Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 252
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: Left-handed. This can also mean awkward or maladroit.
Phrase (as printed): caithris
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /KArish/
Book: FC
pb: 1383
hc: 938
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Lament”: I know this word as meaning “watch.” Caithris na h-oidhche/karish nə HÖichə/“the night watch” took place over the corpse of a deceased person. One night when two old Islay men were watching the body of a deceased friend, they fell asleep by the fire, only to wake suddenly to the table on which the corpse was lying bouncing violently up and down. Little did they know that a huge pig had been rooting around the village during the night, looking for food, and had decided to settle down for a rest under the table, whereupon it began to scratch itself vigorously!
Phrase (as printed): calman geal
Phrase (if revised): calman geal
Phonetic transcription: /KALəmən gyal/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 240
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “White dove”: geal also carries the meaning “bright.”
Phrase (as printed): Campbell
Phrase (if revised): Caimbeul
Phonetic transcription: /KAIYMbəl/
Book: FC
pb: 26
hc: 19
Language: Surname
Translation: “Crooked mouth”: and the Campbells did their chances of avoiding the “crooked by name, crooked by nature” aspersion no good by playing whatever side in whichever conflict they could to further their grip on power in Gaelic Scotland.
Phrase (as printed): camstairy
Phrase (if revised): camstairie
Phonetic transcription:
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 250
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: “Obstinate, riotous, unmanageable.”
Phrase (as printed): canty
Phrase (if revised): cantie
Phonetic transcription:
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 240
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: “Lively, pleasant, cheerful”: implying also “something small and neat” or “a person in good health.”
Phrase (as printed): casteal an duin
Phrase (if revised): caisteal an dùin
Phonetic transcription: /KASHtchəl ən DOON/
Book: FC
pb: 887
hc: 600
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Castle of the mound!”: a battle cry.
Phrase (as printed): Casteal Dhuni
Phrase (if revised): Caisteal Dhùnaidh
Phonetic transcription: /KASHtchəl ɣOOni/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 250
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “War cry of Clan Fraser”: I have offered an alternative spelling here as I believe the one used is representative of an era when an older, less-regular orthography was in use. Pronunciation would be much the same.
Phrase (as printed): cat a mhinister
Phrase (if revised): cat a’ mhinisteir
Phonetic transcription: /cat ə veeneeshtchər/
Book: EITB
pb: 325
hc: 230
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “The minister’s cat.”
Phrase (as printed): caurry-fisted
Phrase (if revised): caurie-fistit
Phonetic transcription: /KORi-FIStet/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 244
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: “Left-handed”: either from the Gaelic ceàrr (“wrong”) or from the tradition of the Kerr family, who taught their sons to fight left-handed up a turnpike stair when attacking an enemy’s tower-house residence (style of diminutive Scottish castle built during the late 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries), as these were designed to favor the defender, who simply by the law of averages would most likely be right-handed. So this could be either ceàrrie or Kerrie-fistit, which over time became caurie.
Phrase (as printed): cèilidh
Phrase (if revised): céilidh
Phonetic transcription: /KAYli/
Book: MOBY
pb: 827
hc: 599
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Dance, party”: originally derives from the concept of dol a chéilidh air daoine/dollə CHAYli air döinyə/“going to visit (on) people”, which resulted in what were called taighean-céilidh/taiyen-KAYli/“céilidh houses.” We could equate this today with that house we all remember from when we were children: perhaps it was a friend of your parents or one of your grandparents—who knows, maybe it was your house? But either way, it was somewhere people knew they could knock on the door at almost any time of day or night and there would be a cup of coffee or a dram to be had and all the news of the local area. Many of us have lovely hazy memories of these kinds of houses and of the feeling of warmth and friendship which existed there, as large numbers of people descended once the word of a gathering had got out. The taighean-céilidh were just that. They also had dancing and singing and storytelling of the highest order. Although houses just like the ones described above still remain all across Scotland, the traditional Gaelic taigh-céilidh atmosphere is all but lost, and the Fingalian legends, which took days to recite from start to finish, are a thing of the past, this specific style of storytelling now a lost art.
Phrase (as printed): ceo gheasacach
Phrase (if revised): ceò geasach
Phonetic transcription: /KYAW GUESSəch/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 247
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Magical mist.”
