Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Informant(s)
Name
Norman Campbell
Origin
[Lewis], Arnol
Location
[Lewis, Stornoway]
Date
[November 1972]
Notes
  • [NOTES: in IPA transcriptions, the fieldworker uses [w] for [ɯ].]
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.
oidhcheQuot.: Oidhche nan Seachd Suipearan. Note: the longest night in the year.
cèiceach[cɛ:cɑx] Quot.: falt cèiceach, cloimh chèiceach. Note: unruly hair. (I would have thought “matted” would be nearer the meaning – AJS.)
badhar[ˈbɑəð] Note: a’ stuth a bhiodh aig na ceannaichean. “Dé an seòrsa badhar a th’aig an duine ud?”
dual[d̪u̜ɤɫ] Quot.: ròpa trì duail. Note: strand in a rope.
cuailean[ku̟ɤɫɑṉ] Quot.: “cuailean fuilt”, “cuailean cloimh”. Note: a lock of hair, (of wool). When used of wool, applied to longish wavy strands.
crot[kɾɔt̪] Note: a bow, as in a bow-tie.
cnagQuot.: Cuir an cnag air an dorus. Note: locking device on a door.
foidh[f[ɔı]:] Quot.: “Tha e ri foidh.” Note: going from house to house begging for food.
foidhreachd[fɔıɾɑxk] Quot.: “Tha e air an fhoidhreachd.” “Tha e air falbh a’ ruith na foidhreachd.” Note: going from house to house begging.
diol-déirc[dʹwɫdʹe:ɾiɡʹ] Note: often applied to a poor person who had nothing.
gabhlach[ɡɑu̜ɫɑx] Quot.: “gabhlach balaich”. Note: a brat, a boy up to no good.
claimhean[kɫɑ̃ĩvɑṉ] Note: locking device on a door, either sliding like a bolt or falling down into a slot.
lùdagan[ɫu̜:d̪əɡɑṉ] Note: a hinge.
sneic[sṉɛ̃c] Note: for opening a door by pressing a lever down with the thumb outside making a length of flat iron, hinged at the inner end, to lift from a slot on the doorpost.
stuig[st̪iɡʹ] Quot.: “Stuig an ann.” Note: set the dog on him.
breacag[bɾɛkɑɡ] Note: bonnach le geadan de losgadh air.
bonnach-boisNote: a thick bannock made between the hands and stood upright beside the fire to bake.
culm[ku̜ɫu̜m] Quot.: Tha culm air an latha ’n diugh. Note: a haze.
buigeanag[bu̜ɡʹəṉɑɡ] Note: a type of crab (portan) with a soft back.
déisinneag[dʹe:ʃĩnʹɑɡ] Note: a type of “portan”, small and greyish. Not eaten.
an-cheard[ˈɑṉçɑʴḏ] Note: jollity. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
cainnean[kɑ̃nʹɑṉ] Note: lighted taper.
ceann-bheart[ˈcɑ̃n̪ɑvȷɑʴsṯ] Note: headgear. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
spiullag[spȷu̜ɫɑɡ] Quot.: spiullag tombaca. Note: sliver or small piece of tobacco.
balg-snàmh[bɑɫɑɡsn̪ɑ̃:v] Note: airbladder in fish.
briachQuot.: “Bha a’ chaora sin ann am briach.” Note: said of a sheep which had “òpair” on its legs right up to its belly. Had been stuck or through deep mud.
cnagainneach[kṉɑ̃ɡĩnʹɔx] Note: a hefty type of person.
luirean[ɫu̜ɾɑṉ] Quot.: “Mo luirean!” Note: endearing term for a child.
luid[ɫu̜dʹ] Note: big clumsy woman. “Phòs mi luid airson a cuid, Dh’fhalbh a’ chuid ’s dh’fhuirich a’ luid.”
butarrais[ˈbu̜t̪ərɑʃ] Note: aimsir fhiathaich fhliuch.
butraiseachQuot.: tìde bhutraiseach.
burraidh[bu̜ri] Note: a bully.
burruichgean[bu̜ru̜çɡʹɑṉ] Note: a bully.
burruichgeach[bu̜ru̜çɡʹɑx] Quot.: duine burruichgeach. Note: a bullying person.
liorcach[lʹɤɾkɑx] Quot.: aodann liorcach. Note: a wrinkled face.
