| May, 1970. blue diary |
| lethbhuinn | soles for boots. |
| toiseal | feeling important or complacent. [NOTES: note in the margin – (toiseil). (black ink)] |
| morghan | rough sand. |
| eirinn fhraing | wooden nail, perhaps. |
| not Faro | |
| rif ireinn | the reef in a sail next the sheet. |
| tramascal | rubbish (talk or articles). |
| clamhasaich | arguing, serious or otherwise. |
| buile trot | Anns a bhuile trot – [NOTES: note in the margin – ? (black ink)] |
| osgarra | bold looking. |
| fo na mùgan | looking in a sly manner. |
| [clach] | (Sleamhuinn a chlach a th’ann an ursuinn a Taighe Mhoir.) |
| [comhairle] | (Comhairle Glag Scain, rud nach buin dhut na buin dha.) |
| [sean fhacal] | (Sean fhacal, ged a sharaicheadh e cha do bhriagnaicheadh e.) |
| chul tamh | [sic] As a’ chùl tamh – saying something out of the blue. |
| coinghig | an angry look, often applied to a dog with his hair ruffled. [NOTES: note in the margin – confhadh, rage, fury (N. Uist). (black ink)] |
| bacag | a stagger or a trip in wrestling. |
| mol | shingles on the sea shore. |
| cuinseachan | |
| ciorb | straggling end of cloth, or a corner of a shawl air a beannan (folded cornerwise). |
| tannt | Toirt tannt dha – taunt, maybe; casting up. |
| snodadh | a hint or clue. |
| snodh | ripple to the nose of a fish swimming near the surface; gut. Fishing gut. |
| meabain | urchin or a wet untidy fellow. Tha thu air do mheabaineachadh – like somebody who has been out in the rain. |
| luth-luath | the shiver above the fire in the open on a hot day. |
| corrghul | the cooing of a bird, or even of a baby. [NOTES: note in the margin – (N. Uist). (black ink)] |
| inghneadh-a-staigh | edging in on something. [NOTES: note in the margin – Dhinn Dh’ighn (N. Uist). (black ink)] |
| conna-ghugag | a sea shell about the size of a small hen’s egg and shaped like so. |
| magairneach | imitator. |
| [mèirleach] | Nuair theid na mearlaich thar a cheile this [sic] an t-ionracan na chuid. |
| màm | a palm-full of grain more customary as màm sil. Also mam [sic] for a squat hill. |
| blaudadh bladadh | making a grumph [sic] or a sudden bark from a dog. [NOTES: two variants of the same word?] |
| treallaich | rubbish. |
| cromadh | measurement of tweed usually from the tip of the middle finger to the knuckle joint. |
| dramalaig | a simple Gaelic ditty. |
| pàm | the jack in a pack of cards. |
| bhuidhe-ri-Dia | an expression used by certain families in a certain district, when wishing to emphasise (as indeed it was). |
| tilp | Tilp a nall – slip over as for a fly visit, or better tuilp. |
| reabsach | untidy, as an untidy beard. |
| baltag | beefy, as: Nach ann air a tha bhaltag. |
| peursa | a pole. The pole erected when there was seaweed on the shore in the days when seaweed had to be air a roinn. |
| seursadh | urging or coercing. |
| sparuig | miod mhor – proud or showing off. |
| moit | thinking a lot of oneself. |
| gun tiochdladh | unrelenting. |
| crid | Gun chrid – quite healthy. Gun chrid Mhathar (emphasis again). |
| straointe fosgailte | wide open. Dh’fhagadh an dorus straoint [sic] fosgailte. |
| ceoragaich | foggy or misty. |
| tuilg | movement. Cha d’thug iad tuilg aiste. |
| duil | expectancy. Duil thairis – giving up expecting. |
| stall | steading on a farm. |
| coinneal-mhoire | a Candlemas candle. |
| seasamh claidheamh | standing on the head. |
| stubach | cut short. |
| gur | brood of chickens. |
| lianradh | an article used for winding yarn. |
| tachrais | winding, like tachrais shna [sic]. |
