| Letter dated 28/10/1969 |
| [pùilleag] | “In the paper on Unrecorded Words from Badenoch in Volume 43 [of the T.G.S.I.] I see that “pùilleag”, a ‘deep’ person, is not listed. This was heard in Laggan. |
| [cóidh] | The word “cóidh” was used in the Aird for frosted, as of frosted turnips. |
| Letter dated 15/11/1969 |
| [note] | “(...) I enclose all the words from the Glenurquhart proverbs which do not appear to be in dictionaries. In a number of cases the proverbs are quoted. I think the proverbs were written down by my father early in the century. His mother was born in Glenurquhart in 1835 and the proverbs noted were regularly used by her.” |
| Words from Glenurquhart |
| beitidh | tapaidh. |
| crìondach | for crìonna. |
| cuireasan | tub. |
| dealach | handsome. “Thig rud sam bith dha’n chnaimh dhealach.” Dealmh = earrachdas (eireachdas). |
| diorras | for stuirt, huff, etc. |
| dombail | hazard, chance. “Cha chaill ’s cha bhuannaich am fear nach cuir a chuid an dombail.” |
| eadarag | for eadradh, noon. “Am fear a gheibh ainm na mocheirigh, feudaidh e cadal gu eadarag.” (deireadh a’ mhaduinn) |
| eamairt | “Gur olc an fheill a dh’fhàgas duine e fhein air an eamairt.” (Chaill e air a bhargain – bha e falaimh.) |
| fairteas | for fortas. “’S e fairteas na h-oidhche ni fodur ’s a’ mhaduinn.” (fairteas – na dh’fhàgas a’ chrodh de’n fhodur a gheibh iad m’ oidhche) |
| faoilte | delight. “’S e an duine an t-aodach is am fhaoilte am biadh.” |
| fos | for os “above”. Dwelly gives Badenoch only. “’S e a bhean fhuine chrìondach ’s tric a theid fos cinne na ciste mine.” In the Aird the wren said to the eagle, “fada, fada fos do chinn.” |
| ilimich | for imlich. |
| irrimich | for imrich. |
| ionnsachdainn | for ionnsachadh. |
| leasachdainn | for leasachadh. |
| raobhan | (rivan) wool from the mill ready for spinning, cf. rovings, “rivans”. “Toiseach eididh raobhanan.” |
| snamh | thread. Dual snamh = tachrais snamh. |
| Letter dated 12/05/1970 |
| [note] | “I enclose a further collection of words from the Aird district. It is possible that there are a few of these in dictionaries already. They are not in strict alphabetical order. A few of them are to be found in Mr Alex MacDonald’s paper in Volume 29 of the Transactions and these I mark.” |
| Words from the Aird |
| airc | fungus on tree. |
| àirc | hake for fodder. |
| amadaich | staggering. |
| amhlair | one who does not know how to behave, cannot help behaving so; clumsy one. |
| àr | ladder. |
| arnais, ag arnais | mocking, mimicking. |
| baolt | stupid. |
| baop | cry baby of a boy. |
| bàraise | fool. (T.G.S.I., 29) |
| beobht | [bʹəuht] 1. (long sound) a vault. 2. (short sound) a swathe. |
| beid | shallow bed in ground (as of a hare). (T.G.S.I., 29) |
| bobadh | stepfather. |
| bodach-ruadh | smaller russet bumble bee – “féilegan”. |
| breachd | seize, catch. “An do bhreac thu air?” (T.G.S.I., 29) |
| briolamus | (for ‘brolamus’) mixture. |
| brod | first born of a litter. |
| buaic | stupid, clumsy. |
| cóinnteach | moss. |
| cathalt | tame. |
| cnap | piece of wood used as shinty ball if none better available. |
| cùideas | without. “Is fhearr a bhith cùideas sin.” “Cùideas a dhul do’n sgoil”, etc. |
| còmhrd | [?] (pron. cōrsts) friendly, agreeable (as of two animals). |
| càpan | drink or dish of food taken out to a beggar or poor person. |
| dearadhach, dearagach | die-nettle. |
| dallan-allaidh | spider. Obair an d-a – spider’s web. |
| dealbh ris | get on with it. |
| deug | tenth. |
| drabhlaig | mix up of rope, chain, etc. |
| dobhaich | tub. (Pron. ‘duich’). |
