh MacLabhruinn,) was born in Dumbarton in 1950 and was brought up in Clydebank. He studied Celtic and German at the University of Glasgow. After graduation he spent a while working in Switzerland and in Germany. He then spent two years working at the House of Commons as an assessor for the SNP. He then became a press officer for the SNP based in Edinburgh. Although not a prolific writer, his fiction appeared in Gairm, and he had a Gaelic column in the Scots Independent. |
| Contents | The volume does not contain either a foreword or an introduction. The main text divided into ten chapters as follows: ‘Droch Am dhe’n Bhliadhna—Pòl MacAonghais’ (pp. 1-16), ‘Teine a Loisgeas—Eilidh Watt’ (pp. 17-27), ‘Leigheas Dhòmhnall Alasdair—Pòl Mac a’ Bhreatunnaich’ (pp. 28-31), ‘Murchadh—Iain Mac a’ Ghobhainn’ (pp. 32-41), ‘Tighinn Dhachaidh an t-Seòladair—Pòl Mac a’ Bhreatunnaich’ (pp. 42-51), ‘Pìobaireachd Dhòmhnaill Dhuibh—Cailein T. MacCoinnich’ (pp. 52-72), ‘Litir Dhonnchaidh—Dòmhnall Iain MacÌomhair’ (pp. 73-78), ‘An Gleann Dorcha—Pòl Mac a’ Bhreatunnaich’ (pp. 79-84), ‘Oran Gaoil—Donnchadh MacLabhruinn’ (pp. 85-94), ‘An t-As-creidmheach—Eilidh Watt’ (pp. 95-100). The volume ends with short biographies of the various authors (pp. 101-05). |
| Language | These short-stories have been written by a variety of authors covering a wide variety of themes such as humour, existential angst, relationships, warfare, religion and the supernatural. As they are written using different styles, it is difficult to arrive at a definitive or even a general conclusion with regard to language, other than to state that they tend to reflect a laconic, oftentimes bare, unassuming style.
The text contains not a few idiomatic phrases, some of which are asseverations, e.g.: Nach tub ha gun tonaisg, ge-ta (p. 1), ’s gun sgillin ruadh no gheal aca (p. 3)
Occasional appearance of well-established loan-words that have been Gaelicised, e.g.: baidhseagail (p. 1), lòraidh (p. 4), canabhais (p. 8), lampa (p. 8), siogaireat (p. 12), dreasair (p. 14), àmhainn (p. 20), cichdeadh (p. 26), dotair (p. 29), clarc (p. 32), còrnair (p. 36), difir (p. 39), grup (p. 86), staoidhl (p. 88), seusan (p. 94).
There appear a few rare or unusual words such as: loch-bhléin (p. 7), siobhag (p. 9), peithreach (p. 16), friodiombach (p. 18), bradhadair (p. 18), dealbhart (p. 22), clambar (p. 22), teabadach (p. 24), dìdeagaich (p. 25), foillidh (p. 26), orc-iasg (p. 45), peithir (p. 45), collaidheachd (p. 65), clìcean (p. 65), sumainn (p. 66), sgeamp (p. 68), diùbhsarach (p. 80), sgleamhachd (p. 83), sgraing (p. 89), sgloban (p. 89), sgrìd (p. 89), braoisg (p. 89), mailghean (p. 95), ruapas (p. 97), tapadh-cion (p. 97), foisgial (p. 99). |
