| suab | [su̟ɤb] Note: usually used in the plural “na suaban”. Growths on the inside of cheek in cattle. Could not eat properly until they were removed. |
| claimh | [k[ɑ̃ĩ]f] Quot.: a’ chlaimh. Note: sheep scab. Wool falls off. Said by A.C. to be due to lack of proper dip. |
| pluc | [pɫu̜k] Quot.: am pluc. Note: liver fluke. |
| feursaid | [fiɑʴsɑdʹ] Quot.: na feursaidean. Note: warble fly (in cattle). [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| tinneas | Quot.: an tinneas critheanach. Note: the “trembles” in sheep. Caused by the “gartan”. If a sheep goes to a place where it didn’t “get its milk” and the “gartan” is present it gets this disease. Not immune to it. |
| tuathallan | [t̪u̜ɤhəɫɑṉ] Quot.: an tuathallan. Note: disease in sheep caused by a fluid sac on the brain. Causes it to lose sense of direction. |
| cròic | [kɾɔ:çc] Quot.: “cròic feamainn”. “An robh thu as a’ chròic an diugh?” Note: Berneray (Harris) word for seaweed (especially “feamainn dearg”) deposited in heaps on the shore. “Feamainn dearg” always comes in against the wind – brought in by the undertow. |
| brùchd | [bɾu̟:k] Ness word for above [i.e. cròic]. |
| mobhsgaideach | [mɤu̟sɡɑdʹɑx] Quote.: “duine mobhsgaideach”. Note: a surly person. (Uig, Lewis) |
| ceann-sguire | [cɑ̃n̪sɡu̟ɾə] Note: area at the end of a ploughed field where horses turned. |
| fàireag | [fɑ:ðɑɡ] Note: a short piece left unturned by the plough due to a stone being in the way. Turned with a spade. |
| amall | Quot.: “ceann an amaill”. “Bha ceann an amaill aige air.” Note: originally used when comparing the relative effectiveness of two horses when ploughing. Came to be used of people as well, i.e. when saying that one person was better than another, without perhaps a great deal of difference. |
| stangalaich | [st̪ɑ̃ŋɡɑɫiç] Quot.: a’ stangalaich. Note: moving about impatiently; used of a person or beast that couldn’t be still in the one place for a second. |
| trìsligeadh | [t̪ɾı:ʃlʹıɡʹəɣ] Quot.: a’ trisligeadh [sic]. “Bha an doctair dha mo thrìsligeadh.” Note: akin to “taosnadh”, e.g. the doctor prodding and squeezing all over the body, going from one place to another. |
| sulachd | [su̜ɫɔxk] Quot.: “Nach tu a ghabh a’ sulachd.” Note: used when a person takes rather a lot of something – more than necessary, e.g. food. |
| sulas | [su̜ɫɑs] Sometimes used instead of above [i.e. sulachd]. |
| glamaisear | [ɡɫɑ̃mɑʃəð] Note: a greedy person, a glutton. |
| cire | [cıɾə] Note: cireachan [cıɾɔxəṉ] in plural. Term used for lambs from the time they are taken in for winter feeding till they go back to the moor. Then called “othaisgean”. |
| feirmigeach | [fɤðəmiɡʹɔx] Note: a male lamb which can’t be castrated as it hasn’t properly developed. Barvas – [fwlw̃mıɡʹəð]. |
| stàbhach | [st̪ɑ:vɑx] Quot.: “caora stàbhach”. Note: a sheep which has its horns pointing straight out from the sides. |
| liabhach | [lʹiɑvɔx] Quot.: “caora liabhach”. Note: a sheep whose horns are rounded towards the front then pointing backwards. |
| biorach | Quot.: “caora bhiorach”. Note: a sheep with very short pointed horns. |
