Dili O Iodalam
("Jilly-O-Ee-Tah-Lum" - Puirt-a-Buel)
Trad. Lyrics to this "Mouth Music" song -- Phonetics are an amagamation of our resident imperfect Scots-Gaelic novice, Doug Dean and our Scots-Gaelic language instructor and choir director, Eva Gordon.
[ Both readily admit that it's almost impossible to express Gàidhlig sounds and vocables in Latin characters that are universally intelligible and accepted. ]

[Scots-Gaelic]
[Rough Phonetic]

[Sèist]
Dili o iodalam, deur chan eil 's a' phig' agam
Dili o iodalam, deur cha robh riamh ann
Dili o iodalam, deur idir, idir ann?
Dili o iodalam, deur cha robh riamh ann.

[Rann 1]
'Cuala sibh mu Dhòmhnall Òg, bh'e còir, sgiobalta?
'Cuala sibh mu Dhòmhnall Òg, bh'e còir, bòidheach?
'Cuala sibh mu Dhòmhnall Òg, bh'e còir, sgiobalta?
Sgiobalta bha Dòmhnall Òg, leis an t-seana chòta.

[Sèist]
Dili o iodalam, deur chan eil 's a' phig' agam
Dili o iodalam, deur cha robh riamh ann
Dili o iodalam, deur idir, idir ann?
Dili o iodalam, deur cha robh riamh ann.

[Rann 2]
Nuair thèid Dòmh'll ris an t-sliabh, 's fiadhaich a ruitheas e
Nuair thèid Dòmh'll ris an t-sliabh, 's fiadhaich a dh'fhalbhas e
Nuair thèid Dòmh'll ris an t-sliabh, 's fiadhaich a ruitheas e
Dòmh'll cho luath ris an fhiadh, agus aona bhròg air.

[Sèist]
Dili o iodalam, deur chan eil 's a' phig' agam
Dili o iodalam, deur cha robh riamh ann
Dili o iodalam, deur idir, idir ann?
Dili o iodalam, deur cha robh riamh ann.

[Chorus]
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair xChan yale suh feek ah-gum
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair xCha ro ree-uv awn
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair EE-jir, EE-jir awn?
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair xCha ro ree-uv awn.

[Verse 1]
Koo-la shiv muh Go-wul oh-g, va-ay core skip-ul-tah?
Koo-la shiv muh Go-wul oh-g, va-ay core boy-yuxCh?
Koo-la shiv muh Go-wul oh-g, va-ay core skip-ul-tah?
Skip-ul-tah vah Doh-wul oh-g, lesh ahn chen-na xCho-tah.

[Chorus]
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair xChan yale suh feek ah-gum
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair xCha ro ree-uv awn
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair EE-jir, EE-jir awn?
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair xCha ro ree-uv awn.

[Verse 2]
Noo-r hay-j Doh-wl reesh ahn t-leaves fi-ayxCh ah ree-is ay
Noo-r hay-j Doh-wl reesh ahn t-leaves fi-ayxCh ah ghal-us ay
Noo-r hay-j Doh-wl reesh ahn t-leaves fi-ayxCh ah ree-is ay
Doh-wl xChoh loo-ah reesh ahn ee-yuh, ah-gus öona vrog air

[Chorus]
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair xChan yale suh feek ah-gum
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair xCha ro ree-uv awn
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair EE-jir, EE-jir awn?
Jilly-oh-EE-tah-lum, jair xCha ro ree-uv awn.

(xCh = the gutteral 'K' sound found at the end of "loch".)


A Rough English Translation (non-sensical, so it seems)
#] Jilly-o-ee-tah-lum, there's not a drop in my pitcher
Jilly-o-ee-tah-lum, there was never a drop in it
Jilly-o-ee-tah-lum, is there not a single drop in my pitcher?
Jilly-o-ee-tah-lum, there was never a drop in it		 1] Did you hear of young Donald, he was fine and neat?
Did you hear of young Donald, he was fine and handsome?
Did you hear of young Donald, he was fine and neat?
Young Donald was neat indeed in his old coat.
2] When Donald goes to the hills, he runs fiercely...
When Donald goes to the hills, he runs wildly...
When Donald goes to the hills, he runs fiercely...
Donald is as swift as the deer, with only one shoe on.

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Page updated on June 11, 2010.
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