| mial-mhàgach | frog. More frequently referred to in Harris, not so common in other places, say Isle of Skye; it [sic] mial-mhàgag. |
| sireap | syrup. Syrup and hot water mixed was used for cold, drinking it before retiring at night. |
| clach-ghludramain | an unstable stone, shaky, moveable. |
| gludramanich | moving to and fro. |
| paipear-crochaidh | wallpaper. |
| grìp | frown. Grìp air leis an fhuachd. |
| gribheal | unpopular person, grim unlikeable character. |
| gribeanach | unpopular youth, unliked. |
| slaoid | slovenly person, inactive, slow in work and movement. Tha e falbh ann a shid ’na shlaoid. |
| isd, isd | hush, hush. |
| dream-a-chraois | grimace. |
| lag-a-ghéilein | sinews of the mouth, etc. A thanga [sic] a muigh cho fada ’s a leigeadh lagannan a ghéilean [sic]. [NOTES: originally the headword was spelled ‘lag-a’-ghéilean’ like the word in the example. Then it was corrected to ‘lag-a-ghéilein’ but the word in the example was left unchanged, possibly through an oversight.] |
| stol-smùraidh | stool on which a person engaged at smearing sheep sat. |
| smuigean | small chin. Smuigean air. (Harris) |
| sirgeal | weakling. |
| maragan-fala | black puddings. When a sheep was killed, on the point of being killed rather, when her throat was or is cut, the blood fresh the beast [sic] running into a jug or basin is kept uncongealed by a sprinkle of coarse, curing salt in the utensil for the blood to be used for the making of black puddings (maragan-fala). |
| maragan-faladh | [See maragan-fala.] |
| smearsam | any advancement as: Na leig smearsam leis. (Harris) |
| smalamas | titbits, appetising attraction in the order of food. Bheil smalamas agaibh? |
| tioraidh-oichein | hurry-burry. Am bheil e air an aon tioraidh-oichein ud an diugh an rithisd? |
| sgluis | very soft mixture. |
| craslach | undesirable old woman. When a youth is concerned in the phase of romance, someone refers to a lady or woman with the remark ‘abair craslach’, unsuitable, old female in this constitution. |
| peile-sgudail | pail in which ‘leftovers’ are, from whence a cow eats. |
| sgudal | gossip. |
| sgriob-pòig | in connection with romance. Thàinig sgrìob [sic] pòig orm. (I am afraid the expression isn’t used at all at all now in Harris.) |
| palàbhar | palaver. |
| pachd | pack. Sud far a bheil gun bhuaidh. (Harris) (From the English, I suppose, the two. Still current in our modern age.) |
| polastarachd | prowling. Tha iad a polastarachd ann a shid aig a’ chladach. – as referred to a fishing boat. (Word still in use, Harris.) |
| monadh-mór | high ground. |
| monadh-briste | jagged moorland, with broken hills, with many gaps, irregularity. |
| catha-briste | broken bray [sic] [brae?]; irregular, broken, uneven bray [sic] [brae?]. |
| dualan | a wee curl, a wee strand. |
| dualan-fuilt | a wee curl of hair. |
| aird-an-fhiarais | at the height of the fever, high temperature. |
| gaorr-na-deargain | dung of a flew [sic]. Cha b’fheàrr e ri taobh Dhòmhnaill na gaorr-na-deargain. (Harris expression) |
| clais-mhara | canal. |
| sgùnair | schooner. |
| tombaca-milis | fine cut tobacco. |
| tombaca-dubh | Highland bogie roll tobacco, xxx. |
| cracta | cracked (from the English). |
| cathair-murrain | a wooden chair with a seat woven of morran grass. |
| daladh-nan-dallaidhean | blindness of blindnesses, the extreme form of stupidity. Harris expression. Nach ann air a thàinig an dalladh, more than that, dalladh nan dallaidhean! |
| droch-ceann | unfair deal. Tha e deanamh droch-ceann rithe. – a husband not giving his wife a fair deal. (Harris) |
| mial-bhagaid | banquet lice. Name given to imaginary lice, as when a youth enters a house, where a newly born baby is announced as receipt, the youth on leaving is approached by someone who will jokingly tease him by calling: Tha mhial-bhangaid ort! (Harris) |
| sgoultar | jellyfish. Sometimes pronounced ‘sgoultair’. (I take this to be the plural, perhaps I referred to it already on previous pages as in the plural.) |
| olcag | mischievous little brat. |
| put-earbaill | tail end buoy of a fleet of drift nets. |
| sgriogal | an aged shabby woman, or an old maid, begin [sic] to lose interest in herself. |
| ceamhlag | (dim.) a wee ball of yarn. Ceamlag [sic] shnàth. [NOTES: originally the headword was spelled ‘ceamlag’ like the word in the example. Then it was corrected to ‘ceamhlag’ but the word in the example was left unchanged, possibly through an oversight.] |
| ceamhla | a ball of yarn. |
| tionnsnadh | salvation. Nach ann air a thàinig an tionnsnadh. – didn’t salvation come over him. (Harris) |
| sill teach | [sic] venereal disease. |
| tulgadaich | going from side to side, rocking as a cradle. |
| teipid | tape. |
| paiseanadh | stunned. Chuir e ann am paiseanadh e. |
| fiacail-luinge | the bottom part of the stem of a boat fastened to the keel, bolted or nailed. |
| fiacail-airgeid | filled tooth denoting silver. |
| fiacail-òir | filled tooth denoting gold. |
| paipeir-chuileag | fly paper; … de dh’fhear steigeach. |
| steigteadh | stuck. |
| paipear-latha | fill in form for weekly benefits, dated for one day, paipeirean an ‘dole’. |
| roinn | dole. |
| tiom-taisean | in a whirl and falling, as in dizziness. |
| làmhagan | touch now and again. Bithidh mi toirt làmhagan air an dràsda ’s a rithisd. |
| tiachdadh | seawater dried on boots or shoes, leaving a white patch of dried sea-salt. Tha mo bhrògan air tiachdadh. |
| cramta | crammed. |
| criadh-leacag | small tile. |
| feadag-balaich | flute… |
| ceòl-crìche | last post? (yes) |
| crioch-onarach | fully fledged end. |
| anspeicean | handspikes, used for carrying the dead, the coffin to a cemetery. The coffin was borne on the shoulders on the handspikes. |
| solus-a-chombaist | compass light, a light inside a compass aboard a ship. |
| cnaimh-pòsaidh | … bone of a hen. |
| ean-athair | winged bird, able to fly. ’S e ean-athair th’ann – ‘on a wing’. |
| fuain | peg, pin. |
| fuain-sgoltach | split-pin. |
| rothalan | a person running around in circles. ’S e rothalan th’ann. |
| buillion | loaf. Loaves are used for feeding sheep, loaves and oatcakes, or a cake made of oatmeal. |
| pinnt | mint (previously noted, earlier). Mint is the most effective plant in keeping away flies. |
| taimbearal | timberal [sic]. |
| luachair | rushes. Perhaps bull-rushes is [sic] of a different species? |
| fuail-lit-mustard | mustard poultice. Used for pneumonia. Mixed with a soft paste of oatmeal and applied to the chest; quite a common effective method of treatment. It was applied hot so in this case, not fuar-lit’, I understand fuar-lit’, termed used cold not to the extremity of heat; it could have soothing effect on burns: scalding in particular. |
