Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 34

Jerrey cherroo hiaghtin jeih as feed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Endangered languages: voices and images (FEL)

Coontey oikoil chruinnaght yn Çheshaght son Myn-hengaghyn 2011. S'anaasoil dy liooar eh, as ghow mee soylley jeh, ga dy nee lioar hrome t'ayn ny keayrtyn, er y fa dy nee artyn ard-scoillaragh t'ayn. Cha dod mee lhiah agh art ny ghaa ec yn un traa, as veagh eh orrym ny smoo traa urree y cheau, agh cha dod mee lhaih y lieh jee. Shen er y fa dy vel ad 'sy Spaainish (va'n chruinnaght 'syn Ecuador) as cha nel coontey giare erbee 'sy Vaarle oc. Ta mee toiggal dy nee obbyr veg t'ayn as nagh vel monney argid oc son çhyndaa; er y laue elley, cha noddym geddyn wheesh feeu assjee, as er lhiam dy row ny h-artyn smoo anaasoil dooys 'sy Spaainish! Atreih.

Aw, as cha row y lioar shoh er y rolley. Mollaght.

A distant neighborhood Taniguchi Jirō

Ny manga sheiltynagh, as fer currit erash 'syn emshir chaie, ny yilley reesht agh aigney aasit echey as fys er ny ta ry-heet. Ta'n ellyn mea as saiagh, ga dy vel eh kiune dy liooar; er lhiams dy vel y myn-ellyn shoh as eh undaahagh cur niart da foddeeaght y skeeal. T'ee ronsaghey aegid y dooinney dy mial, beggan er veggan. Ghow mee soylley jeh, agh er lhiams nagh dod mee er surranse agh yn un lioar rish tammylt - ta trimmid echey, as er lhiams dy darrin dy ve skee. T'ee bentyn rish foddeeaght, currym as freggyrtys, kyndid, kynney, as y scansh t'eddyr yn aegidagh as y fer aasit. Cha nel mee lane shickyr my by vie lhiam ny smoo y lhaih ny dyn. Ghow mee soylley jeh, agh ta blass ennagh echey ta cur orrym ennaghtyn dy bee eh sharroo ny garroo er y chree ny keayrtyn.

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Endangered languages: voices and images (FEL)

The procedures of the Foundation for Endangered Languages conference 2011. Interesting and worth a read, although being a set of academic presentations and articles it's far from light reading. I only managed a couple of articles at a time, and it'd have taken longer, except that half of it was in Spanish and had to be skipped. The conference was in Ecuador, so Spanish was permitted alongside English, but they mysteriously didn't include even an abstract in English, which was a shame. I appreciate it's a small specialist publication without funds for translation, but it means I missed out some of the value of the work, and it's particularly irksome that the most interesting-looking articles for me were all in Spanish! Alas.

And of course, this wasn't even on the list. Pants.

A distant neighborhood Taniguchi Jirō

A contemplative manga about a man who finds himself cast back into his own boyhood, but retaining his adult thoughts and memories. The art is quietly rich, and I felt the detailed monochrome style added to the nostalic feel of the work. It tentatively explores the protagonist's childhood, touching on nostalgia, responsibility, guilt, family and the differences between children and adults. I enjoyed it, but unlike some manga I don't think I could have handled another volume afterwards, because the relative weight of the themes makes it a little more challenging. I'm not entirely sure whether I'll want to read more of this, as I sense some heavy and potentially painful issues on the horizon.

