DASG Blog

Briathrachas Riatanach na Nollaige

It’s the week of Christmas, Merry Christmas to you all!

We have just celebrated the wee Christmas, according to the old tradition of the Gael, and we can look forward to the Big Christmas, or New Year. I don’t believe we ever did as much celebrating on New Year amongst my friends and family, as much as we did on the wee Christmas, but maybe that should change…

In saying that, I don’t believe I’ve written about Christmas drunkenness, something common enough at this time of year.

It’s essential to have a good variety of vocabulary in Gaelic for drunkenness, and the ability to name the various stages of intoxication you may experience. You start with the beothachadh, or the enlivening perhaps; then the blàthachadh, or the warming up; or there would be a cèabhar on you, as told by an informant in Strontian.

The following phrase tickled me: “Eadar a’ chluas s’ an adhairc,” “between the ear and the horn.” But if you move too close to the ear, or too close to the horn, then maybe you are too close to dallanach, the blindness… I heard the following phrase once: “tha sùilean giomaich oirre!” or “she has lobster eyes!”
 
Take a look at the Fieldwork Archive for more vocabulary on drunkenness.

I found a few words for something else which is rather common after eating too much food. Losgadh bràghad, the burning of the chest, is what is most commonly known by indigestion, or heartburn. ‘Cradhadh am beul na duilleig,’ or ‘shaking in the mouth of the leaf’ is similar to the sensation of indigestion, but a sharper pain in the chest. The duilleag was what was known by a certain part of the chest. There is also meirbhean, tiorramachd, an teas bralain, and (rather graphically) am brùchd ruadhain, perhaps could translate as the ‘overcooked upsurge!’

It was ‘poisonously cold’ at the start of December. Pop in and visit your neighbour for a brief visit, or a fideadh, or stay longer if they have good whisky, for a deoch-sglèipidh, which, in South Uist simply means: ‘getting drunk on your neighbour’s whisky!’ Go in and ‘gar sib’ fhèin,’ or ‘warm yourself.’ Make sure you have more on you than a filleag when you return at night.
 
Listen below for the pronunciation of each phrase.

 
Get in touch on Facebook and Twitter with more information on Christmas drunkenness and other jolly unpleasantries! Enjoy your holidays!