| driosg | a drop. Used negatively: “Chan eil driosg agam.” Driosgag (in positive) – “Fhuair mi driosgag.” ‘Driosg’ used by Iain Lom. Is it a co-incidental that the poems in question mention Chanonry and Caiplich – a place of this name in the Aird? (“Fògradh Raghnaill Oig” and “Tilleadh Raghnaill Oig”) |
| dromalais | ladder. |
| dui, daoigh | expectation. “Tha mi an dui.” |
| fàradh | sight, trace. “Cha robh fàradh dhiubh ri fhaicinn.” |
| fiaghan | dish into which curds are put to drain. |
| fideag | snowball. |
| fhead’s | for fhad’s. Pron. like ‘its’ in Eng. |
| firadan (frith-rathadan) | footpath, etc. |
| gar, gara, an gara | near. “Na teid an gara dha.” |
| gaig | very slight slope. (T.G.S.I., 45. p. 211) |
| geall-raois | challenge to race. “Rinn iad geall-raois ri cheile.” |
| geat na drobhaichean | drove road. |
| gineil | practical joker. |
| ginneadh | Air a ginneadh – packed. |
| glé | 1. kind of, sort of. “Glé mhinisteir”. 2. some, considerable amount. “Tha glé bharr aig” – he has something of a crop. |
| geobhlair | big clumsy person (slender ‘l’). |
| geobht | [ɡəuht] lump, large piece. |
| greadh | treatment. Droch-ghreadh – ill treatment. |
| gréadhair | grieve on a farm. |
| grolag | for ‘drolag’ – swing (child’s), swingletree. |
| gladhar | a slap. |
| iolamaid | change (of money). |
| lapach | forgetful, untidy, slipshod. |
| laic | speck of light. |
| laigeard | a slap. |
| lonaig | avenue. |
| long | ship (is pron. ‘low’). |
| meag | sign of life. (T.G.S.I., 29) |
| mìochadaidh | mean. |
| oi (aghaidh) | Gabh d’ oi – take care. Nam oi – against me. |
| pat, patan | blobs, blisters. |
| poitear | joker. |
| gineil | joker. |
| ceann an àigh | joker. |
| plugh | sense (‘u’ as in Eng. ‘but’). |
| prabach | talkative in a silly way. |
| praban | insignificant fellow. |
| proitseach | boy about 7-10. |
| roilean | mix up of string, knitting wool, etc. “Roinn (for ‘rinn’) thu roilean dheth.” |
| sàilidh | heel, ball size of a heel. |
| sealbh | Gu shealladh sealbh ort. – Heaven help you. |
| searcan | teazle, burr. |
| seolaid | nervous moving. “Gu de seolaid th’ort.” – could be said to a cow being milked. |
| sguidealar (na duthcha) | person never in one place, loose living man. |
| siadhag | sly person. |
| siorramhdair | towel. |
| snàdar a’ bhuirn | fly which darts over surface of pools. |
| solus-seannsan | will o’ the wisp. |
| sothidh | quiet, peaceable (of an animal). |
| speirichean | the heavens. “Anns na speirichean” – in a sudden rage, flare up. |
| splaoirsinneachd | looking about, poking about. |
| sporbhail | searching about. |
| sproichd | sadness, etc. |
| starsaig | doorstep. |
| strotaich | sneezing. |
| soidh | hay. |
| tadhall | wits. (pron. [tʹəuəl]) |
| tà | yet. “Tà chan eil”, etc. |
| taois | mixture (stiff) of meal and water for poultry. |
| tarbhan | disgust, satiety. Cf. ‘tarbhanaich’ (T.G.S.I., 44. p. 291) |
| tarbh nathair neimh | dragonfly. |
| tatair | sharp warning word. “Cum tatair air a’ ghille.” |
| tathaich | voice with sense of foreboding. |
| tathaich-tilgeil | vomiting. ‘Ruigheachd’ also for this. |
| teobht | [tʹəuht] thatch or gable made of divots. |
| tilp | bite from a horse. |
| toll-obh | [təul əu] prison (said to be onomatopoeic – from sounds coming out!). |
| ùdlaman | swivel. |
| seochd | [ʃəuht] sway. (See T.G.S.I., 45. p. 388) |
| lobht | [ləuht] |
| Letter dated 30/09/1970 |
| [note] | “I enclose a further list containing several words. My copy of those previously sent may not be complete so you may have one or two here already sent. ‘Buaic’, sent in May, was given as ‘stupid, clumsy’. I recently came across it as enclosed. Quite a few of those given here are not common to both districts but I have not checked all.” |
| Words from Aird and Glenurquhart |
| buaic | utter fool. (Aird) |
| comhach | Air chomhach – hiding. (Aird) |
