Translation from Galician to English of Lonxe da Terriña

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Far From The Dear Land

Translator: Eduardo Freire Canosa
(University of Toronto Alumnus)

I grant the translations herein to the public domain

(1891)

Translator's Notes

"Lonxe da Terriña" has four affectionate diminutives.

bonitiñas. Dim. and pl. of "bonita" (lovely, pretty) translated "pretty and graceful." Other options: cute and small, modest and pretty, nice and lovely.
ceíño. Dim. of "ceo" (firmament, heaven, sky) translated "fair heaven" conveying restrained praise of the alien land's sky (2.2, 2.3). Other options: kind heaven, lovely sky, starry firmament.
morriña. Dim. of "[ainda que] morra" ([even if] I should die) translated "mortal sadness" expressing the resolve or the helplessness of the speaker to keep pondering his separation from the homeland even if the practice imperils his health or his life. Other options: deadly depression, fatal gloom, morbid homesickness, wasting melancholy.
terriña. Dim. of "terra" (land) translated "dear land" (1.1, 4.1) tabbing the speaker's homeland and "fine land" (2.2) tabbing the foreign land. Other options: beloved land, cherished land (for 1.1, 4.1) and fair land, good land, gracious land (for 2.2).

Explanation of some words, terms or expressions

Ai, meu alalá (3.1). An alalá is a traditional Galician song of remote origin; some researchers trace it back to the Gregorian chant.¹ Alalá de Muxía is an example.

¹ Alalá. Galician Wikipedia.

Musical Adaptation

"Lonxe da Terriña" was put to music by the distinguished Galician composer Juan Montes Capón.

	Faustino Santalices (vintage recording)
	Luar Na Lubre from the 2005 album Saudade
	Cristina Gallardo-Domâs and the Gaos Orchestra
	Gabriela Correa Maal and Miguel Ángel Quiñones (violin and piano)
	Dúo Tensegridad (flute and guitar)
	Uxía, Christina Margotto, Jed Barahal and Sérgio Tannus

What anguish I feel far from the dear land!

Lonxe da terriña, lonxe do meu lar,
¡qué morriña teño, qué angustias me dá!

Non che nego a bonitura,
ceíño desta terriña,
ceíño da terra allea,
¡quen che me dera na miña!

Ai, meu alalá, ¿cando te oiréi?
Chousas deseadas, ¿cando vos veréi?

Son as froles destes campos
olentes e bonitiñas,
¡máis quen aló che me dera
anque deitado entre ortigas!

¡Lonxe da terriña qué angustias me dá!
Os que vais pra ela con vos me levai,
os que vais pra ela con vos me levai.

Far from the dear land, far away from home,
What mortal sadness I have, what anguish I feel!

I will not deny your beauty,
Fair heaven of this fine land...
Fair heaven of the foreign land,
How I yearn for mine!

Ah, my alalá, when will I hear you?
Desired things, when will I see you?

The flowers of these fields are
Fragrant, pretty and graceful
Yet how I wish I were over there
Even if left lying amid stinging nettles!

What anguish I feel far from the dear land!
You take me with you who are going there,
You take me with you who are going there.

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