DASG Blog

Gnàthasan-cainnt ann an Dùthaich MhicAoidh (Pàirt 2)

Welcome back to part two of Idioms in MacKay country. We're carrying on with more of them from E to L.

E

[Easier] “’S ann as tric’ a nì thu e ’s ann as fheas’ e” [“The more you do it the easier it is”]

[Eat] “Ithidh an t-acras dad sam bith” [“Hunger will eat anything”]

[Endearment] “M’ eudail”

“M’ ulaidh”

“Mo ruar”

[Evening] “Mar chlach a’ dul an aghaidh ùir, feasgar dùr earraich; Mar chlach a’ ruith le gleann, feasgar fann foghar” [“As a stone being pushed against the earth, a reluctant spring evening; as a stone rolling down a glen, a feeble autumn evening”]

[Evil] “Cho olc ris an danas” [“As evil as the devil”]

[Evil woman] “Gheobh badh a h-achanaich, ach chan fhaigh a h-anam tròcair” [“An evil woman may get her wish, but her soul will not recieve mercy”]

F

[Face] “Tha aghaidh air airson na h-uile uile cadha às an tig a’ ghaoth” [“He has a face for every direction from which the wind blows”]

[Father] “Chual’ mis’ m’ athair ag ràdh, gun do chual èis’ ’athair ag ràdh, gum fac’ ’athair ’athair-as, fear a chunnaig am muir” [“I heard my father say that he heard his father saying that his father’s father saw a man who saw the sea”]

[Fire] “’S e rud math a tha san tin’ fad’ ’s nach fhaigh e buaidh” [“Fire is a good thing so long as it does not gain the upper hand”]

[Flexible] “Cho sùbailte ri easgainn” [“As flexible as an eel”]

[Food] “Is fheàrr sgur no sgàineadh, ach is fheàrr sgàineadh na biadh math fhàgail” [“It is better to stop (eating) than to burst, but it is better to burst than to leave good food”]

[Forgiveness]

1. “Mur toir thu mathanas, chan fhaigh thu mathanas”  [“If you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven”]
2. “Is mi a tha taingeil nach tu mo Shlànaighear, bheireadh e mathanas aig aon uair deug" [“I am grateful that you are not my Saviour, he would grant forgiveness at 11pm”]

[Fraser] “Frisealach mi an Dòrnoch, ’S Tòiseach mi a’s a’ Mhachair, Caladalach mi a’s Frìth, Ach ’s e MacAoidh mi dar a thig mi dhachaigh.”
[“I’m a Fraser in dornoch And a MacIntosh in Durness, I’m a Calder in Reay Forest But I’m a MacKay when I come home.”] (Saying by Rob Donn MacAoidh about the common surnames to be found in various parts of Sutherland).

G

1. [Go] “Siubhail do thaobh thall taigh na bids’!” [“Go to the far side of the house of the b***ch!”]
2. “Siubhail do dh’Iutharn!" [“Go to hell!”]

[Goodbye] “Beannachd leat, gum bi an Cruithear cuide riut na h-uile àit’ don tèid thu!” [“Goodbye, may God be with you everywhere you go!”]

[Grace] “Oltachadh sa cheàrn, Oltachadh sa chùl, Am fear a chruthaich Sàtan, d[h]o na gobhail uil’.” [“A grace in the but, a grace in the ben, the man who created Satan, may he take us all”]

[Grip] “Tha greim na seann-aois’ aig’ air an airgead” [“He has the grip of old age on the money”]

[Ground] “Bheireadh an eadhainn bheag' rud às an talamh mus toireadh an eadhainn mhòr' rud às na rionnagan.” [“The small one would take something from the ground before the big ones will take something from the stars”]

[Gunn] “Guinnich chruaidh’ lom’ chruaidh, is olc an uair a thàinig iad.” [“The hard miserly vexatious Gunns, evil was the hour they came”]
 
H

[Halloween] “Oidhch’ Shamhn’ theirear gamhna ris na laoigh” [“On Halloween the calves are called stirks”]

[Hammer] “Dè a dhèanadh tu orm-as dar a rinn thu sin ort fhèin?” [“What would you do to me when you did that to yourself?”] (Said to someone if they smacked their thumb or finger with a hammer.)

[Happy]

1. “Cho sona ris na smeòraich” [“As happy as the thrushes”]
2. “Cho son’ ris an rìgh air a chathair” [“As happy as the king on his throne”]

[Hardy] “Tha e cho cruaidh ri cù ceàird” [“He’s as hard as a traveller’s dog”]

[Hatch] “Nan dèanadh bruidhinn sighinn, cha bhiodh sinn latha gun eòin” [“If speaking could cause hatching, we wouldn’t be a day without chickens”]

[Health] “Do dheagh shlàint’!” [“Your good health!”]

[Hear] “Cluinnidh tu air do chluais bhodhar e!” [“You’ll hear about it!”]

[Hero] “Trì seòid a’ chuainein – an giomach, an rionnach agus an ròn” [“Three heroes of the ocean – the lobster, the mackerel and the seal”]

[Herring] “Seachd sgadan’n, sàth bradain; seachd bradan’n, sàth ròin; seachd ròin, sàth na muice-mara mòir; seachd muca-mara mòr’, sàth fear nach còir” [“Seven herring, a salmon’s fill; seven salmons, a seal’s fill; seven seals, a whale’s fill; seven whales, an unnatural being’s fill”]

[Hogmanay] “Thànaig mi le mo dhuan
’N oidhche mus do ghluais A’ Chollainn –
Carson a leiginn dhe mo chuimhne
Rud a bh’ ann ri linn mo sheanair?
Ithidh mi na mìrean bruith,
Bruithidh mi na mìrean iamh,
Òlaidh mi an deoch fuar,
Fuar’idh mi an deoch theth:
Neach nach toir dhòmhs am bonnach
Cuiridh mi an caolan aig’ a-mach air an fhàirleus.”

[“I came with my rhyme, On the night before the New Year came in – Why would I forget, Something which existed in my grandfather’s time? I will eat the cooked fragments, I will cook the raw fragments, I will drink the cold drink, I will cool the hot drink: Whoever does not give me the cake, I will put his intestines out through the smoke-hole.”]

[Honest] “Cho onarach ris na seachd glasan”


[“As honest as the seven locks”]

I

[Interjections]
Dear! Dear! / A rìgh a rìgh!
Ow! / Oich!
Goodness gracious! O bhithbhuan!
Oh dear! / Obh obh!
Take it easy! / Ais! Ais!
Tut, tut! / Thud ud!
Well then. / Uill ma-tà
Well! Well! / Bhuil, o bhuil!
Stop! / Fòghnaidh! Fòghnaidh!
 
K

[Kiln] “Dèan àth no muileann dheth!” [“Make a kiln or a mill of it!”]
 
L

[Lapwing] “Sgrios! Sgrios! air an fhear a chreach mo nead – fear tha mòr no leanabh beag.” [“Ruination! Ruination! on the one who harried my nest – whether it be an adult or a small child.”]

[Lazy] “Cho leisg ris a’ chuthaig” [“As lazy as the cuckoo”]

[Live] “Bha iad beò air smuaintean” [“They lived on thoughts”]

[Love] “Is lùgh’ e no an drothan-donn, is mèils’ e no a’ mheil. Gaol” [“It is smaller than the wren; it is sweeter than the honey. Love”]

We are done with part two but part three will come next month. Do you recognise any of the idioms or phrases above? Let us know on facebook, twitter and our website!