| grabladh | grabbing. |
| Seasag | personal name, Jessie, as Seasag Dhòmhnaill Mhóir. |
| cuilc | slat chuilc – bamboo rod. (Harris) |
| callan | continuation. Thug e callan air. – continually referring to the one subject. |
| baltag | fatness. Nach ann air tha bhaltag. |
| sparadh | forcing. Na bi sparradh [sic] sean or sen air. (Harris) |
| sen | that. (Harris) |
| plodraigeadh | little effect of dryness, as when clothes are hung out to dry, in between showers. Fhuair mi plodraigeadh air. |
| plodag | reference to a plodding baby girl. A phlodag a tha thu ann. |
| plùrais | pleurisy. |
| plumais | accident. |
| cuairt-gaoithe | medical term for colic in a child. |
| ola-a-chearbain | shark oil. |
| ola-dhubh | used oil, as in a crankcase and unrefined oil, diesel oil used in fishing boats. |
| truiseadh | rubbing or in knitting withdrawing what was already knitted from a fault. |
| tilgeal | vomiting. |
| bàrr-réisg | the top of peat soil; then the sub-soil on to the peat; the variety of growth on the top soil of peat. |
| criadh-gheal | porcelain clay. |
| broilleach-geal | white breast; a gentleman with a white shirt showing. |
| leabaidh-na-gréighe | the resting place of deer, sheep and cattle, an roinn dhe’n talamh air a bi ’ad laighe. |
| leabaidh-an-laoigh | internal ‘bed of a calf’, ‘abdominally’. |
| deanntag | nettle. Nettles were boiled and given to cattle in their feeding contribution. The boiling process meant for one reason the abstraction of the sting, and for another reason moistening and softening the plant. |
| leabaidh-ròsach | rosy-bed, alluring [sic] to a comfortable dry place to lay [sic] on. |
| rósaidh | cattle quite often came under the name ‘rósaidh’. When called upon, they would answer to the name, and make their way home, etc. |
| leabaidh-ròs | rose-bed, it may have originated from a gardening version. |
| ròs | flowers of a variety. Fo channach ’s fo ròs. |
| coradh | deeping [sic] [dipping?]; moving the head up and down as a swan on a loch. I coradh ri faileas. (An old word if at all used now?) |
| iochdar-nan-tonn | bottom of the waves, presumably the bottom of the sea. |
| braise-naduir | quickness of temper. |
| sgòrrach | jagged. Fiaclan sgòrrach. |
| leum-uisge | waterfall. |
| lùbag | wee stitch. Cha t’fhuair mi lùbag a chuir air an stocain an diugh. |
| lub-ruithe | bowling hitch. |
| lunn (pl. lunnan) | joke(s) on which a boat rests. |
| lusag | wee shrubs, or growth of minor sizes, smallest. Lusagan beaga air uachdar shuas a’ chladaich. |
| lusagach | shrubbery, ‘preasach’. |
| luaireag-mhara | sea bird, sea teal duck. |
| slèitich | a person on a half side in a lazy position, lying listlessly on one side. |
| dealbh-nan-leisg | a maiden nursing a child in her lap, leaning to one side, depicting a symbol of laziness (local interpretation) on St Clement’s Church Tower, sculptured, in Rodel in Harris. |
| guradh | waning. Tha e ann an shid a’ guradh leis fhein or e ’g guradh leis an acras. |
| laochag | juvenile heroine. |
| cuch | interj. warning a child who attempts to put dirt into his mouth. |
| mogan-salainn | a cut end of a stocking for serving as a heat conductor in applying it to a swollen mouth, inflammation, say in the case of a gum-boil, or what could be thought of as being caused by exposure to cold. The salt, as already referred to earlier back, made hot on a fry pan, put into the ‘bag’ while hot, and the salt having its own ‘beneficiaries’ [sic]. |
| culach | a person dressed unproportianately [sic] with that much of clothe [sic] as to make a person remark: Bu tu a chulach. |
| spùtag | a little spout, diminutive of spout. |
| spùtagach | having many spouting discharges. |
| gagaidh | a child’s excrement release. |
| sreangag | a piece of string, small string, for tying a purse made of cloth, winding a string round it and knotting the string. |
| stiab | a tape like piece of cloth. Stiab aodaich. |
| greipilte | garter. |
| rèip | mark. Reip [sic] na mara – the mark the sea leaves on the rocks after a high tide, especially a polluted sea. |
| bealach | shellfish. |
| usaidh | (perhaps already noted formerly) a purse made of cloth, with a string fastening. ‘An old word’. |
| singealadh | planting tubers. Singealadh a bhuntàta. |
| dul | hole in a spade. Dul na coise. Dul na spaide. |
| cruth | shape, form. A chruth! – interj. as a surprise remark, like ‘o shiorruidh!’ |
| ceann-finide | finishing end. |
| bochdanas | poverty. |
| slìobaire | character of a flattery disposition, confined to males. |
| slaghtraigeadh | slaving. |
| leibideag | contrary to ‘sgibideag’ [q.v.] in an answerable form. |
| sgibideag | hint; a playful practice with children. |
| balla-tarsainn | division. |
| balla | barricade. |
| foidseach | an article thrown carelessly. |
| dàdsair | of over ordinary size as a wave; or taking an excessive drink from a bottle of whisky. Thug e na dàdsairean od as. (Harris) |
| creòbhan | a small puny person, a male. |
| creòbhag | a small puny person, a woman. |
| creubhag | [See creòbhag.] ’S e creubhag uamhasach th’innte. – of little bone structure. |
| clachag | small stone. |
| dearc | berry. Dearcagan a chraoibh chaoruinn – were eaten for a contagion. |
| craobh chaoruinn | juniper berries [sic]. (Already referred to further back on previous pages.) |
| rothag | little circle. |
| rùiligean | very very small potato(es), immature sizes of potatoes. Cha eil annt’ ach rùiligein. |
| sgràbair | scraper; associated with a person continually of [sic] collecting anything he may lay hands on. |
| rolaig | lair. Could be a corruption from ‘rèilig’. Tha ’n rolaig aca anns a’ chladh. (Harris) |
| strathbhèicireachd | patrolling, walking to and fro. |
| teinnte | twisted. Cha’n eil e teinnte. – from ‘toinneamh-te’, he is not fully mentally twisted, so to speak. |
| ceann-aotram | giddy, light-headed. |
| caithte | strong to wear. Aodach caithte. And ‘aodach caitheamh’, suitable for wearing, generally. |
| Mileag | female name, Muriel. (Harris) |
| lireasta | collection; children collectively is [sic] described as or accounted for as: lireasta mhath ann dhuibh [sic]. From ‘litter’ Eng. |
| leocanach | having small stones, not pebble but small stones as in a quarry where blasting operation take [sic] place. They are more than chip sizes of crused [sic] stone, breakings from other stones. A place where a collection of them are [sic] to be found: ‘àite leocanach’ from ‘leocan’ – a small stone with sharp edges. (Referred to in back numbers of pages.) |
