| 1. Na tràthan |
| bracast | breakfast. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| deit | dinner. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| seepar | supper. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| 2. Am biadh a bhidhte gabhail aig gach tràth |
| BRACAST |
| broase na leeit | brose or porrage. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| hamma agus uighinn | bacon and eggs. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| DEIT |
| butata agus scadan | potatoes and herring. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| broota | broth. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| butata agus feooil | potatoes and meat. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| SEEPAR |
| tay | tea. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| arran floor | scones. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| arran cork | oatcakes. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| arran eorna | barley scones. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| eem agus greeam | butter and crowdie. (Stoer, Assynt) (Greeam is crowdie in Assynt.) |
| (pree) | [NOTES: not sure what this refers to. It is placed right above ‘bruich’ in the line below.] |
| iasg bruich agus sauis (sabhs) | boiled fish with the water the fish was boiled in. This latter was usually taken before going to bed. Iasg bruich agus sauis (sabhs) le arran cork. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| groo | the whole cheese before being pressed. |
| [butata] | potatoes are never called buntata in Assynt. Always butata. The first potatoes known in Europe were brought by the Spaniards from Quito, Peru in 1553 and were known as “battata”. Perhaps the Assynt people are Spaniards and not descended from the MacLeods of Lewis and the MacKenzies of Gairloch as we were always led to believe!!! |
| 3. Dòighean air biadh a dheasachadh |
| 4. Fuine |
| fuine aran coirk | baking oatcakes. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| fuine aran fluir | baking flour scones. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| fuine aran urna | baking barley bread. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| fuine aran shoggal | mixture of flour and barley. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| “keppar” | a “piece” to a boy or girl. (Stoer, Assynt) The “keppar” always consisted of a scone (flour) for preference or an oatcake with fresh butter and at least an inch of crowdie. “Hor ‘keppar’ dhan a bhallach!” – usually if the housewife was baking. |
| [breacag nan | [?] eorna] “Breacag nan [?] eorna nach eil solar na fallain.” Part of a New Year duan – the thin barley bannock was not appreciated. They would accept anything except that! |
| “mear” | another word for a “piece” of bread. “Thor do cub mear.” |
| greddle | girdle [sic] or griddle. |
| brunder | brander. |
| 5. Deochan dhe gach seòrsa |
| deoch gheal | water with oatmeal and sugar. Particularly if working outside – spring and harvest. |
| sooan | sowans: made from the sids after corn was at the mill. |
| deoch porstar | stout or porter. Each house used to get a firkin at harvest. |
| deoch leion | beer. |
| meoag | whey. |
| bana grorst | [sic] sour milk. |
| bana tiugh | thick milk. |
| baar | cream. |
| 6. Biadh no deoch a bhidhte deanamh gu sònraichte do luchd euslan |
| 7. Nithean a bhiodh ann nuair a rachadh beathach a mharbhadh |
| 8. Faclan sam bith eile |
| Glasgo | Glasgow. Not Glascu as pronounced in most other places in the Highlands. According to Johnston’s Place Names of Scotland it was called Glasgo in 1116. |
| romag | Atholl brose. (Stoer, Assynt) Romag was usually made by mixing a handful of oatmeal with about ½ pint thick cream and then 1 gill of whisky, preferably malt whisky. I heard of honey being in the recipe but I never saw that. Honey was not common in the west coast. |
| Bha mi “callaigig” air | I was calling on him. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| Bha mi “callaigig” ooie | I was calling on her. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| mearanich | yawning. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| mearmin | an itchy nostril, which foretold getting a letter. (Stoer, Assynt) |
| mearculag | midge. |
| errair | (droch errair) heavy surf on the shore. (Stoer, Assynt) Tha fuiam [sic] mor aig a’ “errair” – when the sound of the swell on the shore was heard at a distance. I understand the word is derived from oir a’ tir – the edge of the land. I never heard it anywhere else except in Durness where it is called “ellair” – “Tha a h-ellair olc.” |
| bruish | broth. (Melness, Sutherland) |