| cóthidh | frosted or sapless (as of a turnip, etc.) (Aird) |
| crùinneagan | broken bits of peats. (Urq.) |
| griompas | grimace. (Urq.) |
| lonnaig | staff in churn. (Urq.) |
| lonnaig | whisk for cream. (Aird) |
| liùnndan | liquid which comes out of a swelling. (Urq.) |
| prabag | impudent child. (Aird) |
| roinneach | bracken. (Urq.) Lurgronich is a place-name in parish. |
| róis | sort of eczema. (Urq.) |
| rùc(an) | rick. (very long sound) (Aird) ‘Raocan’ in Badenoch. |
| soidh | hay. (Aird) (sound as in English ‘boy’) Tionndan soidh. |
| tarbhan | annoyance. (Aird) |
| taorbag | tadpole. (Urq.) |
| ùdlaman | swivel. (Aird) |
| Letter dated 14/12/1970 |
| [note] | “I enclose a few words which I have recently obtained.” |
| casadan | tale telling. (Urq.) |
| clach blianreith | grindstone. (Urq.) |
| clach niaraidh | grindstone. (Aird) |
| deabaitach | “playboy”. (Aird) |
| dleò | for dlòth. (Aird) Chaidh thu ‘Loudies’ air cuairt, cha do bhuan thu ann dleò. |
| dreim | a step forward. (Aird) |
| Iainagan | for Iain. An Aird man heard this in Glenmoriston many years ago. |
| [imrichean] | “Imrichean fada crom ’s na lotaichean garbh.” – runners and planks. (Aird) |
| [lotaichean] | “Imrichean fada crom ’s na lotaichean garbh.” – runners and planks. (Aird) |
| innich | enthusiasm. (Aird) “Sud deoch slainte Mhic Shimidh ’s mi làn innich gu dioladh.” |
| long | ship, pronounced “low”. (Aird) |
| [meann] | An Aird man says he heard ‘meann’ pronounced “myan” in Easter Ross. |
| maide coire | spirtle. (Aird) |
| ròmach | rough. (Aird) A building at Belladrum, with very jagged stones, was known as “an taigh ròmach”. |
| Word-list dated 01/10/1971 |
| Words from Glenurquhart and the Aird |
| deabaiteach | frivolous. (Urq.) |
| deimhis | shears. (pron. “jayish”) (Urq.) |
| for | Air for – wandering, astray. (Urq.) “Tha na caorich air for.” “Thainig cu air for.” |
| fuirearach | attentive. (Aird) |
| gaoil | stomach, belly. (Aird) |
| goit | a guide. (Aird) |
| loinn | luck. (Aird) |
| óiseal | splendid. (Aird) |
| pruch | call to a cow. (Urq.) |
| pruidh-dhé | [call] to a calf. (Urq.) |
| sàirt | silenced, quiet. (Urq.) |
| sgoilleag | slice. (Urq.) |
| tatar | noise as of horses trotting. (Urq.) |
| tòs | for “tosd”, quietness, stillness. (Urq.) |
| taosnadh | for “taoisneachadh”. (Urq.) |
| snos | for “snas”. (Aird) |
| dubh-sheanair | great grandfather. (Urq.) This summer a Glenurquhart man spoke of his mother’s great grandfather (who was one of the Seven Men of Glenmoriston, 1746) as “dubh sheanair mo mhàthair”. He gave the names of the fingers as: “ordag, mac an ab’, ceanna fad’, ludag, bhideag”. A near neighbour and contemporary (both families in the district for generations) gave them as: “ordag, bhordag, gille fada, mac an aba, bhideag”. |
| Word-list dated 11/01/1972 |
| bile | flat ridge, terrace. (Urquhart) (There is the place Druim a’ bhile in the parish.) |
| braighdeachd | a game played by boys in which some were held in captivity at one stage. (Badenoch) |
| bucach | little boy. (Kilmorack) Dwelly gives this as “prov.” but does not mention specific part. |
| fàldair | scythe. (Strathspey) Mr John M. Matheson gave me this word which he heard when living at Nethy Bridge. |
| [loisg] | Loisg e – it hit the post. A shinty term. (Badenoch) |
| [tadhail] | Thadhail e – a goal, hail. A shinty term. (Badenoch) |
| [tuirleach] | Thuirleach e – a bye. A shinty term. (Badenoch) |
| lund | long lever of wood for removing roots of trees from bogs. (Badenoch) |
| strolamus | a mixture. (Urquhart) (brolamus) When the drover asked the Glenurquhart man what he fed the stirk on he said “striolamus, strolamus, plaoisg batàt’ is a h-uile mosgal”. |
