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Congregational.

Origin: [Skye], Gleanndail [Glendale]
Category: An Eaglais / Ecclesiastical Terms

Chan eil a bheil [sic] e buidheach neo diombach

don’t know where you stand. Not giving anything away.

Location: Glasgow
Category: Nàdur an Duine / Personality

Nullaig

[n̪u̜ɫiɡʹ] Note: for Nollaig. Thinks they used to talk of Nullaig Bheag and Nullaig Mhór but doesn’t know much about it. Surmises that Nullaig Bheag may have been Christmas and Nullaig Mhór the New Year.

Origin: [Lewis], Arnol
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Rann neo Aireamh na h-Aoineadh

this refers to a rhyme exclusive to the Southern Isles. Were you to know this rhyme and see people bathing on a Friday, then one of that company would be drowned if this rhyme was recited. There is also a curse attached to this: “Aireamh na h-Aoine ort.”

Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Sileas

Name: Cecilia. Equivalents: Celie, Osla and Ursula (Zetland). (See Julia). Note: In Zetland a woman may begin life as “Ursula” and end as “Cecilia”. In the old days Ursula was Osla and these two became Cecilia. Osla was the old Norse name Aslaug: the Scots ministers did not know Osla and changed it to Ursula.

Category: Ainmean Pearsanta Bhoireannach / Female Personal Names

Tha an toiseach

an expression exclusive to the south end of South Uist, meaning that you do not believe what you are hearing. For example someone could be telling a tall story and you would respond by saying the above phrase, letting the other person know that you did not believe him.

Location: South Uist, Smerclete
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[Tamar]

Name: Tamar. Equivalents: Támar (Zetland). Note. Dagmar (pron. ‘Damar’) is the old Norse form. The Scots ministers did not know ‘Dagmar’ and twined it into Tamar.

Category: Ainmean Pearsanta Bhoireannach / Female Personal Names

[beul]

“Cha tig feuch air beul duinnte.” If you keep your lips sealed no one will know your secret.

Location: North Uist, Grimsay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[faicinn]

Is aithne dhomh e a thaobh fhaicinn. I know him by sight.

Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[fearg]

“Ni a chluinneas tu a thogas fearg, na dean dearmad air a chleith.” Do not speak of something when you know [it] will cause hurt or bitterness.

Location: South Uist, Stoneybridge
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[fro-stick]

Another thing that was used in connection with milk, I do not know the Gaelic name for it but in English it is called a fro-stick. In fact we used to have one here though I have not seen it for some time. I’ll try and make a drawing of one which will give you an idea what it looked like. It was used for what we called a ‘fuarag’. This was some cream in the bottom of a flat dish or any vessel with a flat bottom, you put the fro-stick in it and kept the handle tight between the palms of the hands and made a rubbing movement causing the fro-stick to go one way then the other continuing this for about five minutes, depending on the quality of the cream, until it almost reached the stage what we called the ‘bainne-briste’ stage. ‘Bainne-briste’ was when the milk was starting to change from milk to buttermilk. The ‘fuarag’ was the stage before that when the cream went sour and this was often taken. The material which went round the four spokes was the long hard hair at the end of a cow’s tail like a rope. It didn’t fall off as the ends of the spokes were scouped out cup shaped.

Origin: Inverness-shire, Nethy Bridge
Category: Crodh / Cattle

[hup] and

[vai:n] [calls to horse used when] ploughing, to go one way (furrow) and then the other (rig). Not know which. [NOTES: slipped under [v[ai]:n]. Definition: one of the calls (the other being [həp]) to a horse when ploughing, to tell it to go to furrow or rig. Not known which is which.]

Origin: Kill-Fhinn
Category: Crodh / Cattle

[lite]

“Na bi bogadh do shliopean air an lìte [sic] nach òl thu.” Make sure you know what you are getting involved in.

Location: North Uist, Grimsay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[làmh]

Chan aithne dha a lamh dheas seach a lamh chli. He doesn’t know his right from his left.

Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[note]

I have heard all these words pronounced the same as I hear them on wireless but do not know whether different words were used when applied to sheep.

Origin: Inverness-shire, Nethy Bridge
Category: Caoraich / Sheep

[note]

As you must know, the diphthong ‘eu’ is always pronounced ‘eeaa’ in Lochaber. An speur – the sky is certainly an exception.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[oisg]

I have heard the word ‘oisg’ used for a sheep but I don’t know did the word belong to any particular age group. The ‘o’ sounded like ‘o’ in ‘òran’.

Origin: Inverness-shire, Nethy Bridge
Category: Caoraich / Sheep

[prìs]

Is aithne dhomh do phris. I know your rate.

Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[saoghal]

Cha robh fhios agam air an aon saoghal. – I didn’t know on earth what.