| opar | possibly hopper – in the mill where the grain is poured to be ground by the bra (the grinding stone). |
| breacadh na bra | roughing the [grinding] stone with a pickaxe when it gets too polished. |
| caoineadh | weeping but also maybe caoineachadh – making it finer. (In making a bag for bagpipes after the skin was shred of the wool it was placed in alum and then dried. It was then stiff, but had to be teased and rubbed by the hands until it was like chamois, air a chaoineachadh.) |
| Gun ghuth gun abadh. | |
| prosbaig | telescope. |
| glaic | a glaic – hollow, relief. |
| glac-lamh | handcuffs. |
| geomhail | trouble. Leig e mi a geomhail – he relieved me. |
| ciorrach min | fine rain. |
| lianaraich | grass growing out of water. |
| giungach | humphy [sic] backed. |
| cruib ach | [sic] with arched back. |
| port a rathaid | drain on the roadside to allow water to run off. |
| spleoc | smash. |
| gefoir | a blow. Bheir dha gefoir, spleoc e. (maybe local expressions) |
| beithir | an electric storm, where lightning strikes. |
| glointean | thickly set, particularly referring to hay and corn as left by the scythe. |
| gnua | rough and unfriendly look. |
| connas ri | arguing or teasing. |
| poiteadh | using the black pot. |
| liorachadh | festering. |
| stiùp | a hanging end of clothing. |
| saod | attempt. |
| deurd | sound. Cha chuala mi deùrd [sic] – I did not hear a murmur. |
| sgeamhadaich | coughing. |
| slaichd | a slap. |
| sgàth-fhras | a slight shower. |
| liadh | warrior. Mo liadh – my beau. |
| ceilidh ceardach | a long drawn out visit. |
| maoladh a chluasan | like a horse showing anger by flattening the ears. |
| aonragaich | horse rolling over to scratch its back. |
| lunn-lann | without energy. Na lunn-lann – without ambition, etc. |
| tuisleadh | a tripping. Gus a tuisleadh – expecting soon. |
| sìochadh | going over on the ankle. |
| mnathan cràbhaidh | nuns. |
| geotan | trifle. |
| ceamaidealach | crooked, at least not straightforward. |
| rothart | spring tide. |
| canntraigh | neap tides. |
| caothalaid | uproar in enjoyable manner. |
| siutal | a caller who is also a moucher [sic] [moocher?]. |
| siotar | a horse neigh. |
| ubh mille fithich | a very small egg, either the first or last when the hen starts or stops laying. |
| breoclait | poor health. [NOTES: the definition added by hand (blue ink).] |
| colg | showing signs of anger. De an colg a th’ort? |
| peinnteall | a snare made by horse hair on a frame to catch small birds. |
| comhalaich | meet someone or accompany someone. |
| botrachan | the stick under a horse’s tail with ropes to the saddle to keep it from slipping over the horse’s neck. |
| slatraich | grovelling in the mud. |
| ri mir an uisge | in the height of the rain. |
| drabachd | filth. |
| drabasta | indecent in speech. |
| ceacharra | mouchering [sic]. |
| bonn spuaichd | trifle of a coin. Cha torain bonn spuaichde air. |
| moineiseach | simple or single-minded. Duine moiniseach [sic]. |
| leuradh | hurt deeply. |
| lochradh | such as: Lochradh le fallas – sweating heavily. |
| finnalt | fine (applied to persons). |
| [buailteach] | Beoltainn chaom, mhin, mhaltain bhla agus turadh an treas la / Ach ma’s uisge ’s gaoth bhios ann, ’s buailteach gur e ganntar a bhios ann. [NOTES: note in the margin – (buailteach). (blue ink)] |
| trilleachan | small bird with shrill voice, found on sand beaches. |
| mireannach | the bit in a horse’s mouth. |
| broide | horse collar. |
| dorn | the drawing chain on a cart shaft. |
