| speilean | [spelɑ̃ṉ] Quot.: “a’ cluich speilean”. Note: A game somewhat akin to rounders. A small hollow was made in the ground and a line drawn about 15 yards from it. The apparatus consisted of a ball or cork float (usually the latter), a stick about 9" long (speilean) and a bat like a putter bat (caman) – a flat board about 1 ft long and about 5" wide with a handle attached. Two opposing teams were chosen by two captains. The first side to “bat” was chosen by drawing lots (a’ cur crann). The other team was spread out behind the line, as “fielders”. The “speilean” was put into the hollow at an angle with one end sticking up and the cork float lying on the end in the hollow. The first to bat would shout “Ready?” The other team would say “Tha” and the batter would strike down the protruding end of the “speilean”, causing the cork to be ejected into the air. The batter would then hit it as far as he could. If the cork was caught by a member of the opposing team before it hit the ground, he was out and the next member of the team batted until all were out. If it is not caught the first fielder to reach it gives the batter a “fair” [fɛ:əɾ], throwing it to him so that he can strike it again. If it is caught, he is out. If not, the first fielder to get it rolls it from that spot trying to get it into the hole or as near as possible. This is called “a’ spìocadh” [spi:kəɣ]. If it is holed or comes to rest within a bat’s length of the hole, the batter is out. If it is outside this range, the distance from the hole is measured in bat lengths, the number of lengths being the number of points scored by that player. He carries on until he’s out, then the rest of the team bat in turn until all are out. The other team then bat and all the points totted up, the winner being the side with the highest points. |
| |
| a’ spìocadh | Note: after the batter has struck the ball in the game “speilean” (q.v.), the first fielder to reach the ball, if unable to catch the batter out, rolls the ball to try to deposit it in the hole. This is “spìocadh”. |
| caman | Note: the bat (a flat board about 1' long and about 5" wide with a handle attached) of the game “speilean” (q.v.). |
| fair | [fɛ:əɾ] Note: in the game “speilean” (q.v.), throwing the ball to the batter so that he can strike it again. Only happens if not caught out by a fielder. |
| deile-bhogain | Note: see-saw. |
| làir-bhreabach | Note: a swing. |
| anspicean | [ɑṉspicəṉ] Note: funeral bier (handspikes?). |
| curruchdag | Note: lapwing. |
| fulmair | [fu̜ɫu̜mɑð] Note: fulmar. |
| bùigire | Note: puffin. |
| cuartaigeadh | [ku̜ɑʴṯiɡʹəɣ] Quot.: “A bheil thu a’ cuartaigeadh?” Note: used formerly for “courting”. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| colcach | Note: Eider duck. |
| trìleachan | [t̪ɾi:lʹɑxɑṉ] Note: oyster-catcher. |
| bunabhuchaille | [bu̟ṉəvu̜xilʹə] Note: great northern diver. |
| biadhtach | [biɤt̪ɑx] Note: raven. |
| gorra-ghritheach | [ɡɔrəɣˈðiɑx] Note: heron. |
| sgliùrach | Note: young seagull. |
| steàrnan | Note: tern. |
| guilbneach | [ɡʹwləbṉɔ̃x] Note: curlew. |
| learg | Note: red-throated diver. |
| ath-chlòimh | Note: new wool on sheep. |
| caora | Quot.: “caora chruinn bhrògach”. Note: blackfaced sheep with curving horns. |
| caora | Quot.: “caora liabhach bhrògach”. Note: blackfaced sheep with straight horns to the sides. |
| caora | Quot.: “caora àrd bhrògach”. Note: a blackfaced sheep with horns sticking up. |
| brògach | Note: blackfaced (of sheep). |
| breac | Quot.: “caora liabhach bhreac”, etc. Note: having a white spot or spots on the face. |
| bàn | Quot.: “caora liabhach bhàn”, etc. Note: white-faced sheep. |
| othaisg | Note: hog. |
| athaisg | Note: gimmer (ath-othaisg). |