| lìreachdadh | collecting. Tha iad lireachdadh [sic] dh’an a bhàthaich – as again a ‘litter’ form or sujected [sic] [suggested?] form of collection. |
| deòthalgan | sucker, as an insect sucking from a plant, it could be adapted to anything prone to sucking. From ‘deothal’. |
| pàll-màll | pell-mell. Thuit e ’na mhàll [sic] [phàll?] màll leis an leathad. |
| drinuisg | a slight, thin, pale, fragile male. From ‘dréin-uisge’, shadow from water. |
| cliut | a person void of the full use of a hand with a couple of fingers missing. Cliutach – the handicap effects. |
| buntàta-slibeig | potatoes, tubers planted by a stick, by pressing the stick and withdrawing it to leave a hole in which the tuber is put and the soil pressed over it. |
| spàineag-céille | spoonful of sense, small spoonful of sense. |
| spàin | spoon. Cha [sic] eil làn na spàinne a chiall ann. (Harris) |
| uainich | green as on stagnant water or cheese, taking colour of green. |
| uainidh | [See uainich.] |
| sgailc | struck. |
| sgeilèichd | broke. Rinn mi sgeilèichd. |
| sgeileichdan | [sic] reduced an item, an article by breaking it against a stone to the condition of ‘sgeilèichdan’, to a diminutive form, or breakage. Diminutive form of the word ‘sgeilèichd’ [q.v.], may have originated from ‘sgailc’. |
| lionnachdadh | congestion. Bha iad a lionnachadh [sic] a stigh. |
| ribleachadh | beginning to disperse. When the end of a rope needs whipping it is regarded as ‘ribleachadh’. |
| buinich | Mac-na-buinich – a common enough term used… |
| cnòag | little nut. |
| canabhasadh | canvassing. (Of a modern invention, I think, or rather a derivation closely to the English form.) |
| riachd-eòin | a crow’s sound of voice, birds unmusical produce such like sound. |
| rochd-barra | top layer of seaweed. |
| siolag | a small measurement of whisky. Leth-bhodach, siola, siolag. Dim. form. |
| suairnealaich | sleepiness. Tha suairnealaich ann. – as in a very ill person. |
| suathagan | a wee rub. |
| crasgag | a small cross. Now I am not certain, again vaguely in other words, of hearing a starfish being referred to by another name: crasgag-grunna. |
| blèiceinn | black lead. |
| dubhach | dubhach (a’ choire) – the black soot on the bottom of a kettle. |
| tubhach | [See dubhach.] |
| slipean | a drenched person. Tha e ’na shilpean [sic]. – he is drenched in the rain. |
| caraichd | a thick crop of hair. |
| slip-slap | as of a person soaked in the rain. Bha slip-slap aig air an làr. – his boots full of water making sound immitable [sic]: slip-slap. |
| leum-dàir | cow mating, and taken to the indication of the necessary results. |
| sàilligean | water brash. |
| glanadh-mairt | the ‘aftermath’ of a birth, a cow after having a calf. (Perhaps I have noted this term already. It does not matter.) |
| sitig-àite | midden of a place. ’S e sitig-àite th’ann. |
| màilich | whallop(ing) or walloping as: Thug e màilich air. – he gave him a walloping. |
| air-a-bhualadh-a-muigh | suffering outside. |
| beurr | spark. Cha [sic] eil beurr an seo. |
| bìceag | small chirp. |
| clach-rùiste | bare stone, with nothing suggested to cover it. Cha robh ri fhaicinn ach a’ chlach rùiste. – a saying I am afraid is seldom heard today. |
| treabhaire | tenement, house. In past days a person entering a new house welcomed the occupants with the remark: Beannachadh treabhaire dhuibh – a blessing remark. |
| clochlanaich | squeezing sound in the throat. Bha clochlanaich a bhàis ’na h-amhaich. |
| clochanaich | [See clochlanaich.] |
| sgliùraichean | showers. |
| scrùbaireachd | scrapping. |
| sgùraichean | showers, patches of misty showers coming over the high hills; ‘sgùrr’. |
| sgiabadh | break in the clouds. |
| cuibhleireachd | coiling ropes. |
| sgumaireachd | brailing herring from a net, a bag net action of lifting fish. The bag net is pushed under the fish and lifted on board or on to the shore. |
| sgudsaireachd | sgudding [sic] [scudding?]. Bha i sgudsaireachd seachad oirnn an dràsda ’s a rithisd mar an dealanach. – sgudding [sic] [scudding?] past us now and again like lightning. |
| sgurabhaidh | scurvy. Cha mhór nach tug e ’n sgurabhaidh orm. |
| sgurbhaidh | [See sgurabhaidh.] |
| briogais-bhucach | trousers made of Buckie Tweed. The fishermen of the isles used to wear them. |
| bior-na-banachaig | inoculation needle. |
| sgòdalachd | an article left in a careless attitude or rather left say in a shabby [sic], through a shabby unattended outlook. |
| romaisteireachd | roaming. |
| rumaisteireachd | [See romaisteireachd.] |
| sgrùdaireachd | rummaging. |
| dol-a-dhàir | a cow taking [sic] to a calf, mating. |
| glagaire | rattler. |
| balachail | boyish. |
| rola-tombaca | roll of tobacco. |
| ceann-turcach | a woven design on the end of a rope. |
| cnaimh-golaigein | a child on the shoulders of his father, sitting with a foot on either side of his father’s neck, and the father having the hands of his son or daughter holding them above his head. Also termed ‘casa-golaigein’. In other words the father’s head between his son’s or daughter’s feet. |
| casa-golaigein | [See cnaimh-golaigein.] |
| cànanach | linguistic. |
| olagan | oil-can. |
| coire-strùpach | a kettle with a spout. |
| goineag | bit. Cha tug e dhomh goineag dhe na b’aige. |
| carabart | mouth. Dh’fhosgail e’ charabart. – he opened his (big) mouth. Carabart muice. |
| conuisg | soul? Cha robh conuisg bheò ann. Still current. Etymology? |
| cèbhal | fire, big fire. Bha cèbhal mór tein’ aig air. A derivation probably from ‘géibheal’, gable end of a house. It’s still in current use. |
| leac-griasach | fire-slab of stone. A complete flat stone on which a fire was set in the middle of the floor in the old thatched houses, a thin slab of stone chosen (a more modern version from a former endeavour), that is the stone slab a one piece form of improvement. |
| fròin | embroidery? This could be one explanation. Bha fròin ri na cùirteirean-leabadh, froineas. (I am afraid it’s seldom used if at all.) |
| frachdaid | wreck, wreck of a boat. |
| tùrnair | turner. Sometimes heard in the past denoting a lever or some convenient wooden lever to act in turning a capstan in a boat, etc. This is only one explanation. There may be another explanation? |
| congadh | conked. Tha e air congadh a mach. – he has gone flat out. |
| siamalaich | weaving like movements. Tha e siamalaich timchioll. The word originated from ‘siaman’, and ‘sniomh shiamain’. |
| siamalachadh | [See siamalaich.] |
| malachdag | a cursed female. |
