Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Informant(s)
Name
George MacKenzie
Age
c. 66
Origin
Assynt, Stoer
Location
Sutherland, Durness
Date
09/1969
Notes
  • [NOTES: in IPA transcriptions, the fieldworker uses [w] for [ɯ].]
leasNotes: stackyard.
leataran[lɛt̪əɾɑṉ] Notes: area round the pulpit where elders sat.
liùthag[lʹu̟:ɑɡ] Notes: a small lythe.
lodNotes: a pool, puddle.
lòineagNotes: a snowflake.
lòn[ɫɔ:ṉ] Notes: a quagmire (also Durness).
loromachd[ɫɤɾəmɑxk] Notes: naked.
maide-ceangail[mɑ̃dʹəcɛ̃u̜l] Notes: rafter.
malaQuotation: pl. [mɑɫiçəṉ]. Notes: eyebrow.
mart-fheoil[mɑ̃ʴsṯɑl] Notes: beef. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
meall a’ mhàgan[mjɑɫəvɑ̃:ɡɑṉ] Notes: a toad.
mearachuileag[mɛ̃ɾɑxu̟lɑɡ] Notes: for meanbh-chuileag.
meuranaich[mĩɑ̃ɾɑṉiç] Notes: yawn.
mial[mĩɤ̃ɫ] Notes: louse.
muc-fheoil[mũ̜kjɑl] Notes: pig-flesh.
muing[mũ̜ĩ] Notes: horse’s mane.
mult-fheoil[mũ̜ɫtʹɑl] Notes: mutton.
riachQuotation: a’ riachadh a’ bhaic. Notes: lining the peat bank.
rùbhadh[ru̜:əɡ] Notes: lifting peats.
rùt[ru̜:ʰt̪] Notes: could be either a ram born with one testicle missing or one badly cut.
sitearraich[ʃitʹəɾiç]
anQuotation: “Nach e a tha beag an taiceadh ris an fhear ud.”
airQuotation: oir’ [ɔi]. Notes: “on her”.
il(i)meag[wlw̃mɑɡ] Notes: navel.
iris[iɾiʃ] Notes: hen-perch (word used by older people).
nasgNotes: rope round cow’s neck in the stall.
neapaig[nʹɛ̃piɡʹ] Notes: handkerchief.
nùsNotes: first milk.
nòs[nɔ:s] Quotation: Tha ’m bata [sic] as a’ nòs. Notes: the channel at the top of a beach into which a boat was hauled. [ɔ̃:s] in Skye. George MacKenzie connects it with Norse “noust”.
ònruisg[ɔ̃:rwʃɡʹ] Notes: an uncouth person.
poll-buntàtaNotes: potato pit.
pronnasgQuotation: Tha a’ mhóine ’na pronnasg am bliadhna. Notes: fragments of any sort; small pieces.
pulaidh[pu̟li] Quotation: ’S e pulaidh mór a bh’ann. Notes: a fighter.
saidhlead[sɤıləd̪] Notes: sheep tick.
salachar-gealach (sic)[sɑɫɑxəɾɡʹɑɫɑx] Notes: shooting star.
searbhadair[ʃɛɾɑvəd̪ɑɾ] Notes: towel.
sèip[ʃɛ:p] Quotation: Bha sèip mór againn. Notes: a big feed.
Seumas[ʃĩɑ̃məs]
sgeollag[sɡʹoɫɑɡ] Notes: yellow flower found among corn and potatoes.
sgleatar[sɡliɑt̪ɑɾ] Notes: slater.
sgoiltean[sɡolʹtʹɑ̃ṉ] Notes: part of cut potato with the eye in it – for planting.
sgrùthan[sɡɾu̟:ɑṉ] Notes: a stook of corn.
sibhseNotes: used formerly for addressing a married woman, no matter what her age.
sileadh-sùidh[ʃiləɡsu̟:hi] Notes: water leaking in through the roof of a thatched house.
sioscot[ʃiskɔt̪] Notes: waistcoat.
slamanNotes: curds and whey.
slat-mharaNotes: tangle.
spaidQuotation: spaid riachadh [spɑdʹrıɤxəɡ]. Notes: rutting spade.