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 33

Jerrey treeoo hiaghtin jeih as feed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Storiau Glannau Ystwyth (Guittone Gardi)

Shoh lioar dy skeealyn 'jeant far-skeealagh' er bun e chooinaghtyn hene er bea 'sy Vretyn. Anaasoil, aitt son y chooid smoo, as treih nish as reesht. Er lhiam nagh row eh cooie dy dug eh skeeal doo ec y jerrey; share lhiam ren ennagh gennoil verragh jerrey taitnyssagh er y lioar. Chammah's shen, t'eh gra ny nee ass firrinys dy daink ny skeealyn shoh; wahll my she, er lhiams nagh row eh cooie skeeal y yannoo ass baase leah fer as enney echey er, gyn feanish er smooinaghtyn as aigney y dooinney. Ny yei shen, va'n lioar soilshaghey magh bea ny laghyn as ynnydyn shid, as ghow mee taitnys jee son y chooid smoo. Er y laue elley, by ghoillee dou ish y lhaih, er coontey'n aght screeuee feer formoil t'urree. Ga ny nee lioar 1950yn t'ayn, t'ee screeuit ayns Bretnish lettyragh 'ormoil, as cha nel mee cliaghtit rish lhiah agh raa ny ghaa 'syn aght shen, er fograghyn son y chooid smoo. Myr shen, cha yinnin greinnaghey sleih elley ee y lhaih mannagh vel Bretnish lane 'laaoil oc as mannagh vel ad cliaghtit rish yn aght lettyragh.

For All the Tea in China (Sarah Rose)

Lioar feer vie bentyn rish yn aght ghow ny Goaldee tey dou hene ass yn Çheen. She mestey mie t'ayn: bea-skeeal, shennaghys roish as erreish da taghytyn yn ard-skeeal, lus-oaylleeaght, cultoor ny Sheen as ny Victorianee, as sheiltynys er bun feanish. Er lhiams dy ren Rose briwnys fondagh er yn aght screeuee da lhaihderaght neucheirdey; t'ee eddrym dy liooar dy lhaih gyn doilleeid, agh cha nel ee follym noadyr. T'ee çheet er kianglaghyn t'eddyr tey as ny caggaghyn cadleen; jerrey yn East India Company as ny deiyrt er shen; slaynt ny Goaldee, as myr shen er shennaghys; cultoor; as tarmayrnys (bentyn rish yn Impiraght son y chooid smoo). Ta'n irree magh Injynagh, lhongyn 'tea clipper' as obbree Heenagh 'sy chooish myrgeddin. Rere cliaghtey ny lioaryn shoh er shennaghys Goaldagh, dennee mee beggan nearey as corree er son ny ren shennayraghyn aym, as anchairyssyn nagh vel kiartit foast (as cha dod oo kiartaghey, dy jarroo).

Ren baghteyrys ny ghaa gaccan nagh row mynphoyntyn dy liooar ayn, as shen bentyn rish troailtyn Fortune 'syn Çheen erskyn ooilley, chammah's e varelyn er ny ren as honnick eh. "Cre'n aght..." t'ad gra, as "nagh row drogh-ourys ec fer oik erbee er y fer quaagh shoh? nagh row ad lhiggey lesh er son slaa laue?" as y lheid. Agh ta'n lioar hene gra dy jagh pabyryn Fortune er stroaie, as cha nel agh recortyssyn oikoil formoil ayn myr feanish. Bentyn rish contoyrtyssyn, cha dod Rose agh aascreeu ny screeu Fortune hene 'sy lioar echey, as er lhiams nagh beagh shen ny share na cowraghey y lioar hene dasyn as anaase oc er y chooish, myr ren ee. Ta mooadys mie ec y lioar t'ayn hannah; cha nel mee laccal ny smoo.

S'treih lhiam fakin nagh vel Rose er screeu lioar elley foast.

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Storiau Glannau Ystwyth (Guittone Gardi)

A book of 'romanticised reminisences' (a rough translation of the Welsh) based on the author's own life in the Ystwyth region of Wales. It's interesting, often funny, and sometimes sad. I felt that the last story was problematic, though. For one thing, in a book of largely cheerful tales, the choice of a long and tragic story seemed somewhat jarring and gave it a downer ending. More importantly, if this really is a reminiscence, I felt it was inappropriate to include a fictionalised (and somewhat poetic) version of a tragic early death like this, of a man the author presumably knew. It seems improbable he'd have any particular insight into what really happened or the man's actual feelings, and in general I was uncomfortable with it. If it isn't based on reality, then its inclusion seems bizarre.

