Translation help for DIY project

[OC Richard]

Yes you really need to talk to someone who was raised speaking Gaelic, because (as in all languages) words have both denotation and connotation.

Now, there's a piobaireachd titled Alba Bheadarrach.

What of this word beadarrach?

MacLennan's Gaelic Dictionary gives

beadarrach, a. sportive, caressed, fondled*, spoiled as a child; fond of; pampered.

and the next entry is

beadradh, vb. n. m. act of caressing, toying, fondling*; flirting.

All of this gives a much different picture than the English translation of Alba Bheadarrach, Beloved Scotland.

Anyhow in the English > Gaelic section of that dictionary only one word is given for 'beloved'

beloved, part. gradhaichte (with ` over the first 'a')

In the Gaelic > English section it's apparent that this is a widely used root (all with ` over the first 'a')

gradh, n.m. love or affection; a dear; a ghraidh, my dear, my darling;

gradhach, adj. loving, dear.

gradhadair, n.m. a lover.

gradhag, n. f. a loved, a dear little one, a pet.

gradhaich, v. love, esteem.

gradhan, n. m. a little darling.

gradhmhor, a. greatly beloved.

gradharachd, n. f. loveliness.

This all seems to strike at the heart of your sentiment.

There's also, as said above,

ionmhainn, a. dearly beloved; is ionmhuinn le gach neach a choslas, every one is fond of his equal, birds of a feather flock together.

ionmhas, n. m. treasure, riches.

ionmhasach, a. wealthy, rich.

ionmhasair, n. m. a treasurer.

ionmholta, a. praiseworthy.

It's stuff like this that makes language so interesting.


*BTW 'fondle' in this case is the traditional meaning of the word rather than its current American connotation of sexual predatorship.