spàrdan[spɑ:ʴḏɑ̃ṉ] Notes: hen perch. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
spealldag[spjɑu̜ɫd̪ɑɡ] Notes: split herring, slightly salted and dried in the sun.
splog[spɫɔɡ] Quotation: Tha [spɫɔɡ] air. Notes: said of a dour or grim-faced person, e.g. when lower lip is turned down.
starach[st̪ɑɾɑx] Notes: cute, sly.
streathardaich[st̪ɾɛhɔʴḏiç] Notes: sneezing. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
tacQuotation: Nach e a tha beag an taiceadh ris an fhear ud.
tamhasg[t̪ɑfwsk] Notes: a foolish person, not quite responsible.
taraisgean[t̪ɑɾɑʃɡʹɑṉ] Quotation: taraisgean Ghallach (sic). Notes: Caithness tusker.
tàsgNotes: a ghost.
tollQuotation: toll an tùc. Notes: bunghole in a boat.
trùsairNotes: trousers. (see briogais)
tùcQuotation: [ən̪t̪u̟:k]. Notes: bung in a boat.
tudan[t̪u̟d̪ɑ̃ṉ] Notes: a small stack of corn on the field.
uachdarNotes: cream. Bàrr also used.
ucas[u̟kəs] Notes: a fully-grown saithe.
abhrad[ɑu̟ɾəd̪] Notes: eyelash.
àdh[ɑ:] Notes: liver.
aobharQuotation: “Thoir an aobhar dha.” Notes: used among young boys when one who wanted to fight another would have to give reason for the other boy to take him on. This was usually done with a light blow. [NOTES: slipped under ‘adhbhar’.]
adhrabard[ɤɾɤbəʴd̪] Notes: ankle. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
àigeachNotes: stallion.
ailm[ɑlɑm] Notes: helm.
altachdainn[ɑɫt̪ɑxkĩnʹ] Notes: grace.
amallNotes: swingle-tree.
amhaisg[ɑ̃fiʃɡʹ] Quotation: Chaneil ann ach [ɑ̃fiʃɡʹ] bochd. Notes: a half-wit.
anaisg[ɑ̃ṉheʃɡʹ] Notes: nickname.
arcas[ɑɾkəs] Notes: hunger.
bacanNotes: tethering pin usually for a horse or cow (cf. cipean).
baraQuotation: Bara da-làimh. Notes: hand-barrow. [NOTES: slipped under ‘bara-dà-làimh’.]
bàrrNotes: cream. Also “uachdar”.
bàrradh[bɑ:rəɡ] Quotation: Tha e a’ gearradh bàrradh. Notes: thatch.
barra-gùg[bɑrəɡu̟:ɡ] Notes: blossom, e.g. on potatoes.
bhàillibh (?)[vɑlʹu̟] Notes: “I beg your pardon”. Lewis [bɑlʹu̟].
mhàinQuotation: a mhàin [əvɑ̃:ṉ]. Tha mi dol a’ mhàin. Notes: down from a height or down in fortune. [NOTES: slipped under ‘bhàn’.]
biogarran[biɡərɑṉ] Notes: sparrow.
bliong[blw̃ŋɡ] Notes: lythe, fully grown.
bodach-bacNotes: the outermost peat.
boghaNotes: reef, submerged at high tide.
bogha-frasNotes: rainbow.
bòrdQuotation: “Tha bòrd mór oirre.” Notes: when weight of boat was unbalanced, perhaps due to a plank being thicker than it should be, one had to pull more on the one side.
breothadh[bɾɔəɡ] Quotation: Tha ’m breothadh as a’ bhuntàta. Notes: There is rot in the potatoes.
briogais[bɾwɡiʃ] Notes: breeches, tied just below the knee. Not used for “trousers”. Wearing the “briogais” at one time was considered a cut above the ordinary. “Tha i ’n deidh an fhear ud a phòsadh – tha briogais air.”
brutagNotes: maggot. (General term in Assynt.)
bun-dùirnNotes: wrist.
cadalQuotation: Tha ’n cadal-iongnach ’na mo chas. Notes: pins and needles.
caibeQuotation: caibe-làir. Notes: flauchter spade.
càinear[kɑ̃:nʹɑɾ]
caithrisQuotation: Am beil thu a’ dol a’ chaithris an nochd? Notes: Are you going to the wake tonight?