| spreotag | bit of stick. Cha’n e spreotag fiodh an sud. Cha d’fhuair mi spreotag. |
| sgialt | sense. Cha’n eil sgialt aig an té ud. (Harris) |
| sgil | fluency. Nach ann oirre tha ’n sgil-cainnte. |
| sguabag | a wee sheaf. Sguabag fhraoich. |
| clemair | ram. |
| studarra | (on) alertness. Feumaidh tu bhiodh air do studarra. (In the case of having conversation or approaching a touchy person, he may retaliate.) |
| blèir | wool and tar between the edges of planks in a boat. |
| bléithte | worn. |
| blèiream | sense. Cha’n eil blèiream aige. |
| sgot | sense. Cha’n eil sgot aige. |
| [note] | Note: you will find, as you understand yourselves, words of various meanings and sometimes different words with the same meaning. |
| spochadh | a retort. Leig mi spochadh thuige. – an abrupt shout to frighten a person who may [be] doing something or attempting to do something he shouldn’t do. |
| sgleòraichean | see ‘sgùrraichean’ or ‘sglùraichean’. They may have generated [sic] from one another. |
| sgoilleag | blow. Thug mi sgoilleag mu t-sròin dha. |
| dorus | door. Pronounced in some parts of Harris as ‘daras’. |
| daras | [See dorus.] |
| soideanach | a big sturdy man or a creature of more than the ordinary size. Nach b’e soideanach e. |
| slàn-lus | the plant you were enquiring about as to its English name: enquiry on Scalpay says the English name for it is self-heal. |
| badan-ùrach | soil on a patch of cloth was recognised as a cure for a scalding, to ease off the effects. Again, I can only say this much until I may find further recognition. |
| cròiseanta | bent with an asthmatic complaint. Bodach beag cròiseanta. |
| crois-iarna | a cross like frame for producing hanks of yarn by hand. |
| gibeag | straws of corn. |
| ròp-feòir | grass twisted into rope; coir-yarn rope. |
| cruidhneach | an old woman. |
| achdainn-feabhais | healing ointment. |
| fail | untidy, unclean female. ’S e fail th’innte. |
| tutadh | ‘tuting’ [sic], an invented word, perhaps from the sound from the horn of a vehicle. When giving a noticeable hearing, or irregular breaks in composing the sound resembling a tut-tut-tut. |
| fud | ‘chicken-hearted’, void of encouragement, etc. Balaich nam fud. |
| tasgadh-oidhche | a night banking of the fire. In the old black-house the peat fire was banked before retiring at night. |
| monaitch | (pronounced like ‘monage’ in English) moorings, moorings of a boat. (Scalpay) |
| caithris-na-oidhche | awake in the night. A habit or custom perhaps peculiar, adhered to [sic] Lewis and Harris, of courtships, a couple courting courting [sic] through the night. |
| cathris-oidhche | [sic] [See caithris-na-oidhche.] |
| slisneadh | chipping wood. |
| slis | chip of wood. |
| crionaich | a small withered tree. |
| bocsa-cutaidh | the box from which gutters gutted the herring. |
| cuileag | artificial fly used in trout fishing. |
| cliabh-seilich | creel made of the fine branches of the willow tree. |
| cliabh-feamainn | creel – denoting seaweed in the creel. |
| griochaireachd | rock scratching as reference to an inshore or boat that will not go very far from the shore as: Tha iad ann an shid, neo tha i ann a shid, a’ griochaireachd ris a’ chladach. |
| ùisigeadh | using. (Harris) |
| oiseanach | having corners. |
| oisean | corner (common use). |
| sùgar-dubh | liquorice sweets, black. Pioban sùgar dubh – pipes of the black liquorice, gredients [sic] [ingredients?] of sweets. |
| fàireag | a little swelling on a gland. |
| sgumaigeadh | working with a bag net or scummer. |
| sgludsaireachd | puddling [sic]. |
| sgreògach | sgraggy [sic] [scraggy?]. |
| mìle pios | smithereens. Cha [sic] e ’na mhìle pios. – perhaps one reference to describing an article, cup, etc. breaking into smithereens. |
| strabh | straw. Ol le strabh e. – drink it from the straw as lemonade out of a bottle, sucking the fluid up. |
| sop-deocaidh | [See strabh.] |
| sopan | [?] |
| molachadh | prentending [sic] [pretending?]. Cha [sic] eil mis’ ach a molachadh. |
| Sìleag | diminutive name, female name of Sìle, Jane. |
| fersunnan | worril [sic], on cattle on or in the skin. An ointment of soothing effect was applied. (Already noted.) |
| Mac-a’ Bhiocair | MacVicar, surname. |
| piocas | chickenpox. |
| lir | already referred as litter in Harris. A dog having an unusual number of whelps is referred to as: Nach ann aige tha lir. (Perhaps you have a further meaning or different meaning?) |
| fang | put into position where the creature can be caught; an enclosure process of getting old [sic] [hold?] of any creature. From ‘faing’, fank. |
| fangadh | surround. |
| loidseadh | lodging. |
| slugan | taking more than what is considered. Nach ann aige tha slugan. – (‘pre-noted’) gullet. ’S anns an t-slugadh a tha e… |
| bana-cheannaiche | woman having a shop, a female in business, grocery business, etc. |
| bana-bhreabadair | a female weaver. |
| flagaisg | (also) compost. |
| bearnan-brìde | flower, dandelion, at the point of the flower giving way to withering, the seed is left which parachute off by the wind. Children used to blow off the seed themselves and counting how many times they had to blow before the final seed was blown, which indicated what time of day it was. The flower itself does the re-seeding. The seed is disposed likewise from its down, ‘choimhiteach’ [sic]. |
| cloimhteach | virgin feathers of a chick. |
| còsalach | An siol anns a’ chosalaich [sic] – the seed in the material which could be attributed to the flower, dandelion as one version. |
| stamhradh | summer. An stamhradh. |
| [caramel] | Note: I’ll make enquiries as to the possibility of an answer to your query towards the plant, etc. ‘caramel’. Corra meile… it may have derived from ‘càir meala’? I am afraid it’s not of Lewis and Harris? Anyway, I’ll enquire! |
| duilleagan-seargta | withered leaves, the withered foliage of trees on the ground in late autumn or in winter. (Unless they are used for manure, mixed into compost?) |
| raineach | fern. Was used to contribute in a mattress form of packing for beds in sheilings, makeshift beds; fishermen of old used it, when their periodical residence was a sheiling (Harris). (The ‘raineach’ generally, which accounts for all species.) |
| leabaidh-rainich | fern bed. As far as I understand, fern (‘raineach’) was in this case, as above mentioned, a factor in collecting insects or fleas. The ‘raineach’ generally, which accounts for all species. |
| baog | impulse. |
| ròsdaireachd | roasting. |
| h-opag (interj.) | as when lifting a child from the floor. |
| cnuasachd | meditating. |
