Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Informant(s)
Name
A Wilson
Location
South Uist, Iochdar
Date
[1987-88]
Fieldworker
A. O’Henley
pilleina covering made from sea bent (muran) and placed under a horse’s saddle. Prevented irritation of the horse’s skin. This word is a variant for the more widespread word – ‘plàta’.
[plàta][See pillein.]
[muran][sea bent.]
bréidea horse’s collar.
stàilea bandage.
mìreannachhorse’s bit.
gearranapplied to a mare who does not produce a foal.
saigheadthe front panel in a cart. ‘Saighead na cartach.’
gaoirdeanthe part of a cart where you sat.
stràpadhprocess of attaching iron rims to wooden cartwheels. Process previously described under Mr A. MacInnes.
dubhthalamhpeaty soil as opposed to machair land. Good soil for crop yields.
guirmana blue dye. A powder substance obtained from mainland.
duilleagan tìtea leaves which were used for dye, giving a brown, yellowy colour.
méistirurine. Also used in dyeing process. Informant says this prevented the dyes from running together. This observation might need to be examined closer since many informants tell me sorrel or ‘sealbhag’ was used for this purpose.
suidheachanapplied to four or six shocks of corn stood together. This word is more prevalent in North Uist whereas the word ‘adag (-an)’ is used in South Uist. Similarly ‘sguabag’ can be heard more often in North Uist whereas ‘raoid’ is used for an individual shock of corn in South Uist. Therefore the above words cannot be confined to an individual island due to a certain degree of overlapping most noted at northern end of South Uist.
pinnteachadhto make cheese. “Dè a tha thu a’ deanamh?” “Tha mi a’ pinnteachadh.”
[suidheachadh]A’ cuir bainne ann an suidheachadh – putting the milk into large buckets or wide rimmed basins so as to obtain as much cream as possible for cheese-making.
ceud bhainnefirst milk after a cow has calved.
a’ chuislea vein near a cow’s tail by which you can judge when a cow is about to calve.
[fuasgladh]Bò air fuasgladh – a cow in the process of delivering a calf.
gearradh dubhswelling and inflammation of cattle’s abdomen caused by consuming too many potatoes.
sgonnanthe handle of an instrument. Not a specific implement.
camhraicha dish made from oats. Boiled with water and eaten for breakfast, very much like porridge or brose.
sgéibchaff.
greim gainchadhconstipation affecting horses who had eaten too many sand based roots – machair land.
bigaineinsmall black, grey birds found on moorland and especially nesting under peats that have been lifted.
[làmh]Làmh bheag, làmh mhór – terms applied to the respective hand grips on a scythe. Also called ‘dorn bheag, dorn mhór’.
[dorn][Dorn bheag, dorn mhór – see làmh.]
iarunn na spealthe blade of a scythe.
gliongaid na spaidthe foot rest on a spade.
ciuramaichidh tu thu fheinyou will put yourself in jeopardy.
ùslaiga useless woman.
baidhrsheep and cattle’s afterbirth.
caolan deisginna sheep’s intestine which could be used for rennet. Hung up and dried. Then it was pickled. Thereafter strips of this could be cut and used as rennet.
Mios crochadh nan cliabhFebruary as opposed to previous contribution which said this month was May. Little or no work done due to the severity of the weather conditions. February also known as the ‘Mios Mharbh’.
[marbh][Mios Mharbh – February. See also Mios crochadh nan cliabh.]
stroinaina tie rope for cattle.
[June]Following verse said at the onset of better weather at the beginning of June. In the context of June speaking, addressing the previous months. “Càit an do dh’fhag thu gamhnain bochd?” “Leag mi air a ghlùinein e ’s chuir mi shùil ris an t-sòp.” “Ma bheireas mise air agus anail air barr nan cluas cuiridh mi earball air feadh nan cnoc.”
bànleft hand of the furrow when ploughing. [Cf. dearg.]
deargthe right hand side of the furrow when ploughing. [Cf. bàn.]
eibhsicheanpart of a horse’s harness which tied the crupper (botrachan) and the saddle to each other.
eillsichean[See eibhsichean.]
[botrachan][crupper.]

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