Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Informant(s)
Name
Donald R. Morrison
Age
[?]
Location
Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Date
[November 1978 – in the letter accompanying the list]
idrisgeachan unstable character; nervous, fidgety is a better word for it. Duine idrisgeach th’ann. (Scalpay or Harris)
còdhalachfussy, excited to converse with. Bha e còdhalach mar sean. (Harris rendering)
cama-rèicmaking confusion, in other words troublemaker. Cha’n eil e gu difir cà’ a bì e, tha e deanamh cama-rèic.
circleisirregular movement, as of a character not responding to a natural approach. Cha’n eil fhios idir dé a chircleis ort. (Harris term)
geinneantawedge form of approach so to speak. I think it’s an abstraction from the root ‘geinn’ – wedge. ’S e duine geinneata [sic] – approaching in a wedge-like approach, say, butting in...
fiolgadhtampering. ’S ann a’ fiolgadh a tha thu. Cha’n eil fhios am dé a fiolgadh ort.
ghruich-fhuiltmatted crop (mop) of hair, unorderly [sic] [disorderly?] set, perhaps rendered from ‘cruach-fhuilt’. (Harris)
crègheal (pronounced)O bhròinein bhochd cha [sic] crègheal ort – a bad hurt. (Harris)
bocsa-na-gocaidcornered (in a box) in a situation wherein the subject or person is in difficulty, and at the same time hopeful of recovery, or having access from a jumping up and down, or movement up and down, as the toy movent [sic] [moving?] on a spring in a box. (Harris) Tha thu ’m bocsa-na-gocaid. (Harris)
siolpadha quick visit. (Harris)
ciomball-fraoichbundle of tied heather. Dhoirt e na bha na làmhan air a’ chiomball-fraoich. An old Harris or Scalpay term, not in practice now.
lirHarris word for litter of whelps. Nach ann aige tha lir. – referring to a dog having an usual [sic] [unusual?] collection of whelps (cuileannan).
tiolp‘Ann an tiolp.’ (Harris) I am not quite sure of this one’s meaning, which could be ‘in a second’, one interpretation.
culaidh-sheachantaBu tu chulaidh-sheachanta. – a scare-monger? (Harris)
ceòlachmisty. Bha seòrsa de cheòlach ann. – referring to a thin veil of mist or drizzle.
géideadh (pronounced)biting, pricking. Bha e dha ghéideadh. – when two youngsters or [sic] [are?] out of tune, say, one retaliates by a ‘finger stabbing’ approach or movement.
rèibhireachdparading (Harris). De ’n rèibireachd [sic] th’air mar sud.
fideadhCha toir mi fideadh. – the least time. (Harris)
cnuaicover froth. Glaine lionn is cnuaic oirre. Materially could be likewise. Cnuaic air a chliabh – peat stalked over the [sic].
friochdbite. Cha d’fhuair friochd. – reference to a disappointed ‘rock-fisherman’, in fishing terms, etc.
drunganTha drungan aice. – a boat slowly making her way in a light breeze of wind [?], under sail. (Harris)
drongan[See drungan.]
drugantaan old man walking with an admirable pace for his age. Nach e tha druganta.
trannadhDean trannadh leis. – making good with a small portion.
drannadh[See trannadh.]
geimh-air-geimhterm associated with two unagreeable [sic] [disagreeable? disagreeing?] persons, under a slight effect of anger, irritable, retaliating at one another in a snorting unpleasant conversation. Tha iad ann an shiod [sic] geimh air geimh. – reference to two or more persons.

© DASG
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