⇦ Noon as Noal: ‘‘A True Manxman’ / ‘Freiceadan Dubh’ / ‘Oie Ayns Thie Ny Garee’ / 'Lash Coals On Her Evie' / ‘Skeealaght’ / ‘Cooinaghtyn My Aegid’ / ‘Language Revival’ / ‘Real Power’’

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Manx English
A TRUE MANXMAN
SHIAGHTIN er dy henney dimraa mee Harry Boddagh voish Bailey Ny Loghey. Laa ny ghaa er dy henney hooar mee screeuyn as jalloo jeh Harry voish Manninagh jeh foaynoo mooar ta beaghey ayns Colby, ta shen dy ghra Juan y Geill. A week ago I mentioned Harry Boyde from Ballaugh. A day or two ago I received a letter and picture of Harry from a Manxman of great benevelence who lives in Colby, that is to say, John Gell.
Er hoh diu jalloo jeh Harry va jeant mysh y vlein 1946. Ec y traa shen va mish ayns India ayns Armee Hostyn as cha veeit mee hene rish Harry agh tree bleeaney ny yei shen ayns Thie Ny Moght (nish enmyssit “Mannin Infirmary”) ayns Skeerey Vraddan tra va’n dooinney boght raad y vaaish as slane doal. Here is a picture for you of Harry that was made around the year 1946. At that time I was in India in the British Army and I myself only met Harry three years after that in The Poor House (now named (Mannin Infirmary”) in Braddan Parish when the poor man was dying and completely blind.
Hie mee dys shen marish Chalse y Chleeree, Manninagh dooie elley neeym gimraa ny s’anmey ’sy cholloon shoh. Cha row Harry rieau er-sooyl veih’n Ellan agh un cheayrt, va shen oie ren eh ceau marish y flod eeastee ass Purt ny h-Inshey. Cha row monney speeideilys er yn oie shen edyr! I went there with Charles Clarke, another true Manxman I will mention later in this column. Harry had only ever been away from the Island once, that was a night he spent with the fishing fleet from Peel. It wasn’t a very successful night at all!
Vrie shin jeh Harry cre’n sorch dy oie v’echey — “Aw”, as eshyn “va mee ching agglagh!” Va Harry boght cha ching nagh jagh eh rieau ersooyl voish Mannin. Loayr Harry Boddagh y Ghaelg dy aashagh as dy dooghyssagh as by haittin lesh geddyn cooish marish peiagh erbee as Gaelg echey as choud as va’n Ghaelg goll er loayrt yinnagh eh taggloo feiy’n laa! We asked Harry what sort of night he had — “Oh,” says he, “I was awful sick!” Poor Harry was so sick that he never went away from the Isle of Man. Harry Boyde spoke Manx easily and naturally and he enjoyed getting a chat with anyone who knew Manx and whilst the Manx was being spoken he would talk all day!
FREICEADAN DUBH THE BLACK WATCH
JEDOONEE shoh chaie va mee geaishtagh rish “Heese y Raad Eu” (“Down Your Way”) er y radio. Last Sunday I was listening to “Down Your Way” on the radio.
Haink y claare voish Aberfeldy ayns Peart (Perth). Ta bun yn ennym “Aberfeldy”, “Obair-Pheallaidh” ’sy Ghaelg Albinagh, ta shen dy ghra “Peallaidh’s Confluence”, 'sy Vaarle. The programme came from Aberfeldy in Perth. The meaning of the name “Aberfeldy”, is “Obair-Pheallaidh” in Scottish Gaelic, which means “Peallaidh’s Confluence”, in English.
Ta “Obair Pheallaidh” yn boayl ren ny Sostynee kiaddey yn “Freiceadan Dubh”, ta shen yn “Black Watch” (42nd Royal Highland Regiment) mysh y vlein 1729. “Obair Pheallaidh” is the place where the English formed the “Freiceadan Dubh”, that is the “Black Watch” (42nd Royal Highland Regiment) about the year 1729.