| sgrogach | [sɡɾɔ̃ɡɑx] Quot.: “caora sgrogach”. Note: a sheep with short horns curving towards the eyes. |
| sagard | Note: a sheep with one testicle. |
| cùlan | [ku̜:ɫɑṉ] Quot.: “caora le cùlan oirre”. Note: black patch or collar on sheep on the back of the neck. |
| crogais | [kɾɔ̃ɡiʃ] Note: usually a sheep which is six years old or over. |
| ciadain | Quot.: “caora chiadain”. Note: a sheep which is kept from the ram for a year. Has its first lamb a year later than usual. |
| tàrr | [t̪ɑ:r] Quot.: “tàrr a’ mhuilt”. Note: when a sheep was killed this was cut off first and cooked (couldn’t wait because of hunger). Same piece as the “caisean-uchd” – the flesh covering the breast-bone. |
| cas-ladhrach | [kɑsɫɤ:ɾɑx] Note: covering on the hooves of a calf when born. At one time they were taken off, boiled and eaten. |
| ar-chloimh | Note: for “ath-chloimh” – the layer of new wool on sheep. (Same pronunciation in Barvas.) |
| dubh-liath | Quot.: “Cuiridh mi dubh-liath na maodail dhiot!” Note: expression of agression. (Dubh-liath – pancreas or spleen?) |
| sgalpan | Note: chaff. (‘Moll’ a less common word.) |
| toll-fhasgainn | [t̪oɫɑsɡĩnʹ] Note: pronunciation of “toll-fhasgnadh”. Low opening in the barn used to cause a draught for winnowing. |
| cealla | [cɑɫə] Note: vent from the fire in the kiln to the “surrag” – the opening over which the grain was dried. [NOTE: a note added later – (I think this should be “tealla”.).] |
| mileadh | [mĩləɣ] Quot.: “a’ mileadh a’ ghràin”. Note: milling the grain. |
| drabhailt | [d̪ɾɑvɑlʹtʹ] Note: the hopper in the mill. |
| stràcadh | [st̪ɾɑ:kəɣ] Quot.: “Cia mheud stràcadh a bh’agad?” Note: a vessel like a small tub used as a measure for grain. Held about three zinc pailfuls. (Thinks the miller got one in ten.) |
| feamainn | Quot.: “an fheamainn charraicean”. Note: Irish moss. (Put also under carraicean [kɑrɑcɑ̃ṉ].) |
| sliuchadh | [ʃlʹu̜xɑɣ] Note: a very green, short, fine, velvety seaweed. Very slippery. |
| lionaraich | [lʹĩɑ̃ṉɑɾiç] Note: green grass-like seaweed which grows on rocks over which the sea comes. |
| (langadal | [ɫɑŋɡəd̪əɫ] Note: the seaweed which grows on the “stamh”. ?) |
| singealadh | [ʃĩŋɡʹɑɫəɣ] Quot.: a’ singealadh. Note: a Berneray (Harris) word. As seaweed was gathered in the wintertime it was spread on the ground. It settled down and when the ground was ploughed in the spring the seaweed had to be raked into the furrows. This was “a’ singealadh”. |
| spiorrachadh | [spȷwrɑxəɣ] Quot.: a’ spiorrachadh. “Bha e na spiorrachadh fhéin.” “Spiorraich thu fhéin!” Note: same meaning as “a’ biortachadh”. Brace oneself by putting the shoulders back and standing straight. |
| suagadh | [su̟ɤɡəɣ] Quot.: “a’ suagadh”. Note: same meaning as above [i.e. spiorrachadh]. Quot.: “A toirt suagadh as”. |
| làsdadh | [ɫɑ:sd̪əɣ] Quot.: “a’ làsdadh”. Note: boasting. |
| làsdalachd | [ɫɑ:sd̪ɑɫɔxk] Quot.: “a’ làsdalachd”. Note: boasting. |
| spliùch | Quot.: “a’ deanamh spliùch”. Note: boasting, praising oneself or one’s own. |