caraisd[kɑɾɑʃdʹ] Notes: carrot.
carbad[kɑɾɑbəd̪] Notes: bier.
càrnNotes: cart.
ceannamhag[cɑ̃n̪əvɑɡ] Notes: where the horse turns when ploughing. (also in Durness)
ceanna-phollan[cɛ̃ṉɑfoɫɑṉ] Notes: tadpole.
cil[cıl] Notes: keel, marking.
cìlig[ci:lʹiɡʹ] Notes: cod.
cipeanNotes: a small tethering pin, usually for sheep.
clamhrach[kɫɑ̃ũ̜ɾɑx] Notes: clumsy.
cnàmh[kɾɑ̃:v] Quotation: Tha an t-uan a’ cnàmh a’ mhathair. Notes: suckle.
cnòdanNotes: gurnard.
coitNotes: coble, as used by salmon fishermen.
Quotation: Bha a’ lion làn choin. Notes: sometimes applied to “dogfish”. “Biorach” also used.
cuibhrige-bùirdNotes: tablecloth.
cutachNotes: (1) a short and stubby person. (2) a wild, heathenish, irreligious person. “S e cutach eagallach a th’ann.”
deanQuotation: “Dean fodha!” Notes: order given when approaching the shore in a boat, to slow down the boat with oars.
deargad[dʹɛɾɑɡəd̪] Notes: flea.
deimh[dʹev] Notes: ice.
deocnadh[dʹɔknw̃ɡ] Quotation: a’ deocnadh. Notes: sucking, e.g. a wound. “Dean a dheocnadh!” – suck it!
dibhreachdainn[dʹıfɾɑxkinʹ] Notes: difference.
dìgNotes: ditch.
diomhaidh[dʹĩɤ̃vi] Quotation: obair diomhaidh. Notes: worldly.
dreathan-donn[d̪ɾɔɑṉd̪ɤu̜n̪] Notes: wren.
druid-dhubh[d̪ɾıdʹɣu̟] Notes: starling.
druideach-dubh[d̪ɾidʹɑxd̪u̟] Notes: starling.
dubh-tholl[d̪uhɤuɫ] Notes: “dark hole in the peat moss.”
eadhQuotation: ’s eadh, ’s eadh! Notes: said in answer to a statement not perhaps completely accepted.
easgann
oir-thir[eɾəɾ] Quotation: “Tha fuaim mór air an [eɾɛɾ] [sic] a nochd.” “Tha droch [eɾəɾ] ann.” Notes: probably “the shore”. [NOTES: slipped under ‘eirthir’.]
faileas[fɑlɑs] Quotation: Bha faileasan gu leòir ann an raoir. Notes: sheet-lightning.
feadhQuotation: (1) Dé [nʹɤɣ] a th’air? (2) Dé [nʹɤɣ] a th’ort? Notes: (1) How long is it? (2) What height are you?
feàlagan[fjɑ:ɫɑɡɑṉ] Notes: shrew.
fir-chlisQuotation: na fir-chlis. Notes: Aurora Borealis.
foQuotation: “Dean fodha!” Notes: order given when approaching the shore in a boat, to slow it down with the oars.
fudalan[fu̟d̪ᵊɫɑṉ] Notes: swivel, e.g. on a tether.
fuilteach[fu̟lʹtʹɑx] Quotation: ’S e duine fuilteach a th’ann. Notes: formidable; intrepid. One who is not put off lightly.
geadNotes: a field, a patch of ground.
geadag[ɡʹɛd̪ɑɡ] Notes: grilse.
geallagNotes: sea-trout.
glaodhan[ɡɫw:ɑ̃ṉ] Notes: portion of cut potato without the eye.
góbhlachan[ɡo:ɫɑxɑṉ] Notes: earwig.
gobhragNotes: a “coil” of hay.
grìligean[ɡɾi:lʹıɡʹɑṉ] Quotation: Chaneil ann dheth ach [ɡɾi:lʹıɡʹɑ̃ṉ] bochd. Notes: a very small person.
gritheam[ɡɾıhəm] Notes: crowdie. (After “meung” has been squeezed out. Crumbly.)
gruthNotes: before “meung” has been removed
guilbneach[kwlwbəṉɑx] Notes: curlew.

© DASG
^ Return To Top ^