On the whole I did quite enjoy it. However, there's a strong caveat because of the formal and antiquated style of the writing, which made this slender volume of short stories quite hard work to read. Despite being from the 1950s, it's in some of the most formal and literary Welsh I've seen, and I'm not used to reading more than a line or two at a time. So for that reason, I couldn't really recommend anyone else to read it unless they're entirely fluent and comfortable with the literary style. I also won't bother looking for more of his writing.

For All the Tea in China (Sarah Rose)

This interesting book discussed how a Scottish botanist made his fortune by stealing the secret of tea from Imperial China. A pleasant and well-balanced mixture of biography, historical background, botany, cultural discussion and informed speculation. It's well-judged for a lay audience, fairly light and easy to read without being fluffy; Rose Touches on the relationship of tea to issues like the opium wars, the end of the EIC and the changes that brought about, health and culture, and economic balance across the Empire. Note that it is based only on company and public records and the writings of others, as none of his own papers survived. Of course, there was the usual guilt stirred up by any book dealing with British history, and anger at some of the injustices that were inflicted.

A few reviews I've seen complained of a lack of detail, particularly in terms of Fortune's actual adventures in China, his encounters with the locals and with officialdom, and his views on all he encountered; the problem is, as far as I can see, that there isn't really much Rose could add. The only record of what Fortune did or said is his own book on his travels, since all his papers were destroyed after his death, and it seems to me there is little point Rose simply repeating his words, padding out a perfectly-sized book, when she's already directed us to the source.

I was very impressed with the book, and sad to see it's her only one so far.

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 32

Jerrey nah hiaghtin jeih as feed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Chinese Liverpudlians (Maria Lin Wong)

Lioar anaasoil bentyn rish cummaltee Lerphoyll Sheenagh ny ass fuilleeaght Heenagh. T'ee soilshaghey magh beggan shennaghys, bea as cooishyn ny cummaltee shen, eddyr 1900-1950 son y chooid smoo. Ga dy nee bea doillee v'ayn son y chooid smoo, as by neareydagh eh drogh-ymmyrkey ny Goaldee as y reiltys, ghow mee taitnys jeh'n lioar. S'treih lhiam nagh vel ee er ny jannoo ass y noa rish ny feed blein jeih neayr's hug magh ad ee - er lhiam dy beagh ram naight noa ry-gheddyn.

Bakuman y.l. 16 (Ohba Tsugumi & Obata Takeshi)

Lioar anaasoil elley, as y nane shoh bentyn rish ny h-ellyneyryn co-streeu dys scughey y fer share ass y chied ynnyd. T'ee mie. Y red smoo baghtal dou, shen nagh vel caillin Mashiro ry-akin 'sy lioar (as y lioar roee, foddee?). Shen mie er laue ennagh, er y fa nagh vel monney ry-ghra er y chooish ghraih eddyr oc; er y laue elley, as Akito as Kaya poosit, t'eh faagail skeeal er ellyneyryn co-streeu son y 'traih share, as ga dy vel shen anaasoil, ta ram jeh er ny lhaih aym hannah. Agh foddee dy vel ad son taishbyney Mashiro faagail anaase aynjee trooid yn obbyr echey? Er lhiam nagh vel, agh eh ny shinney, foddee dy vel.

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Chinese Liverpudlians (Maria Lin Wong)

An interesting book about the Chinese Liverpudlian community (obviously). It discusses the history, life and experiences of the community, especially in the 1900-1950s. Despite the hardship described in most of the book, and the deeply shame-inducing behaviour of both government and non-Chinese locals, I enjoyed the book. It's just a shame it hasn't been updated in the last thirty-odd years since it was published, as I'm sure there's plenty more to tell.

