Nàdur an Duine / Personality
- Informant(s)
- Name
- Roderick MacNeil
- Age
- [69]
- Origin
- Barra
- Location
- [Glasgow], Clarkston
- Date
- [1987-88]
- Fieldworker
- A. O’Henley
Good company / Bad company | |
duine suairc | good company, pleasant conversant. |
duine truasail | merciful. |
duine amaiseach | witty. |
gasag | horrible wee man / woman. |
duine lom | hard-hearted. “Cho lòm [sic] ris an deargan.” |
duine searbh | sarcastic. |
sgroileadh da theanga | tongue lashing. More often applicable to women being given a tongue lashing. |
Cheerful / Gloomy | |
duine ciatach | a patient person. |
duine gasda | a pleasant person. |
duine somalta | placid. |
“O nach buidhe dha” | used of a satisfied person. |
duine gàbhaidh | surly. |
dreunair | frowning person. |
duine griofagach | nervous, excitable person. |
drabasdach | when Gaelic speech is spoiled by English interjections. |
A good man / A bad man | |
earbsach | trustworthy. |
ionraic | just. |
creideach | religious. |
ceard | a man who does not deal honourably with women. |
gròic | used of an incompetent joiner / tradesman. |
leam-leat | person who would be behind you one minute and the next opposed to you. |
A successful man / A failure | |
comasach | capable. |
duine doigheil | a good tradesman, someone who is good at his job. |
duine dèanadach | ambitious. |
air a thuc fhein | on his own initiative. |
dìcheallach | earnest. |
dìleas | loyal. |
‘ceangailte ris a leisge’ | someone who is irrevocably lazy. |
sgliùrach | a woman who makes a lot of noise. |
luid | clumsy housewife. |
rolaisteach | someone who tells tall stories. |
A wise man / Foolish | |
pungail | sensible. |
ciallach | as well as sensible used to mean a tame animal. |
tonaisgail | sensible. |
seadhach | sensible. |
glomhraisg (-each) | used of a stupid person. |
sgliomair | a hanger on. |
bumalair | someone who does not know how to behave. |
Bold / Timid | |
dalba | a forward person. |
ladarna | a forward person. |
buatharra | a bossy person. Applicable to both sexes. |
siantaiche | shy person. |
leamh | used of a child needing petting. |
leideil | used of a child needing petting. |
eagallach | timid. |
gealtach | timid. |
Proud / Humble | |
‘mór as fhein’ | conceited. |
uaibhreach | proud. |
duine dha fhein | self-centred. |
duine feineil | self-centred. |
broscul | flattery. |
mascul | flattery. |
sgleip | flattery. “Cha robh e ach a’ sgleip.” |
Polite/ Coarse | |
bainndidh | a modest woman. |
deideag | neat, tidy woman. |
àlainn | handsome. |
deiseil | handsome. |
glaoic | bad-mannered. |
fearail | masculine looking woman. |
curs | coarse. |
Bad types | |
buaireasach | bad-tempered. |
duine làn lagh | |
duine amhrasach | suspicious. |
rag | stubborn. |
Young / Old | |
pocan | tubby, cheeky boy. |
[ioncag] | “Cha deach ioncag air.” – He has not grown an inch. |
[stòlda] | Bodach stòlda – for a child who talks like an adult. Cailleach stòlda – for a girl who talks like an adult. |
© DASG