| siullaid | [ʃu̜ɫɑdʹ] Quot.: “Tha i air a siullaid.” Note: going visiting from house to house, “a falbh nan tighean”. |
| giort | Quot.: “Dh’fhalbh e air a’ ghiort [ɣwʴsṯ] fhéin.” Note: doing a thing at one’s own behest. (Is it “giort” or “diort”?) [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| sgàrsach | [sɡɑ:ʴsɑx] Quot.: “Bha sgàrsaichean ann dheth”. Note: a surfeit. “Sgàrsach” also used in connection with women in a contemptuous way. “Sgàrsach ghrannda de bhoirionnach” – hussy type. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| lùdag | Quot.: “Cha tig thu lùdag na dh’òrdaig air.” Note: you can’t get one over him or he’s too smart for you. (Put also under ordag.) |
| smugaid | Quot.: “Chan e balach le smugaid air a’ mhuinichill aige a tha seo idir.” Note: Meaning that he wasn’t backward, the more backward types being inclined to wipe their noses on their sleeves. |
| cìoban | [cı:bɑṉ] Note: goile a’ ghuga agus bloinig a’ ghuga na broinn. Bhiodh iad nan crochadh anns an tigh agus nan toirt dha na caoraich as a’ gheamhradh airson mathachadh. |
| crabhcan | [kɾɑu̟kɑ̃ṉ] Note: A.C. can’t remember seeing one but was told that it was used originally for twisting flax. Functioned like a “dealgan” but was curved. Latterly used for making rope out of the hair from a horse’s tail. “Crabhcan” also used of people. “Crabhcan grannda de dhuine” – duine camaiceach, lùbach na dhòigh. |
| boban | [bobɑṉ] Quot.: “a’ bhobain”, “mo bhoban”. Note: term equivalent to “daddy” in English. A.C. says it was only used in Ness “anns a’ cheann shios”, i.e. the north end. |
| deideag | [dʹedʹɑɡ] Quot.: “a’ dheideag”, “mo dheideag”. Note: term equivalent to “granny” in English. A.C. says it was only used in Ness “anns a’ cheann shios”, i.e. the north end. (I heard myself of it being used in Shader, Barvas – AJS.) |
| crumhagan | [kɾũ̟əɡɑ̃ṉ] Quot.: “Feuch an dean thu crumhagan.” Note: This was a test carried out by children on a very cold day to see who was the hardiest. One tried to get all the tips of fingers and the thumb together – very difficult if the hand is benumbed with the cold. |
| siolla | [ʃwɫə] Note: milt in a fish. |
| craobh | Quot.: “Tha a chraobh aice.” Note: cloud formation like a tree seen in the southern sky in the early morning. Strong south wind with rain following. |
| garraiseach | [ɡɑrɑʃɔx] Note: severely inclement weather. |
| an-uair | Note: extraordinarily harsh weather. |
| cuibhle | Quot.: “cuibhle man ghealaich”. Note: denoted bad weather. |
| grian | Quot.: “dà ghrian”. Note: false sun as if clouds formed an image of it. Bad weather to follow. |
| fiùradh | [fȷu̟ɾəɣ] Quot.: “fiùradh gaoith”. “Nach ann oirr’ a tha a fiùradh.” Soft, warm breeze in summer. |
| fàiteal | [fɑ:tʹɑɫ] Note: weak wind – just enough to fill the sails. |
| sgal | Quot.: sgal gaoith. Note: a very strong wind – about Force 8. |
| beithir | [behəð] Note: thunderbolt. |
| murrainneach | Quot.: “tìde mhurrainneach”. Note: close, oppressive weather. (Same as ‘bruthainneach’.) |
| màirnealach | [mɑ̃:ʴnʹɑɫɑx] Quot.: “tìde mhàirnealach”. “Tha i màirnealach.” Note: close weather. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| tais | Quot.: tide thais. Note: damp weather. |