luircean[ɫu̜ɾcɑṉ] Note: applied to a person with a wrinkled face.
preaslaich[pɾɛsɫiç] Quot.: Tha preaslaich as an amhaich aige. Note: furrowed, wrinkled skin on neck.
pilleagQuot.: “pilleag aodaich”. Note: an article of clothing, a garment.
sturt[st̪u̜ʴsṯ] Quot.: “Nach ann air a tha a’ sturt.” Note: frowning aspect. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
pioc[pik] Quot.: “Chaneil pioc agam.” Note: I have nothing. “Chaneil càil agam.”
lòineagNote: a piece of fluff, as on a jacket when the hairs on it gather together.
toinndeanQuot.: “toinndean cloimh”. Note: a wisp of wool.
toban[t̪ɔbɑṉ] Quot.: toban cloimh. Note: a tuft of wool. (Larger than “toinndean” [q.v.].)
dosQuot.: dos feur, dos fraoich. Note: a clump of grass, of heather (or bunch of heather – usually used of cut or uprooted heather, grass, etc.)
bradagNote: boirionnach a bhiodh a’ goid.
[ɡʹiˈhɤu̟]Quot.: “Bu tu an [ɡʹiˈhɤu̟] (gi-how)”. “’S e fìor [ȷiˈhɤu̟] a th’ann.” Note: common in Lewis. Idiot, person with little sense. “Duine gun chonn.”
gilabhram[ɡıl[ɤu̟]ɾəm] Note: “duine gun chonn”. Also fairly common. Emphasis on the second syllable.
cafanNote: a strong smell, usually bad, which catches one’s breath. “Tha cafan bhon an fheòil sin. Sad as i.”
diomb[dʹũ̟:m] Quot.: “Bha diomb air ris.” Note: He felt displeased with him.
tamhaisgQuot.: “Eisd, a thamhaisg!” Note: “Shut up, you idiot!”
bladh[bɫɤɣ] Quot.: “Duine gun bhladh.” Note: a person with no sense.
sìlicheQuot.: “’S e sìliche lacunn a th’ann.” Note: “Duine rudeigin tana bochd a coimhead.”
gliogairNote: a thin, bony person.
glogaire[ɡɫɔɡəðə] Note: a big clumsy-looking type.
geòcaire[ɡʹɔ:kəðə] Note: glutton. Geòcach – gluttonous.
ciùrrt[cu̜:rtʹ] Quot.: “Tha e ciùrrt”. Note: used of a person injured or hurt badly.
fleasgach[flɛsɡɑx] Note: “duine òg rudeigin grinn na phearsa”.
gasant[ɡɑsən̪t̪] Quot.: “duine gasant”. Note: duine mór tapaidh.
peitean-bàn[pɛtʹɑṉbɑ̃:ṉ] Note: a vest made of white blanket cloth (plangaid).
peitean-beagNote: ordinary waistcoat as in a three-piece suit.
peitean-mórNote: a double-breasted short jacket for better wear.
sgiathalaich[sɡʹıɤhɑɫiç] Quot.: “Bithidh e a’ sgiathalaich thall ’s a bhos.” Note: wandering here and there.
biastQuot.: “Chaidh mi na mo bhéist ris.” Note: I went wild at him.
grìleag[ɡɾı:lɑɡ] Note: nighean òg ’s i rudeigin cruinn, tiugh.
blian-mór[blɑṉmo:ɾ] Quot.: “Tha thu ann a’ sin air do bhlian-mór.” Note: lying stretched out on one’s side or almost face down.
blianagNote: the underside fish [sic] on a fish, esp. the dogfish in Arnol.
caiseanQuot.: an caisean. Note: Acc. to N.C. “bhiodh iad (nuair a mharbhadh iad caora) a deanamh gearradh sios gach a taobh dhan a mhaodal agus a toirt am pìos so as. Bhiodh iad an uairsin a dathadh a’ chloimh agus a’ bruich an caisean cómhla ris a’ cheanna-chasach [q.v.]”.
ceanna-chasachNote: the head and trotters of a sheep, usually boiled together.
cearchag[cɛɾɑxɑɡ] Note: boirionnach beag reamhar.
aileadhQuot.: truaghan bochd gun ailidh [ɑli]. Note: applied to a poor, unfortunate person. A. Campbell (Puilean) says it is “truaghan an ailidh” meaning the same thing.