| fraidh | fry. Fraidh sgadain – a few herring on a string as here. |
| drabasdachd | obscene talk. |
| [manure] | Note: algae composition was used as manure for crofts, still is, and so his [sic] [is?] hen droppings, also cattle dung, seaweed of various species, tangle being popular for the growth of corn. Algae in powder form or kelp was, and is, used as a reinforcement for manure, that is algae can be used with other manure contribution or contributions, rotten fish, guano, etc. (Harris) |
| siol | siol, the fish spawned into life, from the embryo into the ‘baby fish’, virginal form. |
| guanag | a light agile female. |
| cuaileanachadh | surround. Bha e ’g chuaileanachadh gus an t’fhuair e e ann an luib, far do rug e air na ònrachd. (Harris) |
| shathaigeadh | scolding. |
| séib | shape. |
| sileagan | very seldom used in Harris. As ‘juga mór sileagan’, I have heard it used. Seemingly it’s a tinkers’ term, a quotation from the tinkers when they used to visit Harris, but otherwise the descriptive term as here is alien to Harris, especially, as we say: ‘in our day and age’. |
| rusair | rushy [sic] female, or: Ceann an ruiseir ud air nochdadh, or: ’S e ruisear innte gu bhi falbh. |
| buisneach | mix up, an all out of place job. Rinn thu buisneach dhe. (Harris) |
| bialaiche | bletherer. |
| teàrr-an-fhiodh | archangel tar. Archangel tar was the most accepted tar in connection with ointment treatment for cattle and sheep. |
| teàrr-a’-ghuail | used for tarring boats, tarring rooftops. I do not think it was ever used as ointment for cattle or sheep even in emergency. |
| sùthag | strawberries, used for jam making. Raspberries was [sic] coming under the same name? |
| sùbhag | [See sùthag.] |
| smear | grease. Wasn’t there (also) ‘gréis’ for grease? |
| langadail | the broad-leaved tangle (Harris). ‘Bragaire’, the [sic] |
| spealadairean | wee boats in the 20 feet keel sizes, were termed as ‘spealadairean’ when engaged in the herring fishing at Scalpay, in Harris. |
| darach-glas | green oak. I have heard of a chair being made on Harris with a seat of ‘green oak’. |
| cnèimhearsaich | nibbling. Mar chù a’ cneimhearsaich [sic] – when picking a bone. Also: Thug e cneimhearsaich [sic] mhath dha. – good response as in competition. |
| cnàmharsaich | [See cnèimhearsaich.] |
| eichdearsaich | playing in fun: iad ag eichdearsaich ri chéile. |
| drisean | prickles, as a rose-bush having prickles. |
| sgann | hardly. |
| sgamhan bheò | living soul. Cha robh sgamhan bheò ann. (Harris) |
| sgitil | sgittles [sic] [skittles?]. A corrupted form from the English. A one time playful practice by children. |
| ineadh | woof (Harris). ‘Snàth-cur’ or ‘inneach’ also. |
| crosgag-tuathalain | starfish of the lighter species. |
| giurrsach | an unruly female character. Perhaps from ‘siùrsach’. The word ‘giurrsach’ unaccented. (Not used now.) |
| gaorrsach | [See giurrsach.] |
| bualamas | approaching a person in a sort of retort, not in anger, but in a ‘howling’ sort of approach in speech. |
| dubhan-slabhraidh | chain hook. |
| Abhaich | native of Avoch, Scotland. Na h-Abhaich. Eithear Abhach – an Avoch boat. |
| Sibealag | Sybal [sic] [Sybil?], a female personal name, as Sibealag Dhòmhnaill Choinnich. |
| mèigheadh | mare? A corrupted word likely. Bàgh-na-meigheadh [sic] – an original name for a bay in the island of Scalpay (Harris) or from… [sic] |
| miagh | weights, weighing machine. |
| miathtadh | beginning to get softer and more easily [sic] to chew as mutton, lamb, boiled lamb. |
| miathta | soft as lamb mutton, easy to chew. ’S e feòil mhiathta th’innte. Have originated from ‘miath’, or vice versa. |
| clistrigeadh | knocked about, rough handling. Fhuair e a chlistrigeadh. |
| sliprich | wallowing. |
| shadhadh | retaliating, retaliating for an injury, in speech… |
| làdachd | fullness. Thug e as làdachd. Fhuair i làdach [sic] ud. – volley as a battleship hitting another. Ex-navy men [sic] telling how in a sea battle, was heard saying describing the scene: Fhuair i làdach [sic] ud air a teis meadhonn. (Harris) (one meaning) |
| soillearadh | mark. Chuir e soillearadh air. – he put a mark on him (in a fight). |
| pliaram | babbling. But there is to my way of thinking ‘blèiream’ as previously noted: Cha’n eil blèiream agad (Harris) – not the same word. |
| slìg | sly. Duine slìgeach – a sly person. |
| slip | a slippery sort of a character, who gets away, slips out of trouble, etc. unscathed, gets away with things as termed, locally. |
| h-àcair | hawker. |
| seacaid | jacket. Rinn mi mo sheacaid. – I have made my jacket (lit.), denoting good business. |
| dis | common enough word for a person who likes to be beside the fire. But there is another word: ‘diseag’, which could have derived from ‘dis’, a name given to a female. |
| [diseag] | [See dis.] |
| stuth-casadaich | cough mixture, or cough balsam. |
| sùth-feòla-nam-botuil | perhaps an individual given name, invented, for Bovril. |
| easgan-dhubh | jelly eel. Easgannan dubha nan loch – jelly eels of the lochs. |
| easgan-dubh-a-chladaich | conger eel. By the shore, black in colour until the same species enters deep water it takes on eventually the white colour. I have this information? |
| mialan-tràghad | all the variety of the smallest creature found on the sea-shore. I can only remember having this term vaguely. The reference sounds quite healthy I think? |
| gaoisdeanach | hairy. |
| crosgagach | having many crosses or similar shapes like crosses. |
| fiuchdanach | (adj) having fasteners. Bha feuchdanan [sic] dha dhùnadh. Bha aghaidh a phios aodaich bh’oirre feuchdanach [sic]. [NOTES: originally the headword was spelled ‘feuchdanach’ just like the words in the two examples. Then it was corrected to ‘fiuchdanach’ but the two examples were left unchanged, possibly through an oversight.] |
| fiuchdanaich | grip fastening. Bha feuchdanaich [sic] dha dhùnadh. – as garment, row of grip fasteners fastening it. [NOTES: originally the headword was spelled ‘feuchdanaich’ just like the word in the example. Then it was corrected to ‘fiuchdanaich’ but the example was left unchanged, possibly through an oversight.] |
| cribhealach | creepy. |
| carameal | vetch. Plant with bitter taste, one explanation. ‘Bitter’ rather clashes with ‘meala’? Wild peas. It’s difficult to observe its growth in this area at the moment if at all grows on Lewis or Harris? (I’ll make further enquiries.) |
| [‘tuisleadh-asbhuinne’] | Note: as regards another word or two in connection with woman’s complaints I am making further enquiries. Someone (one informant) told me ‘tuisleadh-asbhuinne’ was an ‘Uist word’, mostly used on Uist, but I remember it being used on Harris, years back. |
