Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

Informant(s)
Name
J. N. MacDonald
Origin
Lewis, Uig
Location
Lewis, Uig, Meavaig, Post Office
Date
May 1972
Notes
  • [NOTES: in IPA transcriptions, the fieldworker uses [w] for [ɯ].]
clamhan(1) Quot.: “an clamhan mór”. Note: buzzard. (2) Quot.: “clamhan nan cearc”. Note: hen harrier.
seabhag[ʃɛvɑɡ] Note: sparrow-hawk.
arsbag[ɑʴsbɑɡ] Quot.: (1) an arsbag mhór. (2) an arsbag bheag. Note: (1) greater black-backed gull. (2) lesser black-backed gull. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
faoileagQuot.: faoileag a’ sgadain. Note: herring gull.
curruchdagNote: lapwing.
steàrnag[ʃtʹɑ:ʴṉɑɡ] Note: tern. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
faoileagQuot.: faoileag a’ chinn duibh. Note: black-headed gull. “Cho gòrach ri faoileag a chinn duibh” – often said.
pollastair[poɫəst̪ɑɾ] Note: fulmar petrel (most common name for it here).
falmadair-Hiortach[fɑɫɑməd̪ɑɾçwʴsṯɑx] Note: sometimes for fulmar petrel. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
sgarbh[sɡɑɾɑv] Note: shag.
sgarbhQuot.: sgarbh mór an uchd ghil. Note: cormorant.
spadair-spall[spɑd̪əɾspɑu̜ɫ] Note: local name for cormorant (with white marking).
murabhuchaille[ˈmu̟ɾəvu̟xilʹə] Note: great northern diver.
learg[lʹɛɾɑɡ] Note: both for black-throated and red-throated divers.
bughaid[ˈbu̟ıdʹ] Note: puffin.
fachach[fɑxɑx] Note: the young puffin.
sgliùrach[sɡlu̟:ɾɑx] Note: young sea-gull.
fìdhlear[fı:lɑð] Note: sandpiper. Another variety which nests beside fresh-water lochs is ‘fidhlear [sic] bòrd nan loch’.
naosgNote: snipe.
coileach-coilleNote: woodcock.
ana-ghuireag[ɑ̃nɑɣu̟ɾɑɡ] Note: this name is given to the snipe when heard making the bleating sound. The male bird makes the noise (acc. to J. N.).
traon[t̪ɾɤ:ṉ] Note: corn-crake.
gobha-uisgeNote: the dipper.
guilbneachNote: the curlew; the whimbrel.
topagNote: lark.
clacharanNote: said by J. N. to be wheatear.
clacharanNote: clacharan a’ fhraoich – a little bigger than the wheatear – stonechat.
dreadhan-donn[d̪ɾıɑṉd̪[ɤu̜]n̪] Note: wren.
smeòrachNote: applied to three types – the spotted thrush (which stays), the fieldfare and the red wing.
breac an t-sìlNote: pied wagtail.
brùgh-dheargNote: robin redbreast.
geadh-glasNote: greylag goose.
cathan-dubhNote: barnacle goose.
druid-dhubhNote: starling.
corra-ghritheachNote: heron.
sparaig[spɑɾiɡʹ] Note: sparrow.
dìdig[dʹı:dʹıɡʹ] Note: hedge-sparrow.
lacha-bhiorach(?)
lacha-riabhachNote: mallard-duck.
colc[kɔɫk] Note: eider-duck.
alc[ɑɫk] Note: razor-bill.
ithricheanQuot.: Bha e air [ıðıçəṉ] airson faighinn air falbh. Note: on edge.
fosglan[fɔsɡɫɑṉ] Note: structure to the front of older blackhouses used for keeping lambs etc. Had to go through it to get into living quarters.
lothag[ɫɔhɑɡ] Note: used for a young horse.
tighQuot.: “tigh an aon seallaidh”. Note: blackhouse without a partition between human and animal living quarters.
tallanNote: partition, usually stone and clay, separating human and animal living quarters in a blackhouse.
cùlQuot.: “cùl an tallan [sic]”. Note: on the animals’ side of the partition or dividing wall in a blackhouse.
dorusQuot.: “dorus an tallan [sic]”. Note: door leading to living quarters in a blackhouse.
sobhal[ˈsoəɫ] Note: barn.
toll-fasgnaidhNote: small opening (door) in barn wall, opened to create a draught for winnowing when the wind was on “màs an t-sobhail”.
màsQuot.: màs an tigh; màs an t-sobhail. Note: the end away from the living quarters.