Ayns Gaelg Vanninagh yiarragh shin “Yn Arrey Doo” rish y rejiment shen. Ec y traa shen va’n Ghaeltaght er ny chur mow ec ny Sostynee erreish da “Culloden” as begin daue freayll rick er ny Gaeljee ayns yn Albin va foast er mayrn as neuviallagh da’n ree. In Manx Gaelic we would call that regiment “Yn Arrey Doo”. At that time the Highlands were laid waste by the English after “Culloden” and they had to keep an eye on the Gaels in Scotland who were still left who were disobedient to the king.
Bee enney ec y chooid smoo j’eu er Chalse Y Cain, Gaelgeyr as Manninagh dooie voish Rhumsaa va keayrt dy row ny ard ’er ayns Bane Slater Walker ayns Straid ny Maarlee ayns Doolish. Va Chalse ny “Nah leftenant” ‘sy “Freaiceadan Dubh” keayrt dy row as ren eh e hirveish ayns Yn Kenya, caggey noi Mau Mau. Most of you will know Charles Cain, Manx speakr and true Manxman from Ramsey who was once a chief in Bane Slater Walker in the street of thieves (Athol Street) in Douglas. Charles was a second lieutenant in the “Freaiceadan Dubh” once upon a time and he did his service in Kenya, fighting against Mau Mau.
Ta’n rejiment shoh nish shirveish ayns Ullee Hiar Hwoaie (Beal Ferishtey) as ta slane feoh ec ny Poblaghtaanee orroo er yn oyr dy vel ad nyn hidooryn[1] feer chreoi as jeidagh! This regiment is now serving in North East Ulster (Belfast) and the Republicans have complete hatred for them because they are very hard and determined soldiers!
[1] nyn hidooryn]
[nyn sidooryn]
S’bastagh eh myr te, yn aght dy vel ny Sostynee jannoo ymmyd jeh Gaeljee dy chaggey noi Gaeljee elley ta shirrey seyrsnys da’n cheer oc. It is a pity though, the way that the English make use of Gaels to fight against other Gaels who are seeking independence for their country.
Ta ny Sostynee er n’ynsaghey voish ny Romanee. Nagh dooyrt adsyn “Divide et impere”? Ta shen, ’sy Ghaelg ainyn, “Rheynn as reill”! The English have learnt from the Romans. Didn’t they say “Divide et impere”? That is, in our Manx, “Divide and rule!”
Cha nee ny h-Albinee nyn lomarcan ren shirveishagh Sostyn ayns laghyn yn Impiraght (Empire). Cre mysh ny Manninee? Nagh Row ny “Royal Manx Fencibles” caggey ayns Nerin noi heshey Gaeljee![2] It is not only the Scots who served England in the days of Empire. What about the Manx? Didn’t the “Royal Manx Fencibles” fight in Ireland against fellow Gaels!
[2] heshey Gaeljee]
[sheshey Gaeljee]
Last week I said that a Manxman would always be found to turn another Manxman on a spit over an open fire, perhaps I should have said “Gael”?
OIE AYNS THIE NY GAREE[3] A NIGHT IN THE SOURLAND HOUSE
[3] Thie ny Garee] meaning obscure, but perhaps ‘The Sourland House’? The name of Breagagh’s house in Ballagarey, Glen Vine?
OIE Jeheiney shoh chaie hooar “Breagagh” boyn airh (gold medal) as teishtys (diploma) voish academy ayns Napoli ’syn Italee. Va oie feer vie ain as ram Manninee dooie kionefenish. This last Friday night “Breagagh” received a gold medal and diploma from an academy in Napoli in Italy. We had a very good night and there were a lot of native Manx people present.
Ta lane fys aym nagh vel mee toilliu yn onnor shoh er chor erbee as bare lhiam fakin y fockleyr prentit roish my yinnin geddyn ny reddyn shoh. I well know that I do not deserve this honour at all and I would prefer to see a dictionary printed before I would get these things.
Ansherbee, ta mee lane kianglt bwoisal da Mona Inney Ghoolish as Nikki Giovannelli son ooilley t’ad er n’yannoo er my hons, hoshiaght yn Aundyr Vannanan as nish yn red shoh voish Napoli. Anyway, I am very grateful to Mona Douglas and Nikki Giovannelli for all they have done for me, first the Mannanan Prize and now this thing from Napoli.