| dionag | Note: two-year-old sheep. |
| mult | Quot.: bliadhnach mult, do-bhliadhnach mult, etc. |
| ruige | [rwɡʹə] Note: male lamb with testicles inside or one down and one inside. |
| croga | [kɾɔɡə] Note: old sheep. |
| slòcan | [sɫɔ:kɑṉ] Note: a sort of sea moss growing far out on a wild shore. Silky appearance. |
| milcean | [mĩlcɑṉ] Note: for “mircean” (seaweed). |
| gruaigean | Note: the growth on the ‘mircean’ low down on the stalk. |
| carraichgean | [kɑrɑçɡʹɑṉ] Note: Irish Moss. |
| spreadhan | [ˈspðɑɑṉ] Note: a piece of a broken cast-iron pot used for such things as melting fish livers on the fire. |
| pràiseach | Note: cast iron. |
| cliath-luaidh | Note: waulking table. |
| suidhich | Quot.: “Fhalbh ’s suidhich a chliath!” Note: Go and set up the (waulking) table. |
| cliath | Quot.: air a chlèithidh [xlɛ:hi]. Note: on the cliath, i.e. cliath-luaidh [q.v.]. |
| cromadh | [kɾoməɣ] Note: measure used for measuring the width of tweed when waulking. From the tip of the finger (middle) to the knuckle. |
| coinneal | [kɤnʹɑɫ] Quot.: “Cuir an clò air a’ choinneal!” Note: after the waulking of the cloth was over it was made into a roll. |
| slacan | Note: when the tweed was ready for washing it was taken down to a stream. The “slacan” was the stick used for beating it. |
| tonn | Quot.: “a’ cur a’ chlò air a thonnan [hon̪əṉ]”. Note: folding the tweed after it was washed. Left all night “gus a sileadh e a’ bhoinne”. Then spread to dry. |
| sil | Quot.: “Bha clò air fhàgail air a phasgadh fad na h-oidhche ’n deidh a nighe gus a sileadh e a’ bhoinne”. Note: Tweed, after being washed in a stream and folded was left all night until it shed the surplus water. Then it was spread out to dry. |
| armadh | Quot.: “a’ toirt an armadh as a chlò.” Note: extracting the oil from the tweed. |
| maighistir | [ˈmɛ̃ıʃtʹəɾ] Note: urine used for the extraction of oil from tweed. |
| slinne-chrann | [ʃlʹĩnʹəxɾɑ̃n̪] Note: reed frame in a loom. |
| casachan | Quot.: na casachain ìseal, na casachain àrd. Note: acc. to DML there were four of each, for raising and lowering the four heddles in a loom. Foot-pedals. |
| garman-uchd | [ɡɑɾɑmɑnu̜xk] Note: breast-beam, round which the cloth went and which kept the cloth stretched from side to side by means of pins. |
| iomall | [ĩməɫ] Note: heddle in a loom. |
| crann-aodaich | Note: beam in a loom round which the cloth was rolled. |
| crann-shnàth | Note: warp beam in a loom. |
| crann | Quot.: a’ cur a’ chlò ma chrann. Note: beaming yarn for tweed-making. |
| beart-dhealbh | [bȷɑʴsṯȷɑɫɑv] Note: warping-frame. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| slat | Quot.: slat figheadair. Note: weaver’s yard. |
| fuaidne (sic) | [fu̟ɤnʹə] Quot.: fuaidnean [fu̟ɤnʹəṉ] (sic) na beart-dhealbh. Note: wooden pegs driven into the warping frame and on which the yarn is put. |
| croisean | Quot.: an croisean. Note: on a warping frame, there are two pairs of pegs which are opposite each other (one, I think, at the top right hand corner, the other at the bottom left hand corner), whose purpose is to separate each bunch of threads as they are warped on the frame. The first bunch goes over the first peg, under the second, round it, under the first peg and back on the same route etc. This is the croisean: |
| figheachan | Quot.: Bhiodh iad a deanamh figheachan air an t-snàth ’n deidh a dheilbh. |
| biadhtachan | [bıɤt̪ɑxɑṉ] Note: a small thin stick, like a lollipop stick, used for pulling threads through the spaces in the reed of a loom. |
| beartaich | Quot.: a’ beartachadh a’ chlò. Note: fitting the warp into the loom to be ready for weaving. |
| fuigheag | [fu̜iɑɡ] Note: piece of waste cloth at the end of a tweed where the next tweed is tied in. |
