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 suaircgood company, pleasant conversant.
duine truasailmerciful.
duine amaiseachwitty.
gasaghorrible wee man / woman.
duine lomhard-hearted. “Cho lòm [sic] ris an deargan.”
duine searbhsarcastic.
sgroileadh da theangatongue lashing. More often applicable to women being given a tongue lashing.
Cheerful / Gloomy
duine ciatacha patient person.
duine gasdaa pleasant person.
duine somaltaplacid.
“O nach buidhe dha”used of a satisfied person.
duine gàbhaidhsurly.
dreunairfrowning person.
duine griofagachnervous, excitable person.
drabasdachwhen Gaelic speech is spoiled by English interjections.
A good man / A bad man
earbsachtrustworthy.
ionraicjust.
creideachreligious.
cearda man who does not deal honourably with women.
gròicused of an incompetent joiner / tradesman.
leam-leatperson who would be behind you one minute and the next opposed to you.
A successful man / A failure
comasachcapable.
duine doigheila good tradesman, someone who is good at his job.
duine dèanadachambitious.
air a thuc fheinon his own initiative.
dìcheallachearnest.
dìleasloyal.
‘ceangailte ris a leisge’someone who is irrevocably lazy.
sgliùracha woman who makes a lot of noise.
luidclumsy housewife.
rolaisteachsomeone who tells tall stories.
A wise man / Foolish
pungailsensible.
ciallachas well as sensible used to mean a tame animal.
tonaisgailsensible.
seadhachsensible.
glomhraisg (-each)used of a stupid person.
sgliomaira hanger on.
bumalairsomeone who does not know how to behave.
Bold / Timid
dalbaa forward person.
ladarnaa forward person.
buatharraa bossy person. Applicable to both sexes.
siantaicheshy person.
leamhused of a child needing petting.
leideilused of a child needing petting.
eagallachtimid.
gealtachtimid.
Proud / Humble
‘mór as fhein’conceited.
uaibhreachproud.
duine dha fheinself-centred.
duine feineilself-centred.
brosculflattery.
masculflattery.
sgleipflattery. “Cha robh e ach a’ sgleip.”
Polite/ Coarse
bainndidha modest woman.
deideagneat, tidy woman.
àlainnhandsome.
deiseilhandsome.
glaoicbad-mannered.
fearailmasculine looking woman.
curscoarse.
Bad types
buaireasachbad-tempered.
duine làn lagh
duine amhrasachsuspicious.
ragstubborn.
Young / Old
pocantubby, 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
^ Return To Top ^