Origin: [Lewis, Uig an Iar]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[siorram]

Mouth music: “Siorram sios, siorram suas / Cha robh ball de Ruaraidh agam / Siorram sios, siorram suas / Cha robh agam Ruaraidh.” I don’t know any more of it.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[sliochd]

“Fàsaidh sibh mar an luachair / Is crionaidh sibh mar an raineach, / Is thig sliochd eile ’nur n’àite / Is thig crioch air sliochd na mollachd.” I don’t know what place this refers to – I consider that ‘mollachd’ must be wrong: it is a very strong word.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[stuigeadh coin]

The commands for a sheep-dog my granny used, which I have heard repeated by my mother were: Mach thu fad air ais agus beir orra, although as far as I can understand ‘beir orra’ was applied when the sheep or the cows were in mischief and though the command meant to overtake, it was meant for the dog to give them a good drilling after he did get them. Another command which was used though I do not know is it correct Gaelic or not was ‘thoir thu leo’ and the other ordinary command being ‘trobhad seo’.

Origin: Inverness-shire, Nethy Bridge
Category: Caoraich / Sheep

[sàr]

Mar a tha sar fhios agat. As you know very well.

Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[teanga]

Chan eil e agam air mo theanga. – I don’t know it off by heart.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

aithnich( faithnich) vb.

‘know, recognise’: fut. indep. aithnichidh, aithnichidh mi iad [ɑɲiçi mi ɑt] ‘I know them’.

Location: Canada, Cape Breton, Inverness County, Broad Cove Chapel
Category: Seosamh Watson collection notebook date: Jan-May 1991

amhlair

one who does not know how to behave, cannot help behaving so; clumsy one.

Location: Inverness
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

barr-a-cùg

[bərəˈk̚u:kᶜ] Notes: the flower of the potato plant. Only Embo speakers know and use this word; unknown in Golspie and Brora. Source: Sandy MacKay, Hall St., Embo. Date: spring 1968.

Location: Sutherland [see below]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

bas-bhualadh

clapping. We have in Scalpay a word I don’t know if you could spell it as above or basbhaladh. We say: Dé a basbhaladh air an duin’ ud – when a man walks continually here and there.

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

beith

birch tree. There is only one birch tree I know of growing within a distance of Scalpay. It’s on another adjacent island to Scalpay (Scotisay Island), and again as far as I gather, there isn’t one growing on Scalpay, Harris. The one that grows on Scotisay is the ‘silver birch’. If there is a special name for the ‘silver birch’ remains a question with me at the moment.

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

boga-nid

already referred to previously, is I think a tit bird not any particular one – I know for certain it’s a bird, a tit bird – very likely any tit bird or any of the tit bird family, a general term. I remember hearing the term used years back. This is my definition – perhaps someone else has some other or can have a further definition.

Location: Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

briscean, pl. briscein

roots. (I know the vegetable or ground eatable produce but I am afraid I cannot give you the very word for it in English at the moment. They can be rooted from the ground. I have already noted the word on a previous page.)

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

bumalair

someone who does not know how to behave.

Origin: Barra
Category: Nàdur an Duine / Personality

bìogais

[bı:ɡiʃ] Notes: a kind of dogfish. DR says he wouldn’t know it from the “dallag”.

Location: Skye, Sleat, Calligary
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

conamhaireachd

[kɔṉɑvɑðɑxk] Quot.: “Dé a’ chonamhaireachd a th’ort a’ sin?” Note: said to someone who was making a mess of what he was doing, either by design or because he didn’t know how to do it properly.

Origin: [Lewis], Arnol
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

cuisil

artery. (Vein, I don’t know Gaelic of.)

Origin: Lewis, Uig
Category: Caoraich / Sheep

cànalas orra

a kind of curse (don’t know what it means).

Origin: Applecross [mother]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

càrdadh

Quotation: An ann a dol a dh’ionnsachadh càrdadh do’d sheanamhair? Notes: telling me something I know already.

Origin: Islay, Port Charlotte
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

deargan-tràghad

‘ebb flea(s)’. Perhaps this is not the right English for them. They jump in the same way (I know you have seen them) on removing a stone and among seaweed, they belong to the marine species. [SLIP: Fleas [sic] which are found among seaweed.]

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

deasachadh

Notes: In W. Lewis, the word deasachadh is as far as I know, confined to the preparation of baking, or food, e.g. ‘Bha i ’deasachadh’ – would mean only this one thing.

Origin: West Lewis [the location given on the slips]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

dol

Quot.: “Eil dol aige air?” Note: the stress on “air”. “Is he getting on with it?” or “Has he the know-how to do it?”

Origin: [Barvas]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

dronnag

a pad for the back, below the creel. Dronnag also meant a person’s back. ‘Bi fios aig do dhronnaig air.’ ‘Your back will know all about it.’

