Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Informant(s)
Name
William Macaulay and Sorley Macaulay
Location
Harris, Grosebay
Date
June 1972
Notes
  • [NOTES: in IPA transcriptions, the fieldworker uses [w] for [ɯ].]
eallagoll[ᵉɑɫɑɡɔɫ] Note: peat naturally dried among the rocks. Ready for burning.
buaile-gréine[buɤləɡðe:nʹə] Note: shadow of a cloud cast on the ground.
ceanna-chnaimh[cɑn̪ɑxɾ[ɑ̃ĩ]] Note: wooden brackets which fasten seats in a boat to the side.
spidean[spidʹɑṉ] Note: “Pitch and Toss”.
smaointeanach[smw̃:nʹtʹɑṉɑx] Quot.: “Tha e smaointeanach”, “Tha e smaointeanach fuar”, etc. Note: commonly used in Harris.
bleideag[bledʹɑɡ] Note: snowflake.
tein’-adhairNote: lightning.
farsbachNote: greater black-backed gull.
ùrlarQuot.: “ùrlair a’ bhàta”. Note: cross-pieces on the bottom of a boat.
bac[bɑxk] Quot.: bac a lion-sgadain. Note: line with cork floats on the surface.
pàmadhQuot.: “pàmadh an drama”. Note: where the keel and sternpost [or stempost? not clear] are jointed together.
fiodh-stòbhaidhNote: wood steamed so that it can be curved, e.g. for gunwale of a boat.
bàsadair[bɑ̀səd̪ɑð] Note: can be used of any place, natural or man made (e.g. the inside of a peat-bank) which is dangerous for animals.
cachaileithNote: understood as a spot in a wall where the stones are knocked down and built up again to allow the passage of animals.
balg-bhuachairNote: toadstool.
roid[rɔdʹ] Note: bog-myrtle.
piunntNote: mint.
seid[ʃedʹ] Note: a shakedown on the floor.
cuibhrige-cluasagNote: pillow-slip.
bobhstairNote: bolster.
ceann-adhartQuot.: “ceann-adhart na leap”. Note: the head of the bed.
gaisean-uchd[ɡɑʃɑṉu̜xk] Note: the breast-strip of a sheep.
canalachadh[kɑ̃ṉɑɫɑxəɣ] Quot.: “canalachadh a’ latha”. Note: breaking of day (note pronunciation).
ciarachQuot: Tha i a’ fàs ciarach. Note: dark, gloomy.
réiseid[re:ʃedʹ] Note: raisin.
maragQuot.: marag-fhala [mɑɾɑɡɑɫə]. Note: black pudding.
broillean[bɾɔlʹɑṉ] Note: one of a sheep’s stomachs – the one with flaps inside it.
grùthanNote: the liver.
dumalasNote: gall-bladder.
dubhagNote: kidney.
lòineachanQuot.: “na lòineachan”. Note: the suet on the kidneys.
smior-cailleachNote: thought of as being back-bone marrow (spinal cord?). Not for eating.
it-fhitheach[ĩtʹˈıɑx] Note: gullet.
lòn-bhlianNote: flank.
sgairtQuot.: “Duine leis a sgairt brist.” Note: a man with hernia.
làmhog (sic)[ɫɑ̃:vɔɡ] Note: an axe.
mart-làmhoig[mɑʴsṯɫɑ̃:vɔɡʹ] Note: a beast for slaughtering. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
geilb[ɡʹeleb] Note: chisel.
sgathair[sɡɑhəð] Note: cold chisel, for cutting iron.
geinn[ɡʹ[ɤi]nʹ] Note: a cold chisel used for splitting stones. Becomes much thicker back from the tip than the “sgathair” [q.v.].
eighe[ˈeə] Note: a file.
friodhan[fðwɣɑṉ] Note: a tip put on the end of the “sreangan” to go through holes made by the awl more easily, when repairing shoes.
riobhanaich[rwvɑṉiç] Note: skin breaking behind the nails.
màirteananNote: the cracking of the skin of the feet and legs when going about barefoot in spring.
sgragQuot.: craicionn a’ sgragadh. Note: skin cracking.
breacanQuot.: breacan air na casan. Note: skin getting blotchy when exposed to a fire.
breaca-sianainNote: freckles.
miola-crion[mȷwɫəkðĩɤ̃ṉ] Note: spots on the skin – something akin to eczema.
gulmann[ɡu̜ɫu̜mən̪] Note: cataract on the eye. Previously supposed to be cured by “eòlas”.
sleanndagan[ʃlʹɑ̃ũ̜n̪d̪əɡɑṉ] Note: sty on the eyelid.
te-theotha[tʹehiˈɔə] Note: hemlock? Plant that was supposed to be poisonous and fatal if cattle ate it.
feursalan[fe:ʴsəɫɑṉ] Note: warble-fly. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
clupadQuot.: an clupad. Note: liver fluke in sheep.
tuaithealan[t̪u̟ɤıhəɫɑṉ] Quot.: an tuaithealan air a’ chaora. Note: water on the brain in sheep.
sloightire[sɫɤıtʹəðə] Note: a person not to be trusted in any way.
ràbhardachNote: given to exaggerated talk.
guitearNote: byre drain.
smeadhag[ˈsmɛ̃ɑɡ] Note: arrangement for tying cattle indoors.
stiallNote: the wooden post in a cow-stall to which the cow is tied.
flèiteach[flɛ:tʹɑx] Note: rope round a cow’s neck when tethered.
stròineanNote: piece of rope over the bridge of a cow’s nose, passing under the ears and attached to the rope round its neck. When the cow strained at the tethering pin, this tightened and hurt the cow, making it slacken the rope.
smeuradh[smĩɑ̃ɾəɣ] Quot.: a’ smeuradh nan caorach. Note: smearing sheep with tar.
troch[t̪ɾɔx] Note: dipping trough.
dribear[d̪ɾibɑð] Note: sloped enclosure next to the dipping trough where dipped sheep were put for partial drying. Dripper.
bonnach-boiseadhNote: hurriedly made bannock, thicker than usual.
frasachNote: slatted wooden feeding box for lambs.
branndairNote: wire grill which stood in front of an open fire. Oatcakes, etc. baked propped up against it.
bainne-deasgainnNote: milk with rennet added (curds).
doid[d̪ɔdʹ] Note: a very small hay-cock.
geimhleagNote: pron. [ɡʹ[ɑ̃ĩ]lɑɡ] – crowbar.
gàdagNote: length of rope for carrying a bundle of hay, corn, etc.
àradh[ɑ:ɾɑɣ] Note: ladder.
ceud-bhainneNote: first milk.
meung[mȷɤ̃ŋɡ] Note: whey.
uachdarNote: cream.
stapagNote: raw mixture of sour milk (bainne tiugh) and oatmeal.
cnapQuot.: cnap coirce. Note: raw oatmeal bannock. Oatmeal, cold water, salt or sugar. Very sustaining.
stiùrag[ʃtʹu̟:ðɑɡ] Note: oatmeal and a little cold water. Boiling water added to make a drink.

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