Ta treisht orrym[4] nish dy beeym abyl dy chur magh y fockleyr. Cha nel shin laccal agh £15,000 voish Reiltys Vannin (N’abbyr eh!) as veagh yn fockleyr ry chreck ayns ny shappyn. I hope now that I will be able to publish the dictionary. We are only short of £15,000 from the Isle of Man Government (Don’t say it!) and the dictionary would be on sale in the shops.
[4] Ta treisht orrym] literally ‘There is a trust / hope upon me’, an idiom unattested in Classical Manx —
[Ta mee treishteil], or
[Ta treisht aym] would be expected here.
“LASH COALS ON HER EVIE” “LASH COALS ON HER EVIE”
Y NAH chaslys t’ayns y cholloo shoh y shiaghtin shoh, she caslys jeh daa vaatey Manninagh faggys da ny creggyn ec Poyll Baaish eh. Ta’n baatey er ny creggyn yn “Mona's Isle II” as y baatey elley ta geabbey dy hayrn eh jeh ny creggyn she’n “Tynwald III” eh. The second picture in this column this week, it is a pictue of two Manx boats near the rocks at Pooil Vaaish. The boat on the rocks is “Mona’s Isle II” and the other boat that is attempting to pull it off the rocks is the “Tynwald III’.
Ta’n caslys shoh feer huimoil (very interesting) dooys er y fa dy dooar mee skeeal voish my vummig tra va mee aeg, mychione y taghyrt shoh. This picture is very interesting to me because I got a story from my mum when I was young, about this event.
Va shenn ayr my vummig enmyssit Juan Y Crebbin as v’eh beaghey ayns Lingauge ayns Skeerey Creest Rushen, heose ayns ny sleityn faggys da “Kirkill”, er gerrey da’n Sloc. My mum’s grandfather was called John Crebbin and he was living in Lingague in Rushen Parish, up in the mountains near to “Kikill” (aka; Kirkle, Kiarkyl, Kirkjufal), near to the Sloc.
Cha row agh beggan Vaarle ec my henn henn-ayr, she ass Gaelg v’eh cliaghtey loayrt son y chooid smoo. My great grandfather only had a little English, it was in Manx that he usually spoke for the most part.
Va’n mac echey (my Yishag Vooar, Evan Crebbin) ny shiaulteyr[5] er y “Tinvaal” (Tynwald III) as she laa braew grianagh souree v’ayn tra va’n “Tinvaal” tayrn y “Mona’s Isle” jeh’n chreg. He son (My grandfather, Evan Crebbin was a sailor on the ‘Tynwald” (Tynwald III) and it was a fine sunny summer day when the Tynwald was pulling the “Mona’s Isle” off the rock.
[5] ny shiaulteyr] ny hiaulteyr / ny hiolteyr — ‘a (masculine) sailor’.
Va Juan y Crebbin ny hassoo ayns dorrys y thie thooit echey jeeaghyn er y daa vaatey as v’eh ny ghooinney feer “excitable” my yiarragh ad ’sy Vaarle, ayns Gaelg yiarragh shin “so-ghreesit”. John Crebbin was standing in the doorway of his thatched house watching the two boats and he was a very ‘excitable’ man as they would say in English, in Manx we would say ‘easily-excitable’.
Tra honnick eh jaagh cheet voish y “Tinvaal” ren eh lheim seose ’syn aer as dylee eh magh ’sy Vaarle “Lash coals on her Evie!” When he saw smoke coming from the “Tynwald” he jumped up in the air and he shouted out in English “Lash coals on her Evie!”
V’eh smooinaghtyn dy jinnagh y mac echey (my Yishag Vooar) clashtyn eh eer voish Lingauge dys Scarleod! He thought that his son (my Grandfather) would hear him even from Lingauge to Scarlett!
SKEEALAGHT ‘STORY TELLING’
TA LIOAR noa ry gheddyn ayns ny shappyn nish as voish Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh, ta shen “Skeealaght”, lioar vraew dy skeeallyn dy bollagh ass chengey ny mayrey, lioar feer ymmydoil da ny brastyllyn meanagh mleeaney as ta’n leagh j’ee £2. There is new book available in the shops now, and from Yn Çheshaght Ghaelgagh, that is “Skeealaght”, a fine book of stories completely in the mother tongue, a very useful book for the intermediate classes this year and the its price is £2.