| léireadh | Quot.: “Bha mi air mo leireadh [sic] leis an fuachd.” Note: numbed. |
| lathadh | Same as ‘léireadh’ [q.v.] in this context. |
| clàbh | Quot.: Bha mi air mo chlàbhadh (le fuachd na teas). Note: overcome. |
| suain-reothadh | Quot.: Tha i a’ suain-reothadh. Note: freezing hard. |
| reothadh-dubh | Note: black ice. |
| dealanaich | Quot.: an dealanaich-meurach. Note: forked lightning. |
| dealanaich | Quot.: an dealanaich-lasrach. Note: sheet lightning. |
| teine-biorach | Note: “will o’ the wisp”. |
| luin | Quot.: “na luin”. Note: shimmer seen on the horizon on a hot day. |
| seub | [ʃe:b] Quot.: “Dùin an dorus agus [ʃe:b] a tighinn a steach air.” Note: draught. |
| ultach | Quot.: ultach gaoith. Note: very strong gusts of wind. |
| currachd | Quot.: “currachd a’ rìgh”. Note: the poppy. |
| uinneag | Quot.: “Tha i a deanamh uinneagan na bun.” Note: openings in cloud just above the horizon. Also: “Tha i a’ tolladh foidhpe.” |
| sgùrr | Quot.: “sgùrraidhean dorch a’ tighinn air an adhair”. “Tha i tighinn na sgùrraidhean.” Note: heavy clouds. |
| eadar-dha-fhras | Quot.: “boillseadh eadar-dha-fhras”. Note: short dry period between showers. |
| éile (?) | [e:lə] Quot.: “Nach ann oirre a tha ’n éile.” Note: very bad weather. |
| eadar-dha-éile | Note: respite after bad weather but the weather getting worse, if anything, after it. |
| là | Quot.: “là eadar-a-shian”. Note: a good day in a spell of bad weather. |
| eadar-a-shian | Quot.: “là eadar-a-shian”. Note: a good day in a spell of bad weather. |
| sacanaich | Quot.: “sacanaich na Samhna”. Note: Indian summer. Warm period in October. (Put also under Samhainn.) |
| sac | Quot.: Tha sac oirr. Note: said of close, warm weather. |
| càinealachadh | Quot.: “càinealachadh a’ latha”. “Anns a’ chàinealachadh.” Note: breaking of day. |
| réug | [re:ɡ] Quot.: “mu na réugan”. Note: around midnight (before and after). |
| dubhar | Quot.: “dubhar na h-oidhche”. Note: dead of night. |
| cùl | Quot.: “air cùl a mheadhoin-latha”. Note: after midday. (Put also under meadhon-latha.) |
| tràth | Quot.: an trath-mhadainn, an trath-fheasgair, an trath-oidhche. Note: the three parts of the day. |
| biulbhan | [bȷu̜ɫəvɑṉ] Quot.: “Tha sibh cruinn man a’ bhiulbhan.” Note: a small fire. |
| braidseal | [bɾɑdʹʃɑɫ] Quot.: “braidseal math de theine”. Note: a roaring fire. |
| teinne | [tʹenʹə] Quot.: “Cuir a steach teinne.” Note: a link in a chain, e.g. in a “slabhraidh” or chains in a horse’s harness. “Teinnichean guaill” – shoulder chains. “Teinnichean briogais” – breech chains. |
| siurraireachd | [ʃu̜rɑðɑxk] Quot.: “a’ siurraireachd”. Note: going from house to house as some women are wont to do. |
| spéilearachd | [spe:lɑðɑxk] Quot.: a’ spéilearachd. Note: going brazenly from house to house. [spe:lɑð] – bold hussy type of woman. |
| tarraing | Quot.: “Tha i a’ tarraing oirre.” Note: The clouds are gathering – it’s going to rain. |
| puilmean | [pu̟lu̟mɑṉ] Note: a bubble in water as when a spring bubbles up. |