Bakuman v. 16 (Ohba Tsugumi & Obata Takeshi)

Another interesting book, this one focusing on the artists' attempts to unseat one another from the first place in a semi-official competition. It's pretty good. One thing I have noticed is that Mashiro's girlfriend isn't in it, and I'm not sure she was even in the last one. On the one hand it's good, because to be honest there isn't much to be said about their affair, given they don't associate; on the other hand, with Akito and Kaya others already (quietly) married, it leaves the story really just about manga artists. Interesting enough, but I've read quite a bit of that over the last fifteen books, and variety helps keep it fresh. I do wonder a bit if they might be showing Mashiro drifting deeper into his work and further from Azuki, but I suspect not. But it's possible; he is older, and potentially wiser about youthful crushes.

Moghrey Souree Dy Row

She eaght v'ayn, ren cagh coardail rish shen. Va Paaie Kinrade neuchooie da Bnr. Mylvoirrey, lane eieyn as barelyn e hene, as cliaghtit rish fockley magh ad. As v'adsyn cliaghtey bentyn rish cooishyn gyn failt da mraane dellal, lheid as ardjaghey faillyn, ny ronsaghey sheiltynagh, ny seyrey obbraghyn bleeantyn gyn leagh son foays deiney. Ga dy nee ish va bun scanshoil da raah y cholught, cha dod yn ard-chione surranse lheid y neuchurmeydys. Dy jarroo, cha nod oo jiooldey obbree v'ayn rish bleeantyn gyn loght erbee dy aashagh ny laghyn shoh. By obbyr meeghyn eh Kinrade y scughey: meeghyn dy leodaghey, as neuhastey, as livrey currymyn harrish da sleih elley "do beagh ny smoo traa seyr eck", as jarrood ish er rollaghyn cuirrey. Bine er bine, lane chiarail as leshtallyn millish follym. Jea, scughey y reih skimmee eck da rheynn elley; jiu, cur shalee noa scanshoil jee gyn poageen dy liooar ish y chooilleeney; mairagh, y çhalee y scryssey kiart roish y laa jerrinagh gyn scansh da'n obbyr chreoi v'ee er chur jee.

Agh fy-yerrey she soilshey ny greiney hug jerrey er. Shimmey treealtys as caa dy vaih argid ta roshtyn colught çhaghnoaylleeaght, as v'eh fo Kinrade adsyn venn rish bree y lhaih as ronsaghey, as briwnys orroo y chur. Tra haink rish treealtys son corys noa as schlei bree ny greiney, honnick ee caa 'ondagh dy yannoo red ennagh foawragh da'n teihll - chammah's dy chur er Mylvoirrey as y possan eck soie seose as cur tastey noa. Cheau ee shiaghteeyn er y chooish: loayrt rish y treealeyder, lhaih artyn oaylleeagh, çhaglym arganeyn as kiarail treealtys do-obbal da'n ving. Ronsee ish leighyn bentyn rish y chooish, polaseeyn y reiltys as ynnydyn-eggey co-hirreyderyn joarree dys jannoo shickyr nagh row doilleeid erbee ad y lhiettal voish y chaa shoh erskyn leagh. Dooyrt ee harrish yn oraid braew rish laghyn. Er y reih laa, hass ee roish y ving, as cur oraid jesh-focklagh as resoonagh rish feed minnid, lane feanish fondagh as caslyssyn cowreydagh. S'cosoylagh eh nagh ghow rieau fillee erbee arrane hug wheesh tostid eaishtagh er ny clashtynee. Tra hoie ee reesht, dy row fer neuchiarailagh er duittym freeney 'sy çhamyr, veagh oo er ny chlashtyn ga dy row carpad eck gyn beeal ny braag, bunnys. Agh eisht, tra va bass-voylley taarnoil ry-yerkal ec peiagh er e cheeayll, she tostid meegherjoilagh v'ayn. Lheie ersooyn ny dreaghyn drualtys, as yeeagh ny stiureyderyn er y cheilley, as creddal keayrt ny ghaa. Yeeagh Kinrade mygeayrt y mooie, shickyr nish dy row red ennagh ass ynnyd, agh gyn fys erbee er c'red v'eh. Hreig e creeaght as e taittin myrgeddin. Fy-yerrey, ren fer jeu loayrt. Fer kenjal dy liooar, as folt lheeah echey - yn Olloo Meier, nee?