| rèim | Quot.: rèim na cuibhle. Note: the spinning wheel rim. |
| deil | [dʹel] Note: the iron pin through the centre of the wheel with a hook on the end. (spinning wheel) |
| snàthad | Quot.: snàthad a’ bhiùirne. Note: axle through pirn with hole at the end. (spinning wheel) |
| roileir | [rɔlɛð] Note: the wheel which turns the flyer of the sp[inning] wheel. |
| sèicle | [ʃɛ:clə] Note: sp[inning] wheel flyer. |
| beart | [bȷɑʴstʹ] Quot.: beart an t-sèicle. Note: thread-making part of the spinning wheel. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| cioch | Quot.: cioch na cuibhle. Note: round piece of wood that attaches the thread-making part of the sp[inning] wheel to the body. |
| com | Quot. com na cuibhle. Note: the body of the spinning wheel. |
| gàirdean | Quot.: “gàirdeanan [ɡɑ:ʴsdʹɑṉəṉ] na cuibhle”. Note: supporters of the wheel. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| niuchair | Quot.: “niuchair na cuibhle”. |
| cluasag | Quot.: “cluasagan na cuibhle”. Note: rests of leather at the ends of “snàthad a’ bhiùirne”. |
| colamadh | Note: mixing of colours when wool was being carded. |
| crann-taraig | [ˈkɾ[ɑ̃ũ]n̪t̪ɑɾɛɡʹ] Note: wooden peg as used to join together roof couples. |
| bun-bac | Note: part of the blackhouse roof just above the top of the wall. “A’ cur sgrath ri bun-bac.” This was the only part covered by sgrathan. |
| cràgaisge | [kɾɑ:ɡiʃɡʹə] Note: two of these, one at each end of the ridge of the blackhouse roof. Protruded so that the “sioman” could be anchored round them. Two protruding sticks. |
| taobhan | Note: these were laid horizontally across the couples. |
| clàr | Quot.: clàr [u̜ɛ:əɾ]. Note: a length of wire netting put on top of the thatch. |
| acair | Note: (pl. acraichean) stones used as weights on thatched roof. |
| glutanadh | [ɡɫu̜t̪ɑṉəɣ] Note: earth packing in between double walls of the blackhouse. |
| slabhraidh | [sɫɑu̟ɾi] Note: chain with hook on it on which pots were hung over the fire. |
| buileasg | [bu̜:lʹəsɡ] Note: handle of a pot. |
| leac | Quot.: leac an teinntein. Note: flat stone in front of the fire or on which fire was. |
| teinne | [tʹenʹə] Quot.: “Tog teinne dhan a phrais!” Note: teinne – a link. |
| dorus | Quot.: dorus an tallain. Note: the door leading out of the “living room”. |
| tallan | Note: a partition. |
| seise | [ʃɤiʃə] Note: long wooden seat with a back on it. |
| stàile | [sṯɑ:lə] Note: cow-stall. |
| cipean | Note: iron or wooden tethering-pin. |
| teadhair | [tʹɤɣəð] Note: tethering-rope. |
| udalan | [u̜d̪əɫɑṉ] Note: wooden swivel. |
| tàbh | Note: large net hung from an iron rim, with wooden slats inside it running down the sides of the net, for catching cuddies. Handle attached to it. |
| cliath | Quot.: cliath chudaigin. Note: shoal. |
| sgùile | [sɡu̟:lʹə] Note: a net on an iron frame let down into the water, hanging from a stick by strings attached to the rim. For cuddies. |
| cara | [kɑɾə] Note: pl. na carachan. Wall built in a channel where the tide comes in to the height of high neap-tide. To trap cuddies. |
| sgarbh | Quot.: sgarbh-an-tobain. Note: shag. |
| doille | Note: disease affecting the sight in sheep. |
| gulmal | [ɡu̜ɫu̜məɫ] Note: a disease of the eyes (human). Not heard of now as such. (Cataract?) |
| bangaid | Note: celebration drink given on the birth of a child. |
| àmhailte | [ɑ̃:ılʹtʹə] Quot.: “Cuir thuige àmhailte dha!” Note: a peat, half of it burning, used as a torch, e.g. when going home at night from a céilidh. |
| earball | [wɾwbəɫ] Quot.: “Fhuair mi earball.” Note: said by a person who came to a house having found a newly-born lamb belonging to that house. Was given half a “breacag” and two eggs. |
| liùghag | [lʹu̟:ɑɡ] Note: lythe. |