| toradh-anabaich | miscarriage, ‘woman complaint’. Could it be used ‘miscarriage of justice’? Anyway it was used on Harris in connection with a pregnant woman’s failure to give a healthy birth to child, premature, etc. (I’ll try for more on this subject.) |
| bharr-na-glùine | off the knee cap, when the knee cap is out of place. |
| bharr-an-uilt | out of joint. |
| glòramach | ‘gloring’ [sic] in speech. Reference to a person as ‘abair thusa glòramach’, like from the word ‘glory’, or ‘glòr’-am’ or ‘glòir-leam’, let me glorify. |
| treòramach | not physically effected [sic] [affected?] to a big extent; are you very able to go about; considering, as a welcome salute to an aged person. From the term ‘treòirimeachd’. |
| raillsgealach | flimsy story producer. (‘Roill’ – phlegm from the mouth.) |
| bulgach | bulky. |
| bulagach | having bulging sides as a boat. |
| ràs-gaoithe | strong breeze of wind. The description more inclined to the east wind, as in this instance: Bha ràs de ghaoith-an-ear ann le turadh. Turadh na mòine – a peat drying remark. The east wind is a very effective agent in drying peats on Harris. |
| mòine-bhristeadh | fragile peat, easily broken. |
| sùgh-puill-mhòinidh | stagnant water in a peat bank. |
| mòineadh-bhàn | light quality peat, of a mossy essence. |
| caolag | a thin cow or female. |
| caomhan | a mild youth, inoffensive, etc. |
| caomhag | a mild girl, inoffensive, etc. |
| fo-shàl | ‘submarine’ part. Tha e coimhead glé mhath fo-shàl. – a ref. to a boat, even when ashore beached away from the sea. |
| fo’n uisge | under (the) water. |
| sgiabataich | apart [sic] actions as in clouds, clouds breaking apart. |
| sgiabadh | [See sgiabataich.] |
| cronan-mara | sea shanty. |
| gàradh-càil | ‘cail[sic]-garden’, garden in which cabbage grow [sic]. Also termed as: kitchen garden. |
| Ruisia | Russia. ‘Ruisia’ as termed in Harris in other ‘ans [?] (an) Ruis’. |
| miaranaich | yawning. According to pronunciation, Harris, unless a corruption. |
| meunanaich | [See miaranaich.] |
| miaran | yawn. According to pronunciation, Harris, unless a corruption. |
| mianan | [See miaran.] |
| breac-a-sianain | speckles on the skin. |
| mialan-crion | skin rash. |
| miala-crion | [See mialan-crion.] |
| treitheal | confusion. |
| trèibhdhireach | faithfully [sic]. ’S e duine trèibhdhireach a h’ann [sic]. (Harris) |
| treubhdhireach | [See trèibhdhireach.] |
| duraid | a word, or syllable. Cha’n eil duraid aige ach Beurla. |
| dreannadh | tiff; glimpse, etc. Cha [sic] eil dreannadh ceòthadh a’ dol troimh’n t-simileir – cha’n eil mi faicinn dreannadh. |
| dreannaig | back. Ealach air an dreannaig chaol – a burden on the skinny back. |
| dreannag | giving a droning time. Thug e dreannag air a’ phiob-chiùil. |
| fear-dréineach | a surly person. |
| siblich | drawler, having a drawling movement, moving slowly pulling his legs as it were. (one meaning) |
| [iasgach] | Note: an t-iasgach-luathaireach agus an t-iasgach fadalach was [sic] two seasonal fishing, herring fishing, in the past on the east coast of Scotland – termed in the past. |
| glaodh | glue. |
| sgigire | wee short person, light-weight. |
| sgigean | wee lump. Cha tug e dhuinn ach sgigein bheaga. – wee lumps. |
| sgriste | destroyed. |
| lebisteachd | clumsiness. |
| clamharsaich | barking resemblance. |
| thachdaisd | chocked [sic] [choked?]. Thachdaisd e. – he was chocked [sic] [choked?]. |
| clìoig-clìoig | imitation sound as of a gull, seagull. |
| [cuideachd] | Cha’n ann dha mo chuideachd thu (!) – imaginary rendering of a pigeon’s cooing… in words. |
| gliogadaich | tingling. |
| gliogadaich | tinkling. |
| gliogaire | a loosely dressed tall thin person. |
| tèin | a partition inside a boat, a fishing boat. |
| còmans | wooden uprights inside a fishing boat, in the hold. |
| seann-mhaor-eòlach | ‘old knowledgeable expertee [sic]’. |
| clobha-ceàrdaich | handmade tongs, smithy- or smith-made tongs. |
| mhìreagan | bits. |
| bìdeagan | bits. |
| adhairean | the iron hooks on either side of the stem of a boat, on which dug-sails are hooked. |
| clisnich | body. Tha bhuil air do chlisnich. |
| caoraich-òga | young sheep, generally speaking. |
| meban | distraction, mentally or physically. Rinn e meban dhiom. |
| clobhta-sgùraidh | rubbing (scrubbing) cloth. Metaphorically speaking: Rinn e clobta[sic]-sgùraidh dhiom. [NOTES: originally the headword was spelled ‘clobta-sgùraidh’ just like the word in the example. Then it was corrected to ‘clobhta-sgùraidh’ but the example was left unchanged, possibly through an oversight.] |
| òrain-mhara | sea songs. |
| spangair | spanker. |
| sguaic | plaster. Sguaic buachair – a large cow pad [sic] [pat?]. |
| seasgach | not giving milk. Caora sheasg. |
| lion-iaruinn | iron-net. |
| gu leòir | galore, enough. |
| sgoilleadh | schooling. |
| bior-goinidh | sharp penetrating dart. |
| tairig-fuaigheil | nail for nailing the planks of a boat. |
| laban | hardly pressed. Rinn e laban dhiom. |
| labanachadh | pressed into distress, etc. |
| làthaireachd | atmosphere. Bha làthaireachd mhiorbhuileach anns an eaglais. |
| songaid | sonnet. I am not sure of this word again. Perhaps invented? |
| sòradh | not caring a hitch. Cha robh sòradh aic’ air na briagan. |
| stiachdadh | pressing. |
| sticeadh | [See stiachdadh.] |
| stiomaigeadh | steaming. |
| sligh’ mharbh | death way, depressing journey, on the way to a churchyard. |
| slighe-nam-marbh | the way of the dead. |
| gasaid | gazette. |
| calbhan | continual talk on the same subject. Thug e calbhan air an aon rud. |
| cannsachadh | debating. |
| gosdanach | of wee short hair. |
| goisdeanach | [See gosdanach.] |
| goisdean | hair. Cha’n eil goisdean liath ’na cheann. |
| craobhanach | gushy. Bha a fuil craobhanach r’a faicinn. ‘Craobhadh’ – branching. |
| craobhagach | having small trees or design as wallpaper, ‘craobhagach’. |
| cruinn-luath | collectively fast. |
| iompachan | a converted young person. Iompachan òg. A common enough expression with young people and religious, impressions [sic]. |
| càrnadh | heaping. A’ càrnadh dha fhéin, airgead agus òr. – ‘safing [sic] [saving?] up’. Càrnain air an t-shlighe [sic] – cairns on the way. A brief note: at one time in Harris when a burial was to take place in the churchyard of Luskentyre, the burial party used to build cairns (‘càrnain’) while resting with the coffined remains, denoting ‘càrnain air an t-slighe’. |
| geiltear | coward. |