| strathair | cart saddle. |
| cairb | the bend on the saddle for an druim [q.v.]. |
| druim | saddle chain. |
| siollachan | hames for the collar. |
| smuiseal | the draw pin for the plough. |
| greallag | swingletree. |
| an t-amul | the long swingletree. |
| sintean | drawing chains for the plough. Hence: sineadh for ploughing in some places. |
| am bord uraidh | the board on the plough for turning the furrow or uiridh. |
| a chulaidh Aifrionn | the Mass vestments in R.C. Church. |
| a’ lochran | the Sanctuary lamp. |
| a chlach Aifrionn | the Altar stone. |
| pacaras | bundle of odds and ends. |
| fiarag | the rope across the corner of a thatched roof. |
| maide-feanaig | the tips on each end of the roof of a thatched house. |
| ceann-mara | the end of a fence ending in a loch. |
| mothar | a loud report like a very loud shot from a gun. |
| saodadh | directing or driving a beast [in] a certain direction. |
| stadhadh | stretching, especially oneself. |
| blar | a field or stretch of land as well as a battle. |
| neothann | feeling after over-eating. |
| miodalaich | making a fuss or one like a dog does. |
| buiseartach | applied to an ear playing piper. |
| maosgaideach | [See moisgeadach.] |
| moisgeadach | undependable. Duine moisgeadach. [NOTES: note in the margin – mobhsgaideach. (black ink)] |
| blairiochachd | (bla riochd) an untidy dirty person. |
| aonragan | living single, as it were. |
| geomhail | Cuir ann a geomhail – put on the spot or in trouble. |
| connabhair | a person over keen on working. |
| sotalan | a pee hee-er. |
| coinig | looking angry. Coinig air – he looks angry. |
| dalma | being very forward or cheeky. |
| toinisg | understanding. Duine aig a bheil toinisg. |
| Tobar Baistidh | Baptismal Font. |
| lighe | the juice of boiled potatoes. Leighe [sic] a bhuntata. |
| dearnaidh | in the palm. Dearna. |
| bacag | tripping one as in wrestling. Cuir na bacaig air. |
| dul farais | tired waiting. |
| beithir | lightning bolt. |
| glointean | when scything corn placing the “beum” in place. |
| ubh mille fithich | a very small egg, as the last egg for the season. |
| colg | angry look. |
| peinteall | trap for catching birds, made with horse hair in a frame. |
| comhalaich | meet a person. |
| inghe dol am beo | ingrowing toenail. |
| spiorachcadh | swearing at. |
| dranndan | growling. |
| caibheil | (ca-bheil) place made in the river to hold the net when poaching. |
| rodhanaich na Samhna | the calm period at the end of autumn. |
| ciutaigean | socks. |
| balthadh | a sudden calm. |
| bladadh | like a sudden bark. |
| fleasgach | a bachelor (best man at a marriage). |
| ri mir an uisge | at the height of the rain. |
| moiniseach | shy and simple. |
| leuradh | severe pain or deep grief. |
| plamach | having a soft feeling. |
| duthchas | natural to one’s surroundings. Theid duthchas an aghaidh nan creig. |
| [stuadh] | Chan ’eil stuadh na bogha bristeadh orm – in no hurry. |
| reapsach | (repsech) A good blow of wind. |
| mosgan | deterioration in wood; dry rot. |
| mapladh | messing a thing, especially something being eaten. |
| crios-eilidh | a cord to shorten the kirt [sic] [kilt?] (going round below the hips). |
| air a ghotsaig | shortage, especially foodstuffs. |
| rucle na mhionnach | |
| tutanadh | [?] egging on or urging. [NOTES: it looks like the word was spelled ‘tutanach’ originally but then ‘d’ was typed over ‘c’… or the other way round!] |
| bao-chartain | playing cards; the two to the fives only. |