| fiullan | Note: beetle. |
| poiteag | [pɔtʹɑɡ] Note: earthworm. |
| Calum-figheadair | Note: daddy-long-legs. |
| pocan-salainn | Note: a spider, as found in a web in a corner. |
| figheadair | Note: applied to an insect (spider?) which used to be put on the palm of the hand by kids. It had to leave a drop of liquid before it was released. Children thought it was honey. |
| còsag | [kɔ:sɑɡ] Note: slater. |
| gartan | [ɡɑʴsṯɑṉ] Note: a tick. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| tuairmeas | [t̪u̟ɤɾəməs] Quot.: “’S ann air thuairmeas a fhuair mi e.” Note: It was by chance that I got it. |
| cuire-dubh | [ku̟ɾəd̪u̟] Note: blackberry. (or curra-dubh?) |
| bota-sheangan | [bɔt̪əhɛ̃ɣɑṉ] Note: ant-hill. |
| òs | [ɔ:əs] Quot.: “òs a’ loch”. Note: the edge of the loch, soft muddy place in this case. |
| creileag | [kɾɛlɑɡ] Note: cleg. |
| bratag | Note: caterpillar. |
| polasman | Note: term [used] locally for beetle found in wells. Dark purple colour when they come to the surface. |
| gniomhadh | Note: sometimes used for the wall made with the second peat cut. |
| ceum | Quot.: “ceum an iaruinn”. Note: the step on the peat-cutting iron. |
| sgiath | Note: the blade of the peat-cutting iron. |
| beul | Quot.: am beul. Note: gunwale. |
| timchioll | [tʹĩmiçəɫ] Quot. 1. an timchioll. 2. na timchil [tʹimiçəl]. 3. an timchioll àrd. Note: (1-2) planks in a boat. (3) the plank nearest the gunwale. |
| druim | Note: keel. |
| claigionn | [kɫɑɡən̪] Quot. 1. an claigionn-toisich. 2. an claigionn-deiridh. Note: (1) stempost. (2) sternpost. [NOTES: note added by Professor Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh (RÓM) – [ɡʹ]?] |
| fliuch-bhòrd | Quot.: a’ fliuch-bhòrd. Note: plank next to the keel. |
| asann | [ɑsɑn̪] Quot.: na h-asnaichean. Note: ribs of a boat. |
| aparan | Quot.: an t-aparan. Note: flat board stuck on the inside of the stempost. |
| bac | [bɑxk] Quot.: na bacan. Note: thole-pins. |
| cuairt | Quot.: 1. a’ chuairt thoisich. 2. a’ chuairt dheiridh. Note: (1) stem brace. (2) stern brace. |
| tobhta | Quot.: 1. an tobhta thogalaiche. 2. an tobhta thoisich. 3. an tobhta dheiridh. 4. tobht a’ chruinn. Note: (1) removable thwart. (Put 1 also under togalach.) |
| eàrlaigeadh | [ᵉɑ:ʴliɡʹəɣ] Quot.: an eàrlaigeadh. Note: the chan. [?] [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.] |
| fiodh-tarsainn | Note: flat floor (see Dw F6 bàta). |
| sòla | [sɔ:ɫə] Quot.: a’ sòla deiridh, a’ sòla toisich. Note: flat boards for standing on in the stem and stern of a boat. |
| rangas | [rɑ̃ŋɡɑs] Note: stringer, in a boat, on which the ends of the seats rest. |
| ceanna-chnag | Note: wooden bracket at ends of thwarts. |
| adhairc | Quot.: “na h-adhaircean”. Note: iron “hooks” attached to the stempost [sternpost? unclear] of a boat. Sail ropes fixed to them. |
| siùla | [ʃu̜:ɫə] Quot.: “Thug mi an t-siùl as an eathar.” Note: plug in the bottom of a boat. |
| toll | Quot.: “toll an t-siùl”. Note: plughole in a boat. |
| taoman | Note: baler in a boat. |
| falmadair | [fɑɫɑməd̪ɑð] Note: tiller in a boat. |
| iarunn-stiùireach | Note: iron rod attached to the inside of the rudder and parallel to it which is inserted in brackets on the sternpost when fixing on the rudder. |
| liagh | Quot.: “liagh a’ ràimh”. Note: blade of the oar. |
| lunn | Quot.: “lunn a’ ràimh [rɛ̃:v]”. Note: the oar handle. |
| steap | [sṯɛp] Quot.: “steap a’ chruinn”. Note: socket on the bottom of a boat into which the end of the mast fits. |
| glas | Quot.: “glas a’ chruinn”. Note: clasp on “tobht’ a’ chruinn” which secures the mast. |
| bac | [bɑxk] Quot.: “Cuir bacan air a’ ràmh”. Note: flat pieces of wood put on the oar where it passed through the thole-pins, to prevent chafing. |