toll-gilidh[t̪ɤu̜ɫɡʹili] Note: pronounced with a [ɡʹ] instead of [dʹ]. Opening at end of byre to let the water out.
bughall[ˈbu̜ɤɫ] Quot.: bughall na bà. Note: cow’s stance in the byre when tied.
smidheag[ˈsmĩɑɡ] Note: the part round the cow’s neck of the rope tying it in the byre.
udalan[u̟d̪əɫɑ̃ṉ] Note: swivel on a tethering rope.
dòrnan[d̪ɔ:ʴṉɑṉ] Note: the piece of rope from the swivel to the post on a cow’s tether in the byre. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
claimhean[kɫ[ɑ̃ĩ]vɑṉ] Note: locking device on a door.
fuaraichQuot.: “Fuaraich a’ tighinn troimh’n tughadh.” Note: water leaking in through the thatch.
tighinn-fodha[tʹĩṉˈfɔə] Note: water seeping into a house at floor level.
bólais[bo:ɫiʃ] Quot.: “bólais na prais”. Note: handle on a cooking pot.
broighleag[bɾ[ɤı]lɑɡ] Note: patch put on clothes.
bréid[bɾe:dʹ] Note: patch put on clothes.
tùthag[t̪u̟:hɑɡ] Note: patch put on clothes.
peitean[petʹɑṉ] Quot.: peitean-mór. Note: with sleeves as worn by fishermen.
peiteanQuot.: peitean-beag. Note: sleeveless waistcoat.
briogaisQuot.: briogais clò-bucach. Note: trousers worn by fishermen.
cnèabailt[kɾɛ̃:bılʹtʹ] Note: garter.
galarsan[ɡɑlɑʴsəṉ] Note: braces. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
crios[kðis] Note: belt, worn by women or men.
liaghra[lʹıɤrɑ] Note: used for putting hanks of wool on, to make balls of yarn. Wool-winder.
crois-iarnaNote: for making hanks.
peàrd[pȷɑ:ʴḏ] Note: wool from cards for feeding spinning wheel. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
maide-siubhail[mɑ̃dʹəʃu̟əl] Note: stick between the treadle and the hook on the wheel axle (spinning wheel).
tèic[ṯɛ:c] Note: flyer of the spinning-wheel.
pluc[pɫu̜k] Quot.: am pluc. Note: liver fluke.
tuathallanNote: “louping ill” in sheep.
spùtNote: flux in sheep.
doille[d̪ɤlʹə] Note: loss of vision in sheep. Often happened if the autumn was wet. A film over the eyes.
tòcQuot.: “a’ toirt diùbh an tòc”. Note: hard swelling under the upper eye-lid in cattle. Needle and thread passed through the upper eyelid, pulled up and lump cut off with a knife. (Also said to be in horses.)
arbhalg[ɑɾɑvɑɫɑɡ] Quot.: arbhalag [sic] an t-sùil. Note: the small lump in the inside corner of the eye.
mial[əvĩɑ̃ɫ] Note: growths inside horse’s mouth. Cut or burned.
feursnan[fıɑʴsən̪ɑ̃ṉ] Note: warble-fly. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]
cìreanQuot.: “cìrean an droma”. Note: the backbone ridge.
cliseachNote: “cliseach” understood by J.N.MD as the side of a beast – down from the ridge of the back. (May be wrong).
gob[ɡob] Quot.: Tha gob air an t-uan. Note: when a lamb is born with the lower jaw shorter than the upper.
gobachQuot.: “uan gobach”. Note: a lamb born with the lower jaw shorter than the upper.
baoic[b[ɤı]c] Note: wooden bench used in blackhouses for sitting on (also used in early white houses). No nasalisation in pronunciation.
còtaQuot.: “còta drògaid”. Note: skirt made from drugget cloth. Striped, of more or less weight of worsted cloth.
còtaQuot.: “còta stuth”. Note: skirt made from cloth finer than “drògaid” [q.v.], like the texture of linen.
baoicean[b[ɤı]cɛ̃ṉ] Note: from “baoic” [b[ɤı]c] – bench in a house. Used for a person who procured a house or croft through marriage. Belonged to wife’s father.
claimh[kɫɛ̃f] Note: sheep scab.
cleit[kletʹ] Note: a long ridge on the moor.
casan-cailbean[kɑsəṉkɛlɛbɑ̃ṉ] Quot.: Tha casan-cailbean fon a ghréin. Note: spokes like cartwheel spokes radiating from the sun. Rain to come.
globhsadh[ɡɫ[ɤu̟]səɣ] Note: gust of wind.
sgàth-fhrasNote: a passing shower.

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