| troghaid | (tra-heid) a stitch in the side. |
| clach dhillean | a fixed rock in the ground, as against a loose stone. |
| gaoradh | gaoradh (gurradh) air a cheile – arguing and fighting with one another. |
| Mathair na Cuaineadh | the mother of all, mostly referred to the old mother of all the dogs and puppies. |
| crogan sgaoilte | the opposite to safe hands. |
| bruig | rotten seaweed, collected for manure. |
| reudan | woodworm. |
| ransach | a snell wind. Ransach de ghaoith a tuath. |
| cochair | a trifling amount given to somebody. (deirg or pension) |
| sgudail | in a clean sweep. Thog e e sgudail glan. |
| fuighean | excess. As na fuighean. |
| lachrann | (lamh chrann) a thin pole, used for the handle of a suisde, as a rule. |
| South Uist. December, 1971. |
| garradh-phloc | turf dyke. |
| drointeadh | making sudden slight attack. |
| baslach | a palmful of water. Cuir badlach [sic] air t-aodann. |
| gidseachan | getting odds and ends, particularly of items of clothing. |
| drudhadh | drying, esp. drinking the dregs of a bottle. Drudhadh a bhotuil. |
| saiseal | a right slap. |
| sgloidseach | an untidy woman. |
| casan coirbte | intoes. |
| siamachadh | (Eochdar) selecting. Tha mi siamachadh an iomaire seo airson buntata a chur ann. |
| roic | a lot of beef for eating. Tha roic agabh [sic]. |
| beannabh | from corner to corner. Tha an t-seal air bheannabh – shawl. |
| sgoilteadh iomaire | ploughing a rig starting from the outside. |
| cuir ma dhruim | ploughing a rig starting in the middle. |
| crogann sgaoilte | ‘handless’, apt to let things fall. |
| cluichd an taighe | a form of rounders. |
| teibidich | undecided. |
| goireadh | goireadh (gurradh) air a cheile – wrangling with one another. |
| dringean | struggling with a job, taking too long to it. |
| scuala | a sudden gust of wind; squall. |
| aonraigich | rolling over. A horse scratching its back. Tha an t-each ga aonraigich fhein. |
| dromanach | the strap across a horse’s back to hold up the sintean [q.v.]. |
| sintean | the chains or ropes from the hames to the swindle-trees. |
| sineadh | other way of saying treabhadh, hence sintean [q.v.]. |
| trinnse | trench. Trinnse a mhuilinn – the waterway to the mill wheel. |
| strubhan | Michaelmas cake, made with a bannock covered on each side with some form of sweet, such as treacle and flour. |
| ubh milifrithich | the last egg or even the first which is very small. |
| shirc | smallest drop. Cha do dhol [sic] e shirc an diugh. |
| riamann | wasting time like a slow coach. |
| piob sheinn | (in Uist) the Highland bagpipes. |
| [lionarag] | udagag, an adagag, a ghobhar athar, a lionarag ’s a’ naoisg. (In Uist the various names of the one bird – the lionarag.) |
| piochan | a wheezing in the chest. |
| snuaisleadh | a rumbling sound. |
| brag-a-bhaile | an upstart of a man. |
| steocach | sleeked. |
| sgeamhadaich | coughing. |
| cnaibealtain | garters. |
| gartann | the tick insect. |
| clibideach | [See clibisdeach.] |
| clibisdeach | clumsy on the feet. |
| leiristeach | crippled. |
| scroid | (scryj) an untidy woman; a large flat button. |
| innein | anvil. |
| tonn | a large wave. |
| biorrarag | |
| sliachd-tilligidh | retching. |
| buile-thuig | a bruising on the toe knocked against a stone. |
| goruisg | a simpleton. |
| daga | a pistol. |
| miogadaich | chittering. |
| spioracadh | ranting or slight swearing. |
| sgudail glan | pulled off without hesitation. Thug e as e sgudail glan. |
| cean-dubh | Cean-dubh air a gheallaich – the turn after the moon has been full. |
