biortachdain | uplift (e.g. as given by a cup of tea to a person when ‘fann’). |
sgolthach | cloudy. |
sgloidseach | flabby and clumsy (applied to a person). |
frithile | impatient. |
drun | ro dhrun ris – at a particular job too long causing tiredness. |
a’ bamhran | wandering aimlessly. |
a’ siubhlaid | wandering. |
briùchd | melt or milt (male roe). |
gorgad | a scold, e.g. Thug e gorgad orm. |
lorgag | a piece of rowan stick given to babies to chew when teething. |
grìogagan | beads. |
monusg | mush (always used for overdone potatoes – Tha ’m buntàta ’nam monusg). |
dachag | a small dish or vase. |
cuanàrd | a crowd of people. |
a’ dlìgheach | about to vomit, what we call ‘boaking’ in Scots. |
meaban | a bedraggled object. |
papach | (accent on the pap) peely-wally, pale-faced. |
gliùineach | lukewarm. |
séill | a haze (on the sun). |
cànalas orra | a kind of curse (don’t know what it means). |
dìsidh | chilly (more than grìseach). |
fidealach bheag | the game of hide and seek. |
glòman | [?] noise made by eider ducks in company or a crowd of people. |
coilleag | as coilleag with long ‘o’ – fat globules on a liquid. |
ag aobraich | working to no purpose (as children’s activity). |
griùigar | a surly look. |
fròlaisgean | a frayed edge (as on a skirt). |
fròluisgean | [See fròlaisgean.] |
fìgearsan | titbits, dainties. |
griùlas | beginning of a cry in a baby (like boilleag). |
tràbach | soaking (as of a day – used at Melness). |
bith-aighe | (? sounds like eye) an earthworm. (at Melness) |
pagan | a puffin. (Melness) |
eileag | for eireag. (Melness) |
donas-creige | blenny. (Melness) |
bròg-shìlig | a cod-roe. |
ming | pronunciation of miùg (whey) at Melness. |
soillt | fat of a herring (blonaig). (Melness) |
Chuir e turbhan orm | he disgusted me. |
Cha dèan e car a churan | he won’t do a stroke. |
[eòlas cocha-féithe ] | my mother talks of eòlas cocha-féithe – a method of curing by tying a string round the patient’s wrist and murmuring a verse. |
[‘Na Cóig’ or a’ Ghriùthran] | “She [my mother] played a game called ‘Na Cóig’ or a’ Ghriùthran with five pebbles. Various moves were undertaken while tossing them, these I recollect: Cóig, Deich, Co’deug, Fichead Roisinne mhór, Roisinne bheag, Slipean mór, Slipean beag, Cóig dhuilich, Fad na h-uilinn, Cóig na cearraig, Cóig dhall, Garra mór, garra beag, Cóig an aoidh, Cóig an aoidh ’n adhar, Griùthran, Crogais mhóra, Crogais bheaga.” |
[Rutchumas (?) | [?] ] She [my mother] also played a game called Rutchumas (?) with 2 teams of 6, each with a tree branch which the other team tried to capture. |