| surdaileach | for surdail, full of spirit, keen. (Badenoch) |
| Letter dated 27/03/1972 |
| [note] | “Here are a few words which I hope will be of some value. They are all from a native of Laggan in Badenoch and have not been heard by some of the West Highland people here. |
| dudarachd | silly talk. |
| fodharlag | a stroke in the air after lifting the ball and throwing it. (Not done in modern shinty; common in Badenoch up to 1880-1890 period.) (Pron. “fowerlag”) |
| sgailb | skull. |
| slòisean | the proper sound of Gaelic. “Chan eil am fior slòisean aig.” |
| Letter dated 18/09/1973 |
| Laggan, Badenoch |
| cudthrom shiudan | pendulum. The lady who gave these three words [i.e. cudthrom shiudan, bean-uisa and cuilidh] is a native of Laggan. Her father was born in that parish about 1871 and lived for a few years at Dalchully and nearly all his life within a few miles of it and had heard that that was the meaning of ‘cuilidh’. I have not heard the word with my father but doubtless he would have been familiar with it and with ‘bean uisa’. He knew the lady and her father very well. |
| bean-uisa | this expression is equivalent to ‘mo thogair’. The lady who gave these three words [i.e. cudthrom shiudan, bean-uisa and cuilidh] is a native of Laggan. Her father was born in that parish about 1871 and lived for a few years at Dalchully and nearly all his life within a few miles of it and had heard that that was the meaning of ‘cuilidh’. I have not heard the word with my father but doubtless he would have been familiar with it and with ‘bean uisa’. He knew the lady and her father very well. |
| cuilidh | a good pasture; a pasture on which cattle or sheep “come on”. Dr Alex. MacBain, who was from Glenfeshie, gives the meaning of Dalchully, Laggan as “dale of the hollow or recess” (T.G.S.I. Vol. 16. p. 194). The lady who gave these three words [i.e. cudthrom shiudan, bean-uisa and cuilidh] is a native of Laggan. Her father was born in that parish about 1871 and lived for a few years at Dalchully and nearly all his life within a few miles of it and had heard that that was the meaning of ‘cuilidh’. I have not heard the word with my father but doubtless he would have been familiar with it and with ‘bean uisa’. He knew the lady and her father very well. |
| Letter dated 20/11/1974 |
| [sochag] | I have a note of the words I have sent you from time to time and as far as I can see I have not sent you ‘sochag’. I heard it this summer in Laggan and it seems that it means a plant which grows in wet ground, the willow. However, another old native of Laggan says he thinks ‘sochag’ is the name given to the leaf of the berries (somewhat similar to cranberries) growing beside burns. In his “Church and Social Life in the Highlands” A. Macpherson (a native of Kingussie district) quotes the verse (p. 19) describing the hills in that district which includes the lines: “Chan fhàs fiar no fodar ann / Ach sochagan is dearcagan allt.” He does not give a translation of ‘sochag’ but I seem to remember having seen this verse somewhere with an English translation. I wonder if you have been given this word from any other source? |
| [dorman] | In the same book by A. Macpherson [i.e. “Church and Social Life in the Highlands”], p. 403, he gives the word ‘dorman’ which I take to be another name for the fish known as pike. But I was unable to get this meaning confirmed by any of the old people in the district. |
| Letter dated 23/07/1975 |
| [feith diach] | I once came across a note by my father “feith diach – ditch for drainage”, without any explanation. Some days ago I was going through A. B. MacLennan’s “The Petty Seer” and found the term there applied to the drainage ditch dug near Castle Stuart and Petty Church about the beginning of last century. |