| diasgan | squeaking. |
| pliathach | splayfooted. |
| spealeatrom | a session, such as: Thug e spealeatrom air a phiob or Thug i spealeatrom air trod. |
| gorradaich | nodding to sleep. |
| glamadh | biting a piece in a course [sic] way. |
| guthtair | feadan na bathchadh or the claise. |
| guthte | a criathar without holes, usually used for holding wool in rollagan. |
| don gnothaich | thankless. Nach ann ort a bha don-gnothaich (if you did a job that was not asked for). |
| cuinseachan | swaggering. |
| scifier | like a split pin used in cart wheels to keep them on the axle. |
| bumalair | an ignorant fellow. |
| strat an teintein | throwing flat stanes [sic] along the surface of the lock [sic]. |
| athais | used by some people for means of travel. Theid mi ann ma dheibh [sic] mi ais [sic]. |
| tamhasg | a small uncouth fellow, usually cheeky. |
| mathair uisge | a water spring. |
| sunnlachadh | making room. |
| spointeadh | a sudden pull. Thug e spointeadh air a’ ropa. |
| sgird | a diarrhoea on beasts. |
| craoib | round-shouldered. |
| buiseartach | an ear piper, one who has just picked it up on his own. |
| tosail | (toshal) complacent or independent in attitude. |
| ubhla-bhan | the potato flower. |
| burlaisg | handle of a pot or pan, usually a wire one. |
| sleamhnain | a stye on the eye. |
| croga | a jar; an old ewe. |
| crogadh | in the fank pulling the ewes and other sheep out to be dipped or sheared. ’S e na feadhainn oga bhiodh a crogadh. |
| crodhadh | getting the cattle housed for the winter, and also getting the harvest in, hence deireadh chrodhaidh. |
| cuat | a girl friend. |
| ceanglaichean | the rafters on a thatched house. |
| dligheadh | church dues. |
| spiorachadh | swearing, or using tapagan. |
| culchainnt | gossiping about others. |
| scaimeicheadh | getting on the somebody. |
| cor-oisein | the corner pole on the roof of a thatched house. |
| cor thulchain | the middle pole [on the roof of a thatched house]. |
| coparan | a small fank where the calves and lambs were placed to separate them from their mothers. |
| uislig | a big untidy lump, often applied to a fat untidy woman. |
| ciuthach | a fly member. |
| toisgeal | the left side. Taobh thoisgeil. |
| glut | the part above the hip of an animal (the hollow). |
| baganachadh | getting tidied up. |
| sgliomair | moocher. |
| sparuig | conceit. Tha e lan sparuig. – he is full of himself. |
| tri-reidheach | 3 months old. |
| froisean | used for hand thrashing. |
| buailtean | used for beating the grain, to break off the husks. |
| suisde | the complete thing, buailtean [q.v.] and handle. |
| sguidseadh | swiping off the grain. |
| rafagach | weeds in static water. |
| spiutheireachd | pilfering. |
| cold | looking angry. Tha cold fiobhaich air a chu. |
| dringan | struggling with a task. |
| riamann | more or less as dringan [q.v]. |
| spreod | splinter of wood. |
| faireag | pimple or cist. |
| cuir romhad bliadhna uir | New Year resolution. |
| faghach | attempting to do a thing. |
| sunnlachadh | making room, as working oneself into a crowded seat. |
| sgriob drama | having an itchy upper lip meant that one would get an unexpected dram. |
| cruigeal | a rangy or bony animal (applied [to] the tall round-shouldered men). |
| cul-chumaig | put on the spot. Bha mi ann an cuil chumhaig [sic]. |
| faiteachal | shyly. |
| cnotag | a sort of bra for spilling oats (a flat stone with a hold [sic] in it where the grain was put for spilling). |