| bulg | Note: the bilge of a boat. |
| maide-bulg | [mɑ̃dʹəbuɫuɡ] Note: bilge-keel or bilge-piece in a boat. |
| ball-tìr | [bɑɫtʹı:ð] Note: mooring-rope. |
| seib | [ʃeb] Note: Gaelic pronunciation for “jib”. |
| seòla-seib | [ʃɔ:ɫəʃeb] Note: jibsail. |
| cladach | Quot.: an cladach leis. Note: lee shore. |
| le | Quot.: an cladach leis. Note: lee shore. |
| còrsa | Quot.: “Thàinig sinn dhachaidh fon a’ chòrsa.” Note: the sail reduced as much as possible. |
| sigear | [ʃiɡʹɑð] Quot.: “seòl mór agus [ʃiɡʹɑð]”. Note: a small sail in the stern – jigger. |
| maothan | [mw̃:hɑṉ] Note: where two pieces of planking in a boat are joined together, the end of each being bevelled. |
| dùnadh | Quot.: “Feumaidh mi dùnadh a chuir dhan eathar.” Note: said when a piece of planking has to be put into a boat for renewal. “Timchioll ùr” if the whole plank is to be put in. |
| giùirean | [ɡʹu̟:ɾɛ̃ṉ] Note: barnacles as encrusted on wood which has been afloat for a while. |
| ealagoll | [ɛɫɑɡɔɫ] Note: naturally dried peat which hasn’t been cut e.g. on stony ground. |
| bràighe | [bɾɛ:ə] Note: rope from the “cruaidh” of the small- or great-line to the “puta”. |
| puta-sàs | Quot.: am puta-sàs. Note: small buoy at the end of the “braighe” [sic – cf. bràighe above], or rope from the end of the small- or great-line, keeping as directly above the “cruaidh” as possible. Sometimes underwater. “Puta suab” larger, a marker-buoy. |
| puta-suab | Note: marker buoy on fishing lines. Always floating. “Puta-sàs”, the one at the end of the “bràighe”, might be underwater. |
| calcas | Note: caulk. |
| lion-chlach | Note: herring net with stones as sinkers. |
| bac | [bɑxk] Quot.: “bac a’ lìn”. Note: the heavy rope on the top side of a herring net. |
| géibhil | [ɡʹe:vəl] Quot.: “géibhil a’ lion-sgadain”. Note: the rope down the side of the herring net. |
| cliùchdair | [klu̟:xkɑð] Note: hook on which herring nets were hung when being mended. |
| streang-biathaidh | [st̪ɾɑŋɡbiɤhi] Note: bait-string in a lobster-pot. |
| osan | Note: the “eye” of a lobster creel. |
| dorus | Note: “door” of a lobster creel for baiting and removal of the lobster. |
| leac-chliabh | Note: flat stone used as “cruaidh” in the lobster-creel. |
| mogulair | [mɔ̃ɡəɫɑð] Note: a piece of wood used as standard measure for the size of a net mesh. |
| snàthad-lion | Note: needle for net-mending, often fashioned out of a cow’s rib. |
| iuchair | Note: roe in female lobster. |
| sporan | Note: flap on the belly of a crab. |
| cioch-mara | Note: sea-anemone. |
| gibneach | [ɡʹibṉɔx] Note: ink-fish (octopus). |
| muirtiachd | Note: jelly-fish. |
| strùban | Note: cockle. |
| feara-dhruim | [fɛɾɑɣɤ̃m] Note: an additional piece added on to the keel of a boat. |
| fiodh-marbh | Note: deadwood in a boat. |
| pìos-marbh | Note: piece of deadwood in a boat. |
| cleat | [klet̪] Note: cleat on a boat for tying ropes. |
| fullag | Note: a block (pulley). |
| sgeth-rionnag | [sɡɛrũ̜n̪ɑɡ] Note: a shooting star. |
| dreug | [d̪ɾɤɡ] Note: a fireball. |
| cainpe | [kɛ̃ṉɛpə] Quot.: “’S e la [kɛ̃ṉɛpə] a th’ann an diugh.” “Tha i [kɛṉɛpə] [sic] an diugh.” Note: a wild, stormy day. |
| cread | [kðɛd̪] Quot.: “Chaneil cread orm!” Note: There’s nothing wrong with me. |
| cnèadalan | [kɾɛ̃:d̪əɫɑṉ] Quot.: “Tha a’ leanabh a’ cnèadalan.” Note: girning, threatening to start crying. |
| cneadan | [kṉɛ̃d̪ɑṉ] Quot.: “Bha cneadan aice a’ caoineadh.” Note: sobbing after crying for a long time. |
| fiataidh | [fiɑt̪i] Quot.: “Thàinig e gu fiataidh gu a cùlaibh.” Note: stealthily. |
| teine-biorach | Note: “will o the wisp”. |
| cas | Quot.: “a’ cur casan ri eathar”. Note: putting props under the sides of the boat to keep it upright. |