"Shen treealtys feer vie, Vnr. Kinrade," as eh. Ass y chree, dy shickyr; va mian baghtal ry-akin er e eddin. "Agh cha nel y colught cur geill da çhaghnoaylleeaght vree ny greiney foast. Ta shin er greck y rheynn shen da colught 'sy Rank, shiaghtin ny ghaa er dy henney."

Yeeagh ee er gyn toiggal dy kiart, as e beeall çhirrym quaagh.

"Va shin resooney magh y chooish neayr's y Nollick. Nagh lhaih uss ny cooinaghanyn?"

As gyn kiarail er enney, snaue e soillyn da eddin Bnr. Mylvoirrey as, 'sy taasaght lieh-'ollit drogh-aignagh hooar ee aynjee, hoig Kinrade ny v'er daghyrt dy jeeragh.

Daag Kinrade gyn musthaa erbee, dy kiune, rere aght ben keirdey. Hoilshee magh ee yn obbyr v'er mayrn da'n skimmee eck, as screeu noteyn ooilley-ghoaillys da'n eiyrtyssagh, as faagail. Cha dinsh ee ny va foee, ny c'raad hie ee.

Gyn Kinrade, va bea Bnr. Mylvoirrey foddey ny sassey, as haink eh lesh y cholught son y chooid smoo rish queig bleeantyn. Dobbree ad er reddyn vondeishagh as çhaglym ram argid. Haink stiagh Bnr. Mylvoirrey dy leah 'sy voghrey, as faagail dy anmagh, ga dy row oik ard eck nish ayns toor ayns mean y valley; by vie lhee jeeaghyn magh er thalloo y cholught, daase ny smoo dagh blein. Va ny stashoonyn-greiney ry-akin dy mie voish yn oik, son ga nagh row Mylvoirrey er gooney lesh, va'n dooinney shen er ngeddyn yn argid raad ennagh. Dy jarroo, chionnee Mylvoirrey lectraghys jeh'n cholught shen: hug eh blass çhymmylaght-ghraihagh er y cholught, as v'eh neugheyr dy liooar nish. Va fainney jeu, foddee, mygeayrt y valley, as ny scaaneyn mooarey glistral nish as reesht rish arraghey ny greiney.

Er laa souree 'sy wheiggoo vlein, ren ben ayns cullee oik shooyl stiagh ayns ard-oik Conney ny Greiney (Çharmaanit) as goll stiagh 'sy çhamyr stiuree. Lhig y kaart eck jee fosley yn dorrys gyn accan. Cha row jeshaghteyryn erbee ayn foast, agh va fys mie eck er ny jeshaghtyn. Rere cliaghtey, ren ee scrutaghey ny taishbyneryn as jannoo shickyr dy row gleaysheyderyn ny scaaneyn foawragh gobbraghey foast, liorish cur orroo arraghey noon as noal. Gyn foill. Ghow ee fodreayrtan beg magh ass e poagey laue, as çhyndaa cour yn uinniag.

Beggan lurg shey er y chlag, rere cliaghtey, ren Bnr. Mylvoirrey kesmad shaghey yn oik failt follym, goll seose 'sy troggeyder, as neughlassey dorrys yn oik eck. Rere cliaghtey, huitt ee y cooat eck er y voayrd as shooyl magh er y valcane dys jeeaghyn mygeayrt as iu y caffee eck. Hug ee my ner dy row ny stashoonyn-greiney feer soilsheanagh jiu, agh cha row monney scansh ayns shen, ga dy row ad dallaghey ish ass cliaghtey. Va'n ghrian faggys ry-akin nish, as ish irree er ny cruink ayns cloagey airhey fo speyr gorrym gyn bodjal erbee. She laa aalin veagh ayn, gyn ourys. Hoie ee sheese er y chaair sonnyssagh as goaill bolgum jeh'n chaffee mea.