Origin: Lewis, Uig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

farasach

Quot.: “na farasaich”. Note: applied to tripod of sticks on top of which a haycock is built. Recent innovation here. Don’t know the origin of the term.

Location: [Lewis], S. Lochs, Lemreway
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

fiosrach

Quotation: Chan fhiosrach mi. Notes: I do not know.

Origin: Islay, Ballygrant
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

foirteam

also used for snòt [q.v.]. Whether this [is] a corruption of English word or has claims to Gaelic origin, I don’t know.

Origin: An t-Eilean Sgitheanach [Skye; Skye, Glendale acc. to other questionnaires]
Category: Acfhuinn Iasgaich / Fishing Tackle

iat

Quotation: Chaidh e gus an dorus iat. Notes: He went to the lower door. I never came across this word anywhere else and do not know what it means: but it was used in this sense of the lower door, or the furthest away.

Origin: West Lewis [the location given on the slips]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

innseadh

Quot.: “Tha sin a’ toirt innseadh dhuit man a bha.” Note: That lets you know how things were.

Origin: Kershader
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

laoidh

Quot.: “Laoidh nan cóig rann.” Note: doesn’t know much about it except that it was recited when the cloth was put on the roll. The person reciting it would slap down his hand at the end of the recitation and say “agus mar sin, agus mar sin”. Supposed to ward off evil spirits from the cloth.

Origin: Caversta
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

longag

I am not quite sure of this one either. I know it refers to wood, a ship-model, or a piece of rail-wood, in some wooden implement, a handle part, perhaps of a churn (crannachan). I cannot at the moment say exactly. I have the word: it was used or common in past years. [SLIP: ‘Possibly refers to something made of wood – a ship-model or the handle of a churn’ – informant unsure.]

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

lusgainn

[ɫu̜sɡĩnʹ] Quot.: “Cho geur ris a’ lusgainn.” Note: could be said of a knife. Doesn’t know what “lusgainn” is or was.

Origin: [Caversta]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

millearach

does not know English equivalent. This substance used to come ashore, and was used as a substitute for straw, especially in mattresses. Stringy, dry substance.

Origin: [Barra]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

peursa

[pjɤ:ʴsə] Notes: a pole (1) stuck on a rock in the sea to warn boats, (2) put up by seaweed watchers to let the people of the village know it was ashore. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]

Location: South Uist, Bornish
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

rughan Frangach

“Rughan Frangach” is more complicated. It would seem to be the “learner’s” or “stranger’s” or “foreigner’s” way of making a “rughan”. These amateurs would use the easy method of laying the peat lengthwise instead of on end as in the proper “rughan”. So a child might be told when his “rughan” keeps falling in – “Dean rughan Frangach”. The name is not in common use now however. (I find the local staff know it – delete last sentence.) [NOTES: again, the term appears in the above-mentioned peat questionnaire.]

Location: Ross-shire, Gairloch, Achtercairn School
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

sean-eòlach

well acquainted. Tha mi sean-eòlach air. – I know him well.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

sean-mhaor-eòlach

(Gaelic term, Scalpay) ‘old acquaintance’ with work, or well acquainted with work, noticeable with a person approaching some work, with which people don’t know what until he shows he can master it: thus described in this.

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

slat-beoil

(One boy produced this as the upmost cane, locking the creel. I know it only as boat-gunwale.)

Location: Gearrloch, Achadh a’ Chairn [Gairloch, Auchtercairn]
Category: Mòine / Peat-Working

starragan?

here (bunan fhiaclan grota) anns a bhanas or crows. Perhaps there is a proper rendering. I am not quite sure if this is exactly? I am doubtful. I know there is such a word for bunan fhiaclan grota anns a bhanas?

Location: Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

taghairm

Notes: consulting invisible oracle. Offering of cats to devil in return for prosperity or worldly wealth. A reality, 3 forms: 1. taghairm nan cat, where cats offered; 2. taghairm nan radan, where rats used; 3. if people wanted to know the future, rolled up man in hide. Left between waterfall and rock, given the problem and left alone all night when he was supposed to have exact answer from friend in the Otherworld. See Occult Elements Common to Celtic and Oriental Folklore. Parallels in Classical lore.

Origin: Skye
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

troille

smaller than ling, but very similar. Don’t know the English name.

Origin: Lewis, Uig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

ìobaidh

Quotation: Brora: [i:bi], Embo: [hibɑɡ] – a push, a swing. [hor dɔ̃ i:bi/hibɑɡ] ‘Give me a push (on the swing), give me a swing (on the arm).” Notes: Embo people don’t know the form without h-, Brora vice versa. Source: Mrs John MacRae, 12 Moray Terrace, Brora and Kenneth MacKay, 16 Gate Street., Embo. Date: spring 1968.

Location: Sutherland [see below]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous