Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Informant(s)
Name
Mrs C. MacLellan
Location
South Uist, Lochcarnan
Date
[1987-88]
Fieldworker
A. O’Henley
[glaodh]“An glaodh a tha nam chluais, mi chuala ’s nach mi a chaoineas, nach ann as mo dhaoine fhein.” – according to the informant this verse was said after an indication of impending death in the community had been experienced. This indication came in the form of a heavy, mournful musical note which rang repeatedly in a person’s ear. Thereafter the above phrase was repeated so as the impending death would fall outside his/her own family. Informant recently experienced this.
[leasg]“’S leasg le leisgeinn dhol a chadal ’s ro leasg leis eirigh ’sa mhaduinn.”
[corra-chòsag]A chorra, chorra chòsag an innis thusa dhomhsa am bith latha math a màireach ann ’s bheir mi paidhir bhròg dhut.” Animal in question was a slater found under rocks. Also called ‘cailleach-òsag’ or ‘cailleach-chòsag’.
[cailleach-òsag][See corra-chòsag.]
[cailleach-chòsag][See corra-chòsag.]
damhan eallaidhspider.
dealan dèbutterfly.
breacan dàrthis was a phrase used in conjunction with a successfully serviced cow. Indicated that there would be plenty of produce to follow.
fo spèicunder control, supervision.
cannaa tin mug. This word goes back to the days when tinkers were commonplace using tin mugs instead of china cups.
còblaidsaucepan.
còbalcoble, small boat.
àt bràghadquinsy throat.
mùgachdim.
dudalachdark and cloudy overhead conditions. “Nach ann a tha feasgar dudalach.”
dreallagswing.
bodach sàthaidhsee saw.
udalanswivel on a tether. Also known as ‘fulag’.
[fulag][See udalan.]
cuatboyfriend.
brogachyoung lad. “Na brogaich againne” – our boys.
fàladaira reaper, one who cuts crops.
breac bhaidealachgrey spotted. Applied to animals of that colour or speckled pattern on clothes.
car a mhille mhoilteana glass tumbler.
gobhragpencil compass.
séilesaliva.
téisbalan invalid. ‘Duine téisbalach.’
mi ràbhailuntidy.
theab nach ti dìleas in I nearly failed to do something after putting much effort into it.
dunaidhfavourite expression if something went against you, e.g. “A Mhic na dunaidh.” Also in sense of a person not getting what he had been expecting, e.g. a person who had hoped for a construction contract: “Rinn iad an dunaidh air.”
boiseaga handful as in a handful of flour. Also in the sense of a quick wash: “Chuir mi boiseag orm ’s chaidh mi mach.”
spiachdachapplied to a mean person.
[cuach]“Is minig a dh’fhàg mi mar thraill gun luach, ’s tha liuthad treun fhear is laoch thug buaidh, le neart na Gaidhlig chuireadh càch ’s an ruaig. An àm dhaibh eirigh leis an fheilleadh chuaich (pleated).” – a war cry for the clans going into battle.
sgur urrainnthe war cry of the MacRaes of Kintail. This phrase repeated to build up the battle tempo.
[gort]Geamhradh reotaineach / Earrach ceothaineach / Samhradh breac, riamhach / Is foghar geal grianach / Cha d’fhàg gort riabh an Alba.
[saoghal]Is fhearr an saoghal ionnsachadh na sheachnadh.
[criochnachadh]B’fhearr gun toiseachadh na sgur gun chriochnachadh.
laomunnmoth.
falbh air chialaidhgoing out in the morning without having eaten something.
[sagart]Trì nithean nach fhaca mi riabh, ’s mi liath an de bhi òg, sagart a’ cluichd air a’ phìob ’sa sgriobhadh le ìte geoidh.
sgeallana yellow flower growing amidst corn crops and small oats.
giobagtassle [sic] [tassel?].
sgùmbantop of a raised part of croft land. Not quite flat but rather like a raised plateau.
an àrca hollow near a cow’s tail by which you can judge when the cow is likely to calve. Also called ‘sloc an airich’.
[sloc an airich][See an àrc.]
speisealtaapplied to a young man approaching full manhood. Also ‘spealta’.
[spealta][See speisealta.]
tathasgan apparition of someone’s death. “Tathasg an duine mhairbh.”
dala taobhsame as ‘darna taobh’ – to give birth.
tuisleadh asbhanachmiscarriage.
ga chuir air aghaidhdelivering a child.
isneachrifle.
bronnaga large, fat woman.
a bhreac òtraigchickenpox.
greim pliuraispleurisy.
greim dubhappendicitis.
cuigealdistaff. “Chan e tlàm a tha air a cuigeal.” – applied to someone who was seeking more than you had initially thought.
anns a bhitheantasin the main, in general.
boula (u – w sound)a bowl.
colbha column as in a newspaper column.
dealaszest, eagerness.
[seanfhacal]“An seanfhacal gu fada fior, cha bhreugaichear an seanfhacal.”
leargblack throated diver.
ceallato destroy.
furrainto relate, get on with people.
ceithir ràmhacha particular type of boat.
turcaispincers.
ceum coisefootpath.
ceisteirmissionary.
eolas aimsirweather forecasting.
doidheadachdisappointed. “Bha mi air mo dhoidheadachadh.” [NOTES: should there be two entries – doidheadach (adj.) and doidheadachadh (verb)?]
claban cinnsou’wester.
gealabhana fire in the barn used for hardening seed.
slacana bit of wood used for washing blankets whereby the blankets were washed in a stream and then placed on rocks to be hit by this ‘slacan’.
siosacòta waistcoat.
cailbha partition.
clàra wooden ashet from which potatoes were served.
sgian chùbaireachdused for cleaning the salt out of the crevices in barrels.
snàthdalanneedle case. Top half lifted off, wood can be designed.
frocwidely used to mean a jersey.
peitaina vest.
min laoghbrown meal mixed with hot water and some salt added. Stirred and left to thicken overnight.
loinhealthy, fluffy coat of hair on cattle as a result of being fed by the above meal [i.e. min laogh (q.v.)].
iar ogha peithir iosgaidaccording to informant this is the most extreme relative. Forty second cousin.
’s fhaisge glùin na uileannewly married women would say this to their sister in law. Not sure as regards its significance.
giogaireachdpeeping. I would say this as ‘ciogaireachd’.
GugaireachdApril Fools’ Day. Also called ‘Latha na Feachaireachd’.
[Latha na Feachaireachd][See Gugaireachd.]
leibida speck. This arises in the proverb: “Milidh aon leibid a chuinneag.” There seems to be a variant on this, i.e. “Milidh aon chleibideag a chuinneag.”
[cleibideag][See leibid.]
liodraigto give someone a good going over.
liodhrachadhfestering.
o mhochrandoing something all day starting in the early morning. “Tha mi air a bhith ceangal arbhair o mhochran.”
fàd a choimheadaidhthis refers to the thinnest peat that was cut at the end of each row. Quickest to dry and was used by the grass keeper in his shieling.
pàmknave in playing cards.
peiliceanparticular type of cattle. Short backed and stout.
plamachapplied to a chubby person. Also ‘plumach’. Milk can be said to be ‘plamach’ if left overnight in warm conditions.
[plumach][See plamach.]
ra-dhorchapart of a month when the moon is not visible.
riobag shonaisrefers to the hair growing on a woman’s chin. Alternately it may be called ‘riobag chonais’ – hair of temperament.
[riobag chonais][See riobag shonais.]
seang mo choiseinstep.
gunna sgailcpopgun.
gunna steallansyringe or alternately a water pistol.
sgiobaga children’s game – tig.
sgòtsense, e.g. “Chan eil sgòt aige.”
Sgrìob Chlann Uisthe Milky Way.
a’ stalagto snap your fingers.
stìupthe train of a dress.
fo thearmadin an asylum.
tein’ aighirbonfire. Probably from the French ‘feu-de-joie’.
tumalaida large, bulky woman.
cairbhistwork undertaken for the benefit of the landlord.
ciorachana man who does a woman’s work.
farchana mallet used for taking the husk off corn.
gille cas fhliucha servant who carried his master across water.
stòl pòsdawedding stool.
ruaiga short journey or a quick walk.
striongte fosgailtewide open.
tombacca toinntetwisted tobacco.
uaineachadhto be humbled.
gàradh crìcheboundary line made of a grass dyke.
strabheigaireachdis this from the English – ‘stravaging’. In Gaelic means to wander to and fro.

© DASG
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