Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Informant(s)
Name
D. J. MacKay (councillor) and Chirsty MacKay
Location
[Lewis], South Lochs, Caversta
Date
September 1972
ròsQuot.: “Cha d’fhuair mi ròs air.” Note: “Cha d’fhuair mi lorg air.”
abrachQuot.: “Dh’fhalbh a sgonnan as an abrach.” Note: Heard this in connection with the quern. Not sure of what “abrach” means.
abhrasQuot.: “Chan e abhras a th’air do chuigeall.” Note: Emphasis on the “e”. More or less parallel to “Chan e a th’agad ri dheanamh.”
geallQuot.: “’S maith dha’n gealladh tu bàs ach ’s mairg dha’n gealladh tu pòsadh.” Note: said to a person for whom one has been waiting a long time.
geàrraidh[ɡʹɑ:ri] Note: area of a few cultivated small fields or lazybeds.
putair[pu̟t̪əð] Note: dibble.
strannachanNote: piece of wood about a foot long with a serrated edge. A string was tied to one end and the stick whirled round the head. Made a noise which frightened horses.
lungagNote: a sling.
riabaisgeall[riɑbıʃɡʹɑɫ] Note: a swing.
cliseamQuot.: an cliseam. Note: applied to the three pegs at the top of the “beart-dheilbh” for fixing the “alt”.
fuainne[fu̟ɤnʹə] Note: wooden peg as on the “beart-dheilbh”.
sgiomailear[sɡʹĩməlɑð] Quot.: (1) “na sgiomailearan àrd”. (2) “na sgiomailearan iosal”. Note: (1) wooden arms above the loom for lifting the heddles. (2) the foot pedals on a wooden loom.
mìr-eàrraidh[mĩðȷɑ:ri] Note: sticks (2) with nails stuck in them at either end to keep the cloth stretched broadways as it was woven.
cliathNote: when weaving with a wooden loom, the amount woven at the one time before the tension was released and the cloth pulled back a little to allow the sleay-board to move back and fore.
cromadhNote: the length of the middle finger, used in measuring a length of cloth.
cleith-luaidh[klɛɫu̜ɤi] Note: table used for waulking cloth.
còrn[kɔ:ʴṉ] Quot.: a’ cur a’ chlò air chòrn. Note: making the tweed into a tight roll when finished. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
cuthaigeadh[ku̟hıɡʹəɣ] Note: mixing of different colours of wool before spinning, to give a mare effect.
peàrdNote: strip of carded wool ready to be fed into the spinning wheel.
tèicNote: the spinning-wheel flyer.
maighdeanQuot.: na maighdeannan. Note: the uprights on the spinning-wheel between which the flyer was set.
stol-coise[st̪ɔɫkɔʃə] Note: the treadle of the spinning-wheel.
maide-siubhailNote: the connecting rod between the treadle of the spinning-wheel and the wheel axle.
stròineachanNote: a device put on tethered cows. The rope was attached to it and when the cow strained on the tethering pin this device put on the nose of the cow tightened and made it stop pulling.
coireathallan[kɔðɔhəɫɑṉ] Note: a piece of wood with a hole at each end which served as a swivel on sheep tethers.
coireathallan-càraidNote: a piece of wood with three holes in it used as a means of tying two lambs to the one tethering-pin.
laochgann[ɫw:xɡən̪] Note: a calf’s skin.
rùilleach[ru̜:lʹɑx] Quot.: “Feumaidh mi beagan rùilleach a dheanamh.” Note: rummaging.
breabadair-ladhrach[bɾɛbəd̪ɑðɫɤ:ɾɑx] Note: the ordinary house spider.
tarbh-nathrach[t̪ɑɾɑvɑ̃ṉɑ̃ɾɑx] Note: seems to be applied to the daddy-long-legs in Park district.
teasachQuot.: “teasach na siataig”. Note: rheumatic fever.
sioch[ʃiɔx] Quot.: “sioch na bhrailleach”. Note: wheeze.
reithean[rɛhɑṉ] Note: the roller on which the band from the big wheel goes for turning the flyer of the spinning wheel.
glugach[ɡɫu̜ɡɑx] Quot.: duine glugach. Note: a person with a stammer.