| puilm-shruth | Quot.: “puilm-shruth anns an allt”. Note: when the water goes so fast that it bubbles over the stones. |
| glaisear | [ɡɫɑʃɑɾ] Note: a grassy patch. |
| rèilean | [rɛ:lɑṉ] Note: a level, grassy area. |
| pleideag | [pledʹɑɡ] Note: a snowflake. |
| cladhan | [kɫɤɣɑṉ] Note: a water source – same as “mathair-uisge”. |
| glumaid | [ɡɫũ̜midʹ] Note: a deep pool in a river or stream. |
| glumag | [ɡɫũ̜mɑɡ] Note: a smallish deep pool in a river or stream. |
| bàsadair | [bɑ:səd̪ɑð] Note: a soft boggy place on the moor notorious for its toll of sheep. |
| earchall | [ɛɾɑxɑɫ] Quot.: “Cha robh ann ach an t-earchall.” Note: usually used of the loss of an animal. If one reported a loss to someone, he might say this in response, i.e. that a loss is inevitable sometimes. |
| botunn | [bɔt̪ən̪] Note: a fairly deep hole on the moor, often over-grown with heather. |
| bota | [bɔt̪ə] Note: Harris word for deep hole on the moor, often over-grown with heather. |
| bearradh | Note: used in Harris for “bruthach” on the moor. |
| bota | [bɔt̪ə] Quot.: bota gainmhich. Note: used in Ness for sandbank as well as ‘baca’ [q.v.]. |
| baca | [bɑkə] Quot.: “baca gainmhich”. Note: sandbank. |
| stioghaidh | [ʃtʹwɣi] Note: area of small sand dunes with sea-bent growing on them. Plural: stioghaidhean. |
| crù-laist | [kɾu̜:ɫɑʃtʹ] Note: rock face. |
| oilbheag | [ɔləvɑɡ] Note: size of stone which fills the hand. |
| doilbheag | [ḏɔləvɑɡ] Note: as above [i.e. oilbheag]. |
| ulpag | [u̜ɫpɑɡ] Note: a heavy stone but could be lifted – as used in ballast. |
| leogan | [lʹɔɡɑṉ] Note: small flattish stone as used to fill spaces in a stone dyke. |
| sneic | [sn̪ɛ̃c] Note: when building a stone dyke “sneicean” were used to fill in between two big stones. |
| sòrnach | Quot.: “sòrnach mhór de chlach”. Note: a large boulder. |
| sìth-chrith | [ʃı:xɾi] Note: a place of hibernation. (Spelling?) |
| còs | [kɔ:s] Quot.: “còs geàrr”. Note: hare’s nest. |
| stàrr | [st̪ɑ:r] Note: very coarse grass growing on the moor. Animals don’t eat it. Grows usually near water. |
| fianach | [fĩɤ̃ṉɑx] Note: tall grass growing on the moor. Cattle eat it. |
| morran | Note: short very coarse grass growing on the moor. “Ceap morran” used as a seat in the shielings. |
| curra-mhidheag | [ku̜rəˈvĩɑɡ] Note: berry growing among the heather – black. Blackberry? |
| màthair | Quot.: “mathair [sic] a’ fhraoich”. Note: heather that grew back in a burnt area. (Put also under fraoch.) |
| glùineach | [ɡlũ̜:nʹɑx] Quot.: a’ ghlùineach. Note: disease in sheep whereby the joints in the legs weakened so much that they went about on their “knees”. |
| losaid | [ɫɔsidʹ] Quot.: “bó a’ dol as a losaid”. Note: dislocating the hip-joint. |
| talamh-tuill | Note: fissures in the ground. |
| marbhannach | [mɑɾɑhɑ̃n̪ɑx] Note: (1) dead beast found on the moor. (2) the skin, with wool on it, of a beast that had died. |
| cléigean | [kle:ɡʹɑṉ] Note: matted lump of wool hanging from a sheep or lamb, or a matted lump on any beast, e.g. a calf which had been inside all winter. |