| drumanach | elder tree (already noted). When in winter the branches became sapless, children (as already noted) scrabbed [sic] [scrubbed?] the branches with a pocket knife and used the branch as fishing rods. It (the common elder) is a common tree, ‘easy to grow’ in places like the Isles of Scotland where the climate is damp and cold. It is noticeable on Harris growing without or within little distances of houses, or close to a house. If this signifies anything, I am not able to say at the moment. Seemingly it could? … In the ‘superstitious stories of the Isles’. |
| [burial on Harris] | Note: at a burial on Harris. When the coffined remains are lowered into the grave, and the coffin set on the bottom (of the grave), the tasselled cords are thrown on the coffin, and the grave ready for to shovel the soil back in place or its contents, or part of its contents, placed with spade or shovel on the top of the coffin. Before this is done I have noticed someone of a funeral party likewise throwing a handful of sand or soil, or a sprinkle, on the coffin lid. It is a custom. For what reason is it done – luck, superstition… At the first funeral I ever attended I saw it done and I was wondering why. |
| gnachdail | knacky [sic], able to do things, work, in handyman fashion. |
| grògach | flimsy; work as stitching canvas, etc. showing untidiness. |
| grog | refreshment. |
| crocairidh | crockery. |
| muir-ruighinn | lengthy towering waves, or high towering waves. |
| muir-chas | steep choppy waves of a lighter sort of motion, from the deep ocean roll, say of the Atlantic. |
| cirean-glas | greyish crest, signifying white as of waves. |
| cirean-seacaidh | crest as of a hen, falling unwell, suffering from a disease which shows symptoms by the colour of her crest, of a withered pale whitish colour. |
| brisgean | root of the silver weed. ’N uair a bhiodha mid [sic] a’ falbh ag itheadh nam brisgein… |
| [‘bogie roll’] | Note: chewing ‘bogie roll’ tobacco was a habit with men folk of the isles (Harris) in past years. |
| [boils] | Note 2: boils were brought to a point with poultices applied. When at the point of its height, so to speak, they were sometimes pierced through with an ordinary sewing needle for the collection of the pus or matter to discharge and the boil to heal. |
| guirmean-an-t-sléibh | a plant from which the colour of blue was taken. There was another form of ‘guirmean’, a chalk like form of dye which produced a bluish colour or blue colour for dying wool. |
| ròs-eilean | an isle or islet (on which foliage grow) (frith-eilean-ròsach) covered with shrubbery of various species. |
| fo-ròs | undergrowth. |
| fàsleigeal | emptying (to a void [?]) a wound of its contents of puss (if I remember well). |
| leigeal | penetrating a (in)fested wound. |
| cuiseag | stalk. |
| riaslaiche | a person making little progress despite his efforts and having got knack of things, as we relate sometimes. |
| botul-teth | hot water bottle, for warming the feet in bed. |
| iaruinn-stiùrach (pl) | iron brackets holding the steer of a boat to the hull. Iarunn-stiùrach (case [sic] singular) – one iron, for a ‘steer, helm’. |
| spageitean | invented word for spaghetti? I am afraid I am hazy about this word. I am afraid again I cannot give you a quotation in connection with its use. I’ll enquire! |
| leacradh | putting a thickness of material of [sic] [on?] a flat surface with a trowel. From ‘leac’. |
| botul-lionn | screw top, bottle of beer, etc. |
| cupa | cup (Harris). [Cf. copan.] |
| copan | cup (Lewis). [Cf. cupa.] |
| cliamhadh | creeling [sic]. A’ cliamhadh na feamad. |
| leth-chas | a middle strand of two meshes in a net broken. Cha robh leth-chas air an lion sin. – meaning it was complete without a tear or a broken strand. |
| casachain | peddles. |
| totaman | spinner. Riddle: titeaman, totaman, cota beag dubh, trì chasan iaruinn is ceann beag dubh. Answer: preis bheag nan trì chasan. |
| sgif | throb. Cha do sgif e. – he didn’t throb, he was killed instantly. |
| rèic | glutton; feast. |
| sglepire | a person receive [sic] helpings free as drinks, whisky. From ‘sglèip’, ‘deoch sglèip’. |
| réicidear | seller. |
| rabaistealachd | delving in rubbish. |
| sgeireach | abounding in rocks as on the seabed. |
| sachdadh | the sea beginning to wheeze, to give a wheezing sound. |
| criochairean-cladaich | fishermen or birds who keep close to the shore, not far from the shore boundaries. |
| feitheamh-na-h-uaireach | attending the hours, as workmen, etc.; work-a-day hours, etc. |
| an fheitheamh od | that waiting. When someone waits and expecting [sic] for some unwanted act or movement to happen... ‘After term’… denoting suspense... |
| eileimeid | element. |
| feadan | (also) exposed place by the open sea. Anns na feadain. (Scalpay) |
| ceum-adhairt | forward step. |
| ceum-na-h-ùmhlachd | step to obedience. |
| a’ chiad cheum | the first step, the first step to take. |
| pràiseach | cheek. Nach ann ort a tha phràiseach! (Harris) |
| pléit | cheek. Nach ann ort a tha pleit [sic]. – aren’t you not [sic] cheeky, daring. (Harris) |
| sùmhlaich | gradually subsiding to an end as a boat beginning to sink under the sea. Shùmhlaich i sios. |
| feàrna | alder tree. |
| beith | birch tree. There is only one birch tree I know of growing within a distance of Scalpay. It’s on another adjacent island to Scalpay (Scotisay Island), and again as far as I gather, there isn’t one growing on Scalpay, Harris. The one that grows on Scotisay is the ‘silver birch’. If there is a special name for the ‘silver birch’ remains a question with me at the moment. |
| sgogadh | overdoing it as when eating. When trying to eat further through eating ‘appetisingly’ a person finds he cannot eat more, continue, thus: Tha e air sgogadh air. (Harris) |
| liamadh | sickened. Tha e air liamadh air. – he has sickened himself. |
| leamhachas | continual irritation as listening to disagreeable speech. |
| rùm-teicheadh | a space or rum [sic] [room?] to flee. |
| buntàta-carrach | ‘warted potatoes’, caused by fungi or fungus. |
| bunan | roots of decaying teeth. |
| bun-na-h-aithne | [sic] source, bottom of the river. |
| bial-na-h-aibhne | mouth of the river. |
| mòthan | bog violet, plant. |
| farachd | questioning, asking. (Harris) |
| fidireadh | hear. ’Na fidireadh e cail idir, thigeadh e dha innseadh dhomh. |
| falbh-coise | travelling on foot. |
| diosgadh | creaking. |
| diosgail | [See diosgadh.] |
| [màm] | Note: ulcerous swelling like ‘màm’ was approached by incantations, etc. |
| [sgagaidhean] | there was [sic] dry skin complaints – ‘sgagaidhean’. |