| [tri ceenan] | The same book [i.e. A. B. MacLennan’s “The Petty Seer”] refers to “tri ceenan”, three smokes or households. |
| [shiag] | In the “Inverness Courier”, 19 January, 1826 there is mention of the word “shiag” [or “chiag”?] as being the word used in the district round about for a kelt or spent salmon. I have tried to confirm this orally but have so far failed. |
| [fuisteach] | I have often heard an old Black Isle man who used many Gaelic words in his English use the word “fuisteach”, meaning restlessly impatient or in a “stew”. He used to say “he gets into an awful f.” I recently came across, with a Glenurquhart man, “fuideag uamhasach air” with the same meaning. |
| [note] | “I am sorry I am rather vague about some of these at present but they may be of some use.” |
| Word-list: Inverness Words (H. N. 28/04/28) |
| a duxee | two or more persons coming into collision. |
| a seud | joy ride. |
| a fuxer | used by boys when their lines become entangled at fishing. |
| a scoobee | a fishing rod. |
| still and all | nevertheless. |
| That’s a hait | it does not matter. |
| ding it | dash it. |
| a trawl | low person. Trawl-yach – untidy. |
| a beelan | fishing word referring to operations on R. Ness. |
| finnach | fishing word referring to operations on R. Ness. |
| bodach | fishing word referring to operations on R. Ness. |
| needlach | fishing word referring to operations on R. Ness. |
| beeling | festering. |
| skooking at | staring at one. |
| an oolag (of meal) | mouthful of. |
| a pandy | stroke of strap on hand. |
| a pake | same meaning [as a pandy]. (school) |
| lawka | applied to one getting a thrashing. |
| a showdee | dangling an infant or bobbing it up and down. |
| whuppt | stolen. |
| a big member | one who is “too big for his boots”. |
| a keelip | young bird. |
| skunge | one who looks for something for nothing. |
| [note] | “I have heard nearly all of above. Some are still heard with older people who use such expressions as “evernow” – at the present time. “Slamp” – agile, is a word not heard much now as are “fludding the school” – truanting and “rooicking” [?] – staying out late without permission. These would lead to a “plooking”! “Scoolan” – a receptacle for potatoes, etc. “Bualla” was formerly heard for a shinty club – the game was not played much in the town but rather by boys in the surrounding parts.” |
| Word-list copied in a different handwriting: Northern Chronicle 19/9/28 “Memories by an Old Clach Boy” (Sheriff J. MacMaster Campbell) |
| mis a fear | as if it were. ‘Mas a fìor.’ |
| pose | to save money. From ‘Bosd’. (?) |
| scran | light or casual food. “Sgradag” (?) |
| dorcan | acorn. Dearcan. |
| twig | understand. Tuig. |
| speil | thin cut of wood. Spealg. |
| sigh | sixpence. Sia. |
| golachan | earwig. Gobhlachan. |
| scall | country servant. Sgalag, N. skall. |
| boush | errand for payment. ‘Bois’, palm. |
| drein | frown. |
| partan | crab. |
| croaties | ground nuts. Cnò. |
| eitneach | scanty or near enough. Éiginneach? |
| bod | old man. |
| crionag | little finger. ‘Crìon’, small. |
| ruaig | pursuit, flight. ‘On the ruaig’ truant afraid to return. |
| rooch | to strip of money. Applied to winning at marbles, etc. ‘Rùisg’. |
| stuirt | anger, sulkiness. |
| spagach | splay-footed. |
| gorat | small insignificant person. ‘Urrag’. |
| moolie | term of endearment. |
| meadail | term of endearment. |
| fugie | challenge to box. ‘Fuidsidh’ craven [?]. |
| meig | ‘It does not make meaning, does not matter’. |
| sliopach | clumsy, awkward. |
| seid | explosion of small quantity of powder. |
| ‘Macs’ and ‘Crops’ | sides for a game. |
