Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Informant(s)
Name
John MacAulay
Location
North Uist, Iollaraigh [Illeray]
Date
[1987-88]
Fieldworker
A. O’Henley
air do sgùidon your lap.
calcadhto block a bleeding wound.
stròn a’ leumnosebleed.
druilionna word which you would use when something you had in control takes a new development and goes outside your comprehension. “Tha an suidheachadh sin air a dhol druilionn orm.” In South Uist the word is pronounced as ‘triulaidh’.
creanach (-adh)quaking, i.e. as in the earth shaking.
làn bheaglow tide experienced during neap tide (contraigh).
[contraigh][neap tide.]
làn mhórduring spring tide (rothart).
[rothart][spring tide.] Rothart Mór na Féill Pàdruig – fell on 27th March on old calendar.
deathachused to mean smoke.
na duirnhandles of a plough; gripped by your hand.
na fuaindeanextended down from the above hand grips [i.e. na duirn (q.v.)] down to the plough itself. Made of iron. One on each side known as ‘an fhuainde bheag ’s an fhuainde mhór’.
fersaid (-ean)iron straps stretching between the above [i.e. na fuaindean (q.v.)]. In an average plough there would be between two and four of these. Acted as reinforcements.
còm a’ chruinnbody of a plough.
bonnan iron board located behind the plough sock. Ensured the plough ran smoothly and even when ploughing.
toll a’ choltairlocated directly above the coulter. Iron pin put through this connecting with the coulter itself.
druis a’ choltairsome ploughs did not have the aforementioned hole [i.e. toll a’ choltair (q.v.)]. Instead a small vice-like instrument was used to hold the iron pin. Made of two small iron plates through which a screw was tightened to secure the pin – druis.
muisealiron fitment with several holes. This was used to adjust the width of the furrow. Pronounced as ‘smuiseal’ in South Uist.
muiseal na doimhneachdused to adjust the depth of the furrow.
peicill‘muiseal’ [q.v.] is attached to this on the plough’s body. Attached with an iron pin.
tràmmstrams of a cart.
gaoirdainin Benbecula this word is used for trams.
each sgiuramachused for an excitable horse.
fadhlaisthe fellows [sic] [felloes?]. Wooden rim of a cartwheel. Consisted of six sections.
sàbh beairtea square wooden case with a blade in the middle. Handle at the top of the saw. Pulled by two people.
sàbh mórused for larger bits of wood, e.g. beams. Wider blade as opposed to above [i.e. sàbh beairte (q.v.)]. Handgrip at top and one added below for second person.
cearcalliron band used for strapping cartwheels.
stallaa large flat rock. Pronounced as ‘scalla’ in South Uist.
tàthadhwelding.
clach chearcalla large, flat rock used in process of making cart wheels. Indentation made in the centre of the rock where the hub of the wheel was lodged. The iron hoop when heated would be placed round the frame.
dòca hole was made in the ground. Hub placed in the hole and the same process as above followed. Variant on above method [i.e. clach chearcall (q.v.)].
a’ cearcladhstrapping a wheel.
eibhilember.
mithealachunfortunately.
deasbaireachddebating.
sgrogag (-an)two bits of wood protruding from the end of a cart. These were used to facilitate the tipping of loads.
[sàil]An t-sàil dheiridh. An t-sàil bhrollaich. Cross beams at both ends of a cart.
sparranfour of these were attached to both sides of the cart frame. A small frame was then secured to these – beul na cairt [? – ‘beul na cairt’ appears as the next catch-word but it seems to follow from this definition.]
beul na cairt[See sparran.]
maide suidhewooden seat at front of a cart.
saighdbòrdsideboards of a cart.
blòcaicheanlocated under the floor of a cart. Determined the height of the cartbox.
bobhta cartachan iron pin which went through the block into the axle.
gibeag murainsix or eight of these bundles needed to make a horse’s collar.
splaighsadhsplicing.
tochradhdowry.
grumaladhgrumbling.
roideanjaunts, short visits.
ceapa sod. Variant on ‘plòc’.
stialladhrepeatedly hammering at something.
air faigheanas in keeping someone’s mind fixed on a certain subject. “Bhiodh e freagarrach na cumadh i fhéin air faighean e.”
Mas miosa turrag chan fhear torragexpression which means that two people are the same although one is being criticised.
glasland that has not been ploughed the previous year.
mathachadhthis is said regarding land being ploughed after being fallow for a year.
treasadachapplied to land that has been ploughed on [sic] three consequitive [sic] years.
meanachasparticularity.
crann spealthe wooden handle of a scythe.
air a ghloidhto cut evenly.
ciuillagan [sic]wooden props across a kiln. Known as ‘ciuillean’ in South Uist.
ludag na spealwhere the iron of a scythe joins the wood.
mathair shiomaina thick rope made of heather circulated round the wall of a thatched house. Secured at the bottom of the thatch. Other ropes were attached to this which went across the back of the house.
arraidichfools.
gath dromaridge.
phracrubbish. “An seorsa phrac sin.”
fiorcainfirkin (9 gallons).
iollan ell. Measurement of cloth, about 45 inches.
cothachadhgathering.
fear cachalaidha gatekeeper who ensured animals did not stray into prohibited areas. Prior to the era of crofts when cattle were either kept in the village or on the tack (machair).
a’ chaingeisWhitsunday (28th May). From this date you had to keep your cattle to yourself. It was at this time of year that cattle watching began. Until Martinmas (28th November) had to tend the cattle.
na fideansalt marsh. Part of croft near sea.
caitaircotter.
cabhroica nuisance, e.g. referring to cotters as nuisances competing with tenants and subtenants for bits of land. “Bha iad sin nan cabhroic ’san àite.”
grignea group.
prannadha mixture.
a’ cuir iomaas in putting on your shoes.
sùghanaichsoft, swampy patches of sand.
a’ chlaoidhteachflu.
buntata coimheachpotatoes growing between the drills where it [sic] was planted.
sgillaidrefers to a person you could not trust with information. A telltale.
anart siollaidha gauze-like cloth used as a sieve.
tuathlaswhen someone is either very dizzy or partially blind he sees things very hazily. The word means ‘hazy’. “Cha robh mi faicinn ach tuathlas.”
ùgh an dà bhuidheagainegg with two yolks. If it was part of a brood the chick would have two heads.
feannadh air a’ ghaoitha cold, biting wind.
crannadhsimilar to above [i.e. feannadh air a’ ghaoith (q.v.)].
giuighunched over. “Bha giuig air.”
an tarrainga chain that tied the harrow to the swingle trees.
[feann]Cha do dh’fhàg mi feann air. – when someone has totally defeated his opponent he might use this expression.
CuigseachWhig.
beothagvitamins [sic].
neimheagvirus.
coighreachdrepublic.
uthachdto commit suicide.
sgìreachasparochialism.
urras siubhailpassport.

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