| sic | inner skin of a person. When broken causes rupture, or means rupture. |
| sriuchdain | little wounds, skin breaking, etc. between [sic] of children; and also dryness of sea-salt caused by seawater drying, exposed to a dry wind, etc. etc. |
| miaran-na-cailleachan-marbha | foxgloves. Named because of the resemblance of thimbles, which grows [sic] in line along the stalk, not as one flower but a few one beside the other. I saw them in growth in steep braes and on patches of soil on rock faces. (Harris) |
| luideagach | having bits of torn clothes. Le luideagan a suathadh. Dh’fhalbh an ceot’ [?] na luideagan. Bu luideagach e co dhiu. |
| luidrigeadh | wallowed. |
| tuteanachadh | [sic] moved about from place to place. Bha e air a thutanachadh ’s air a luidrigeadh, ’s e luideagach luideach ’s a’ pholl. |
| [note] | Note: some of the words I have collected may be ‘obsolete’, etc. in the sense being not in current use in speech. |
| altraig | alter (from the English). |
| suragan | puddles. Na shurragan [sic] beaga ’s na eabair far an robh na geigean a feitheamh ’s a mhòintich. |
| mòintich-an-fhraoich | heather-clad moorland void of arable patches or cultivation. |
| seòrsaigeadh | displaying. |
| sanaisean | whisperings. |
| sòighnealas | pleasure. |
| muc-duine | a surly, unliked [sic], boorish male. |
| sàcramaid | sacrament. Sàcramaid a bhaistidh. |
| còrn | bundle of tweed, rolled tweed. |
| [gàradh-càil] | Note: ‘gàradh-càil’ already alluded to is also termed as: kitchen garden. |
| spianagan | when pulling wool or material which when pulled apart shows fragmentary bits from the effect blown in the wind thus from the ‘spianagan’ due to the ‘wee pulling’. 2. (also) whirlwind effect in the wind, sudden gusts, from ‘spianadh’ – giving a strong jerk. |
| plubarsaich | movement of a person in the sea. Perhaps a corruption of ‘plubadaich’. |
| fàileadh-an-fhraoich | the smell of burning heather. |
| cliongach | a clanging report, sound. |
| làn-àm | full time. |
| poitean | marks on the skin, swellings. Thàinig an t-aodann aige a mach ’na phoitean gorma. |
| pogachadh | bags, baggy. Bha a bhriogais a pogachadh a mach. – bulging. Bha poc [sic] air a chlar a chroch e. – bulging appearance. |
| làn-aogais | full appearance. Ann an làn-aogais an fhir a bh’ann. |
| tréine-a-neairt | in fullness of strength, of his strength. |
| dàmhair | continuity. Ghabh e dàmhair thige co-dhiu. – intercessantly [sic] [incessantly?] on doing a job which will result in disaster. (one meaning) |
| sgioba-coise | an old reference to peat cutters on foot, making their way to a peat bank. |
| briseadh-na-mara | wave top. Rug sinn air a phuta ann am briseadh-na-mara. |
| bristeadh-na-mara | [See briseadh-na-mara.] |
| constapal | constable. Close (this word) adherence to the English rendering. |
| sguilgeadh | breaking apart. (old word) Dha sguileadh [sic] – grinding or peeling off. Perhaps clashing [?] together meant the production. |
| sgailceadh | [See sguilgeadh.] |
| [siola-na-h-easgainn] | Note: ‘siola-na-h-easgainn’ as mentioned towards a cure for rheumatics. May I again note that any species of an eel was considered appropriate, generally the conger eel when the spawning part was prepared as a plaster aid. Medicinally, herbal remedies was [sic] a recommendation in some cases. |
| [incantations] | Note: there were various incantations – an incantation for a stye, an ulcerous wound, a blockage in the urine passage of animals and so on, depending on what nature of complaint it was. |
| [baking soda] | Note: baking soda – a tea spoonful in warm water was used for heartburn, and still is recommended and proves beneficial, unless the patient needs medical aid in a major way, if the matter or complaint means further attempts to cure him. |
| snaoisean | snuff. Considered valid for catarrh, that is the taking of snuff. 2. tobacco dried a little to the point of breaking it into powder when dry; the Highland bogie roll quality, then a little quantity of it inhaled into the nose, or a bit of tobacco injected, caused the sufferer of catarrh in a little while to sneeze, etc. etc. (one way) |
| sùgh-a’-chutaige-ghlais | the water in which cuddies are boiled. |
| [rubbing oils] | Rubbing oils: lineament [sic], castor oil, melted butter, etc. were previous to the method use [sic] of ointments of today. ‘Ola-an-ròin’ was popular with generations past in various ways. Liver oils, ‘fish-oils’ as sometimes termed. |
| sonc | direct. Chaidh e sios sonc. – when anything falls into the sea, the remark is made, in other words without a ‘slither’. Pronounced like the word ‘song’ in English but for the ‘c’ at the end which gives a ‘hard’ sound. It’s not obsolete – still in current use. |
| seotadh | stretching. Bha e seotadh sud thugam. |
| gunna-spùtaidh | sgurt [sic] [spurt?] gun. |
| galairean | diseases. |
| sgian-imleig | a knife for cutting the ‘umbilical’ cord. |
| corcar | purple colour, or crimson. Dath a’ chorcair. |
| stèirich | slashing. |
| stèr | slash. Stèr am balach. (Harris) |
| sir | search. |
| stirig | sickly, weakly person. |
| sirig | [See stirig.] |
| mìlltear | destroyer. |
| cìll-chlos | (a compound version, etc.) churchyard quietude or quietness. |
| ceann-a-bhàigh | head of a/the bay. |
| ceann-goirt | sore head. (Internally.) [sic] A wet bandage being soaked in cold water and then tied tight round the head, round the forehead, was a one time cure for a sore head, or a soothing method for sore head. |
| cloimheach-liath | soft grey down. |
| glas-fheur | green grass, thinly, pale, growing in sand by the seaside. Also the green short grass on which cattle feed on the hills, etc. |
| rus | rice. |
| lusan-garbha | a collection of strong plants of various species like nettles and thistles growing on a neglected patch of land. Tha e air a dhol fo lusan garbha. |
| lusan-garga | [See lusan-garbha.] |
| meanbh-lusan | termed likewise are a more delicate species. |
| [corn] | Note: seed on corn in autumn was tested by putting a grain in your mouth between the teeth and pressing it as to its resistance. If resisting under the pressure of the tooth as [sic] hard enough by the sensitivity of the testing. Then the corn was ready for cutting. |
| posdaireachd | postman’s work. |
| croicean-nam-pollaichean | anti-electrical jar like anti-conductors of electricity on telegram [sic] poles, on which wires are fastened, etc. There is a linesman’s explanation which is applicable... |
| ean-turuis | migratory bird. |
| lannsraigeadh | an ulcerous wound being lancerated [sic] [lanced? or lacerated?]. |
| lannsaigeadh | [See lannsraigeadh.] |