Cha nel mee son milley yn taitnys eu liorish ginsh diu ny smoo mychione y lioar, kionnee[6] ee as cha bee-jee er nyn volley! I can’t spoil your pleasure by telling you more about the book, buy it and you won’t be disappointed!
[6] kionnee] addressing an audience
[kionnee-jee] would be expected, and would agree with
[bee-jee] ‘be’.
COOINAGHTYN MY AEGID MEMORIES OF MY YOUTH
SHE tammylt neary’s honnick shin red erbee noa voish penn Yuan y Geill as t’eh cur taitnys vooar orrym dy insh diu dy vel lioar Ghaelgagh bunnys aarloo ec Juan mychione yn aegid echey ayns Mannin as Sostyn, as caghlaa ’sy Vaarle da dagh ooilley ghuillag, ’syn aght cheddin ren Dr. Clague screeu “Cooinaghtyn Manninagh” ayns 1900. It is a while since we saw anything new from the pen of John Gell and it gives me great pleasure to tell you that John has a Manx book almost ready about his youth in the Isle of Man and England, with a translation into English for every page, ’in the same way Dr. Clague wrote “Manx Memories” in 1900.
Ta shin ooilley jeeaghyn roin lesh taitnys dy akin lioar Yuan. Ta Gaelgeyryn feie ny cruinney fo lhiastynys mooar da Juan y Geill hannah er son ooilley e obbyr vie da’n chengey ain. We are all looking forward with pleasure to see John’s book. Manx speakers around the world are greatly indebted to John Gell already for all his good work for our language.
LANGUAGE REVIVAL[7]
[7] This section appears in English in the original.
OPPONENTS of Manx (and there are not a few of them in Mann) say that our efforts to revive the language are unworkable, a “futile exercise in con­servation”. We say that they are wrong! Consider Hebrew, the language of the modern state of Israel. From 200 AD to 1800 AD it was a dead language yet today there are two and a half million Hebrew speakers in the state of Israel itself! As the Jewish communities scattered over the face of the earth during the “diaspora”, Hebrew, though dead became a written lingua franca between Jews of various countries, the language of prayer, of private letters and legal documents.[8]
[8] This section appears in English in the original.
Ayns Jerrey Fouyir 1881 ren Ben Yehuda roshtyn Palestine as va’n mac echey, ruggit y vlein shen, yn chied paitchey dy ve troggit lesh Hewnish! Jeeagh orroo nish! Vel lhied y voyrn ec ny Manninee? Oddagh eh ve cooilleeinit dy beagh moyrn ashoonagh dy liooar ain. In October 1881 Ben Yehuda reached Palestine and his son, born that year, was the first child to be raised with Hewbrew! Look at them now! Do the Manx have such pride? It could be fufilled if we had enough national pride.
If Israel can exchange Yiddish for Hebrew, we in Mann could at least in­crease the number of bilingual speakers to 5,000 — that it itself would en­sure the survival of the language. [9]
[9] This section appears in English in the original.
Real Power[10]
[10] This section appears in English in the original.
I AGREE with almost all that L.V.C. of Peel says in his letter (Star 14th August) about the failure of the Manx intelligentsia to commit themselves openly to the nationalist cause (or any other cause!).
However, I would like to point out that I have, supported Manx national­ism not just “from time to time” but all the time for 23 years. Any con­trary impression may have stemmed from my inhibition about sounding off too much about Manx affairs because I am ex­patriate.
There is no doubt in my mind that nationalist can­didates in the forthcom­ing general election de­serve all possible support. If the Manx people do not make a determined, orga­nised attempt to hold on to what is theirs by right, they will become a down-at-heel minority in their own land.
I can not see much real progress being made until M.H.K.’s are paid a proper salary. Only then will a determined, nationalist movement be able to move towards real political power. So, as always, while academics can help to provide intel­lectual infrastructures, they have no direct poli­tical power. This ulti­mately remains with the Manx people themselves. If only they would realise that!
Dr. BRIAN STOWELL. c/o Imperial Hotel, Douglas.