| toinndean | [t̪[ɤ̃ĩ]nʹdʹɑn] Note: tuft of wool as found on the moor. |
| cluigean | [kɫu̜ɡʹɑṉ] Note: usually a lumps [sic] of wool or material hanging down. |
| peàrdan | [pjɑ:ʴḏaṉ] Note: the rolls of wool coming off the cards. (Sing. peàrd.) [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| leum-leogain | [lʹemlʹɔɡɑṉʹ] Note: “ducks and drakes”. |
| spoth | [spɔ] Quot.: “spoth a’ chullaich”. Note: dropping stones into the water. A pastime. |
| eabar | [ebəɾ] Note: mud churned up by animals. |
| òpair | [ɔpəɾ] Note: mud that would stick to animals or to garments. |
| gà | [ɡʹɑ:] Note: (note pronunciation) a long pole with a loop attached to the end for catching gugas. |
| tagan | [t̪ɑɡɑ̃ṉ] Quot.: “Nuas na tagain!” Note: bundle of two or three sheaves as thrown up into a stack. |
| suidhich | Quot.: “a suidheachadh buinn”. Note: starting off a cornstack. (Put also under bonn.) |
| cruach | Quot.: a’ chruach Rosach [rɔsɑx]. Note: cornstack with eaves. Called this in Ness. Probably someone called Ross introduced it. |
| calpa | Quot.: “calpa na cruaich”. Note: the bottom half of a cornstack with eaves. |
| bil | Quot.: “bil na cruaich”. Note: the eaves of a cornstack. |
| fidealadh | Note: after the rope was put round the stack quite a number of times, another rope was woven up and down between each adjacent round to keep them in position. |
| gabh | Quot.: “a’ gabhail man a chruaich” or “a’ gabhail uimpe”. Note: finishing off the stack so that it is sufficiently secure. |
| sgath | [sɡɑ] Note: a swathe of corn. |
| speal | Quot.: “speal Ameireaganach”. Note: type of scythe with one shaft. |
| leann | Quot.: leann trèicil. Note: beer made with treacle. |
| bonnach | Quot.: “bonnach-lice”. Note: bannock baked standing up against a flat stone by the fire (as opposed to ‘bonnach-greidil’). |
| bonnach | Quot.: “bonnach-eathair”. Note: oatmeal bannock with lumps of suet in it, about 3" thick and only partly baked. Taken out in boats by fishermen. |
| breacan-dàir | Note: in Berneray, Harris. Oatmeal and cream, not baked. Given to person who took cow to bull. |
| sluprachan | Quot.: “sluprachan de lit”. Note: thin, badly made porridge. |
| slupraich | Quot.: “a’ slupraich”. Note: eating in a noisy, messy way. |
| asaid | Quot.: “asaid asbhuainneach” [ɑsɑdʹɑsvũ̟nʹɑx]. Note: miscarriage. |
| taobh | Quot.: “An cual thu ’n deach an dàrna taobh dhith?” Note: question asked about an expectant mother regarding the birth of her child. |
| cléibeadaich | [kle:bəd̪iç] Quot.: “Tha e air chléibeadaich.” Note: (1) Could be “air chléibeadaich leis an fuachd” or some such external influence so that the person concerned is unable to control movement, e.g. a shiver or shake. (2) Also a child could be “air chléibeadaich” if it was noisily demanding something and very “het-up” about it. |
| grìd | [ɡɾi:dʹ] Quot.: “Thug e a’ ghrìd as.” Note: essence, strength. |
| culla-strigean | [ku̜ɫəst̪ɾiɡʹɑṉ] Quot.: a’ cluich air culla-strigean. Note: playing with a hoop and stick. |
| gile-bhòlais | [ɡʹiləvɔ:lɑʃ] Quot.: “Mach ann oirr’ a tha ’n gile-bhòlais!” Note: foolish antics. |
