An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volumes 58--62(part), January, 1963--March 1967

Sir,
16 Botanic Crescent,
Glasgow N.W.
The Rev. T. M. Murchison’s fascinating
paper on Vikings, with its reference to the
Piets reminded me of the similar Etruscan
mystery of language and origin. For centuries
scholars have wrestled with the Etruscan
tongue and failed to equate it with any Indo-
European or other known group. Now this
year, from Islay a beam of light has fallen on
one of their dark tombs. With rapidity and
ease an Etruscan tomb inscription has been
translated by means of almost modern Gaelic—
a short appealing prayer to the god Baal for
succour against the Northern Barbarians. The
translator is an Islay gentleman of ancient
lineage and tongue. He craves no publicity,
nor makes any extravagant claim, but quietly
relies on the appositeness of the simple Gaelic
words. The almost naive insolence of this feat
has so far been greeted by the silence of sur¬
prise. His translation is for all to examine,
clearly printed in parallel Gaelic and Etruscan
words as shown hereunder.
I am, Sir,
JAMES K. R. DOAK.
The following inscription from one of the
Etruscan tombs was sent by the British
Museum to the translator, Mr. Graham
Donald of Islay : —
ZILCIVELU SHULCNIE SILARTH VEL
CHASVELTHURSAPRTHNALCCLAN
SACNISATHUIETHSUTHITHACAZR
Using undistorted and fully recorded Gaelic
words (shown in brackets) beside each
Etruscan word, with the recorded English
meaning given below, he got: —
(!) (2)
ZIL (SIL) CIVEL (CIRHEAR)
(Drop or Shed) (Rain-Shower)
(3)
U (UA)
(From)
(5)
CNIES (CNEIS)
(Tender)
(4)
SHUL (SHUIL)
(Eye)
(6)
IL (IL)
(In Plenty)
(7)
ARTH (ARTH)
(O God)
(8)
VEL (BHEL)
(Bel)
(9)
CHAS (CAS)
(Pity)
(ID
THURSA (THUIRSE)
(Sorrow)
GO)
VEL CBHEL)
(O Bel)
(12)
PRTHN (PAIRTHEAN)
(of Kindred)
(13)
ALC (ALGA)
(Noble)
(15)
SACN (SAGHAIN)
(Savin or Sabine)
(17)
A (A)
(whom)
(19)
SUTHITH (SUIDH)
(Warriors)
(21)
CAZR (CASAIR)
(slaughter)
(14)
CLAN (CLANN)
(Tribe)
(16)
IS (IS)
(and)
(18)
THUIETH (TUAITH)
(Northern)
(20)
A (A)
(to the)
With adjectives placed in their normal
English order, the complete inscription now
reads: —
“Shed rain of tender tears in plenty 0 God
Bel. Pity 0 Bel the sorrow of.the noble
Kindred of the Sabine Tribe (and) whom
Northern Warriors slaughtered.”
This experimental translation of an Etruscan
inscription appears to be the first to be made
in any language which can be said to make
sense—linguistic sense—religious sense—and
historical sense.
63 Westfield Road,
Surbiton,
Surrey,
England.
7/11/64
Am Fear-deasachaidh.
A Char aid,
I have read with avid interest the correspon¬
dence priinted under the beading ‘ ‘ NEED
GAELIC DIE^—NO ” and I agree with most
of the hard hitting points raised by the various
correspondents. However, nobody has advoca¬
ted a nation-wide campaign to save Gaelic. The
sad fact is that there are just not enough
people left in A’ Ghaidhealtachd to carry out
a really successful campaign to put Gaelic in
the forefront again. Therefore an attempt
should be made to get all Scotland interested
in what after all is their national language too.
A start could be made by An Comunn always
using the word Scottish when they are talking
about the Gaelic language. All native-
spejakiers will know from their history that
there isi plenty of legitimate authority for using
this term, and as late as 1745 Alasdair
MaoMhaighstir Alasdair used it in
“AISEIRIGH NA SEANN CHANAIN
ALBANNAICH” (The Resurrection of the old
Scottish Language).
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