Yeeagh Kinrade (v'er ngeddyn ooilley'n argid eck, as kionnaghey boodeeys 'sy cholught beg hug y treealtys traartyssagh jee queig bleeantyn er dy henney) trooid yn 'odreayrtan as çhyndaa y scaane mooar s'jerree rere ny co-ordnaidjyn v'ee er nyn reih as shickyraghey as aahickyraghey, as fuirraghtyn tra skeayll goullyn ny greiney cour y valley cadlee.

As dirree y ghrian s'jerree er Bnr. Mylvoirrey.

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 31

Jerrey kied shiaghtin jeih as feed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Byzantium (Stephen Lawhead)

Feer liauyr, agh feer vie. 650 duillagyn er liurid! T'ee aainsh bea as contoyrtyssyn monagh ny h-Erin, as adsyn quaagh as yindyssagh. Ta ny contoyrtyssyn hene anaasoil dy liooar, agh er lhiam dy nee coontey ard-schlei t'ayn jeh dooinney ta coayl y credjue echey liorish çheet quaiyl surranse as angaish as sherruid as sondid deiney, as eh y gheddyn erash. As soilshaghey sleih jeh ymmodee pobblyn as ymmodee çheeraghyn myr deiney hene, lane vieys as olkys, as ny kianglaghyn arraghee t'eddyr oc. Cha nel y lioar hene gra quoi t'ayn derrey'n jerrey, agh honnick mee y duillag s'jerree aght ennagh as vrish eh y soilshaghey magh dou. Ga dy nee lioar lane raghlid as reddyn olk, er lhiam nagh vel eh jannoo assee da, as cha dod oo screeu lheid ny lioar gyn shen er chor erbee. Cha by vie lhiam lhaid lioar elley casley rish rish tammylt - ta feme aym er beggan aash as aalid nish - agh t'ee feeu, gyn ourys. As verrys geill da obbraghyn elley Lawhead.

Dodger (Terry Pratchett)

Lhaih mee y lioar shoh ayns un laa. T'ee foddey ny share na Snuff lhaih mee er y gherrid - er y fa nagh vel eh bentyn rish Vimes, foddee. Ta blassyn karracteyryn Discword ry-akin ayns Dodger (goaill stiagh Vimes, as Moist, as Nobby Nobbs) agh cha nel shen jannoo assee jee. Ghow mee ram soylley jeh'n skeeal, as ta'n chooid hennaghyssagh fondagh dy lioar douys (agh cha nel monney anaase aym er Lunnin, shegin dou goaill rish).

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Byzantium (Stephen Lawhead)

Very long, but very good. All of 650 pages! It recounts the life and adventures of an Irish monk sent on a pilgrimage. The adventures themselves would be pretty interesting, but I think one of the strongest points of the book is the way it portrays people. Characters of all peoples and lands are depicted as people, capable of both goodness and vileness, and there are ever-shifting relationships between them all. Aidan, the viewpoint character, seems an excellent depiction of someone experiencing marvels, undergoing horrific hardships, and losing his faith on account of his experiences before finally recovering it. The book itself doesn't reveal just who he is until the end, but I spoiled myself for that by accidentally seeing something on the last page - I recommend avoiding it, as it'll make the developments less striking. Although the book is pretty violent and emotionally tough at times, I didn't felt it was a problem, and in some ways it felt less unpleasant than The Kite Rider. I wouldn't like to read anything else along these lines for a while, I'm feeling the need of a gentler read, but I feel like this one was worth it. And I will be keeping an eye out for further Lawhead books.

Dodger (Terry Pratchett)

I read this in one day. It's far better than Snuff which I read recently, perhaps because it isn't distorted by the presence of Vimes. In fairness, clear traces of Vimes (as well as Moist and Nobby) are visible in this non-Discworld character, but that's almost inevitable given the type of character. I enjoyed the story, and found the historical elements perfectly satisfactory. Though I must admit I don't have much interest in London.