liotach[lʹıt̪ɑx] Quot.: duine liotach. Note: a person with a lisp.
sploighd[splɤıḏ] Quot.: “Tha sibh air a thighinn sploighd eile.” “Chaidh sinn sploighd ann.” Note: a visit, a short while.
gaoithsig[ɡɤiʃiɡʹ] Note: said to be an old word for a snipe.
lus-a’ chapaillNote: marsh marigold.
lus CuchullainNote: type of bedstraw with a lot of yellow flowers on it.
lurga[ɫu̜ɾu̜ɡə] Note: used for the stem of a flower or plant.
lus-a’ phéighinnean[ɫu̜səfe:ĩnʹɑnʹ] Note: shepherd’s purse.
peadaran[pɛd̪əɾɑṉ] Note: plantain (generally known as “slàn-lus”).
sithean-a’chait-fhiathaichNote: dandelion.
eileach[elɑx] Note: banks of stones built out from opposite sides of a stream to guide fish into a “cabhall” or bag-net.
burubhuchaille[bu̟ɾu̟vu̟xilʹə] Note: great northern diver.
ceannQuot.: Cha teid Seumas as a’ cheann idir. Note: James won’t change his mind (even though people try to persuade him).
pàirtQuot.: “Tha iad ag obair ann am pàirt.” Note: said of people sharing work, e.g. communal work such as peat cutting, sheep-shearing, fishing, etc.
buinneag[bũ̟nʹɑɡ] Note: leaf growing on the sorrel.
lus-ruadhNote: sorrel (local).
sealbhagNote: also used for sorrel.
cairt-a’lochNote: the root of the water lily, the juice of which was used to fix dye.
cairt-bhlàirQuot.: a’ chairt-bhlàir. Note: tormentil (root used for dyeing?).
caora-bhreac-an-t-sléibhNote: early purple orchis (or could be spotted orchis).
spòg-na-cubhaigNote: cuckoo spit.
tacadh-tadhainQuot.: “Ni mi tacadh-tadhain ort!” Note: a threat. “Tadhan” (pine marten) not found in Lewis now. Possibly it alludes to the way it dealt with its prey.
peit[petʹ] Quot.: “Peit an Aona-cheum”. Note: local place-name. DJMK considers this to be a shallow place or ford.
gidhir-tomanNote: a clump of “morran” (very rough moor grass).
meallag[mȷɑ̃ɫɑɡ] Quot.: “snàth air a dhol na mheallag”. Note: a tangled mess.
meapaid-thearraNote: tar-brush.
dréug[d̪ɾe:ɡ] Note: fireball. (Pronounced by others as [d̪ɾɤɡə].)
sabardachNote: a young, well-built boy.
balt[bɑɫt̪] Quot.: balt uisge. Note: a heavy plump of rain.
bailc[bɑlc] Quot.: bailc uisge. Note: a heavy plump of rain.
meirg[meðeɡʹ] Quot.: “Is meirg a chuireas an ùir air súil [sic] a’ chinnidh fhéin.” Note: “mairg” [mɑɾɑɡʹ] in Barvas.
boinne-gamhnaich[bɔ̃nʹəɡɑ̃ũ̟ṉiç] Note: a violet which flowers early – around the end of March.
sìthean-seóbhrachNote: primrose.
punnd-bàn[pɤũ̜ñ̪d̪bɑ̃:ṉ] Note: couch-grass.
cuach-PhàdruigNote: great plantain. (Also copag-Phàdruig.)
copag-PhàdruigNote: great plantain. (Also cuach-Phàdruig.)
clach-nathrachNote: stone with a hole in the middle supposed to have magical properties.
clach-sporNote: flint.
sporan-fithichNote: skate’s pouch.
cota-drògaidNote: long working-skirt worn over a “cota-strianach”. Had a thick waist-band and was pleated. Taken off when inside, only the “cota-strianach” then worn.
cleòca-sàbointNote: long cloak worn on Sundays for church.
bonaidNote: woman’s bonnet for Sunday wear. “Bonaid” nowadays applied to a man’s working cloth cap.
peitean-mórNote: fisherman’s jersey.
ceumQuot.: “Tha i a’ faighinn litrichean a h-uile ceum.” Note: all the time.

© DASG
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