guin[ɡũ̟nʹ] Quot.: “Tha guin aige dha.” Note: He has a spite for him. Guineach – spiteful.
cìleachQuot.: caora chìleach, bó chìleach. Note: Partly white, partly greyish.
blàr[bɫɑ:ɾ] Quot.: each blàr. Note: a horse with a white patch running from the forehead down the ridge of the nose. Also bó bhlàr, a’ bhó bhlàr.
toilleach[t̪ɤlʹɑx] Quot.: caora thoilleach. Note: caora eadar a bhi geal agus a bhi glas.
ceol-gàire[cwɫɡɑ:ðə] Quot.: “Abair gu robh ceol-gàire ann.” Note: noisy sport, jollity. Also: “Bha e ’na cheol-gàire anns a chuideachd.” – said of a person who entertained the company with his wit and fun-making.
staght[st̪ɤtʹ] Quot.: “Staght, a nis!” Note: word used when trying to persuade a cow to stand still.
gonadhQuot.: “Gonadh ort!” Note: mild imprecation.
gonadhQuot.: “Bha e air a ghonadh.” Note: said of a person irked and angered by something.
pruimeasail[pɾw̃məsəl] Quot.: “Dithis a pruimeasail ri chèile.” Note: talking barely audibly but louder than whispering.
pracas[pɾɑkəs] Quot.: Bha iad a’ pracas ri chèile. Note: making fun, “a’ dibhearsain”.
laire[ku̟:ləðə] Note: sneak.
laireachd[ku̟:ləðɑk] Note: sneaking.
cuamhlan[kũ̜ɑ̃ɫɑṉ] Quot.: “Bha cuamhlan math ann.” Note: There was a good crowd.
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.
conablach[ˈkɔ̃ṉɑbɫɑx] Note: gu sonraichte air a chleachdadh airson caora a bhiodh air a milleadh leis na coin.
sgòidQuot.: “Bha sgòid air an duine ud.” Note: Bha rud a dhìth air an duine ud, e.g. mentally lacking. A person not able to do things properly.
leth-sgoideach[lʹɛsɡɔdʹɑx] Quot.: “duine leth-sgoideach”. Note: applied to a person who was unfortunate in some way – perhaps there was something he had to do but couldn’t do it himself and would get no help.
crabhat[kɾɑˈvɑt̪] Note: used formerly for a scarf.
sgòidQuot.: “Bha sgòid mhór air an aodach aice.” Note: said if there was a piece hanging down from the hem of a coat or skirt.
colgant[kɔɫɔɡɑ̃n̪t̪] Quot.: duine colgant. Note: duine a bhiodh a’ coimhead uamhasach fiathaich, borb.
cuimrichean[kw̃məɾiçəṉ] Quot.: “Ach, tha esan eòlach air na cuimrichean.” Note: the area round about, the immediate neighbourhood.
sealghan[ʃɑɫɑɣɑṉ] Quot.: “Cha teid mìr dheth ri do shealghan.” Note: You won’t get a bite of it to eat.
siogach[ʃıɡɑx] Quot.: duine siogach, beathach siogach. Note: tana, bochd.
gliuthachQuot.: “Sad as e. Chaneil ann ach gliuthach.” Note: applied to a fish so poor as to be rejected.
cuineal[kũ̟nʹɑɫ] Quot.: Tha e an còmhnaidh a’ cuineal. Note: a’ gearain.
tonnagQuot.: tonnag langainn. Note: a small young ling, not the “tonnag” found in rocky pools inshore.
tarrachd[t̪ɑrɔxk] Quot.: “Chaneil ann dheth ach tarrachd duine.” “Chaneil ann dheth ach tarrachd.” Note: a good-for-nothing sort of person. A lazy person who won’t work.
àmhailt[ɑ̃:vilʹtʹ] Quot.: “Tha e lan amhailtean [sic].” Note: He is full of tricks. Duine àmhailteach.
cas-gun-rath[ˈkɑsɡəˈrɑ] Note: “duine gun dòigh”.
leanamhainn[lʹɛ̃ṉɑvĩnʹ] Quot.: “Tha e ’ga do leanamhainn.” Note: He is following you.
leanamhainneach[lʹɛ̃ṉɑvĩnʹɑx] Quot.: “Tha e glé leanamhainneach.” Note: could be used of an illness or anything going on for a long time.
sgromagQuot.: sgromag air uachdair cloich. Note: a crust.

© DASG
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