Phrase (as printed): cèolas
Phrase (if revised): ceòlas
Phonetic transcription: /KYAWlas/ or /KEolas/
Book: EITB
pb: 652
hc: 462
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: A terrific annual festival of Gaelic music and culture that takes place in Uibhist/OOishtch/“Uist”/ in July. Well worth a week off to attend—so I’ve heard! I reckon I had better try it out myself sometime. Let’s hope Gillebrìde/geeləBREEjə/ hasn’t seen this or I’ll be for it. Interestingly, the spelling in the book rather reflects what happens to words spelled eo in the Gaelic of Uibhist, Barraigh/BAraiy/“Barra”/ and Arra-Ghàidheal a Tuath/araɣaiyl ə TOOa/“North Argyll”/: the emphasis shifts from the o to the e, so instead of ceòl/kyawl/, you get cèol/ke’ol/.
Phrase (as printed): ceud mile fàilte
Phrase (if revised): ciad mìle fàilte
Phonetic transcription: /keeəd MEElə FALtchə/
Book: ABOSA
pb: 682
hc: 467
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “100,000 welcomes”: the overarching hospitality of the Gael. We’re not content just to say “welcome”—there have to be 100,000 of them, although we are happy to do all 100,000 in the one phrase rather than individually! Much as in old Arabian culture, hospitality was a very seriously taken thing, and in welcoming a band of MacDonalds, as the major is doing here, it would have to be done right! In days gone by the word ceud was pronounced almost like the first name /KATE/ but has since morphed into /KEEət/. I believe that the spelling should move too to reflect this, as it has in other words such as sgian/SKEEan/“knife”, which was once sgeun.
Phrase (as printed): cha chluinn thu an còrr a chuireas eagal ort
Phrase (if revised): cha chluinn u ‘n còrr a chuireas eagal ort
Pho
netic transcription: /cha CHLUIYN-yoon KAWRə choorəss aykəl orst/
Book: EITB
pb: 807
hc: 571
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “You shall hear no more that puts fear on you” (that scares you).
Phrase (as printed): Cha ghabh mi ‘n còrr, tapa leibh
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /cha ɣav meen KAWR, tachpə löiv/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 251
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “I’ll take no more, thank you”: tapa is more often written tapadh, although the former spelling is perhaps more representative of how it is pronounced.
Phrase (as printed): cha mhór
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /cha VORE/
Book: EITB
pb: 637
hc: 451
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Almost, just about”: literally “not great” in the sense of “not great was the margin by which that was not the most beautiful thing I ever saw!” The answer to the question about the lovely silver fish would normally be more fully rendered cha mhór nach e/cha VORE nach AY/.
Phrase (as printed): chan eil e ag iarraidh math dhut idir
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /chanALE a GEEari ma ɣoocht EEJər/
Book: EITB
pb: 854
hc: 604
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “He wants no good for you at all.”
Phrase (as printed): chaneil facal agam dhuibh ach taing
Phrase (if revised): chan eil facal agam dhuibh ach taing
Phonetic transcription: /chanALE FACHkil AKum ɣooiy ach TANG/
Book: FC
pb: 110
hc: 75
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “I have no word for you but thanks”: this is the correct way to say “I have only.” Often today, the word dìreach/JEErəch/ is misused to mean “only” when in fact it means “exactly, directly”—e.g., ‘S e dìreach taing a th’ agam dhuibh/shay JEErəch taing ə HAKum ɣooiy/. It’s useful to remember that Gaelic is still naturally “old-fashioned” in many ways that English has ceased to be. The title of one of my favorite songs that I grew up listening to, “ ‘S Fliuch an Oidhche”/sflyooch ən ÖIYchə/ (covered among others by the superb Gaelic singer and friend of Diana, Catrìona-Anna Nic a’ Phì/kəTREEənə anə neechkəFEE/), means literally “wet is the night.” Now, wouldn’t it be cool if we all still spoke like that? In Gaelic you can yet, and with impunity!
Phrase (as printed): Chisholm
Phrase (if revised): Siosalach
Phonetic transcription: /SHEESSaləch/
Book: FC
pb: 35
hc: 25
Language: Surname
Translation: There is a very poignant lament that I sing both to the children and elsewhere, entitled “Cumha do dh’Uilleam Siosal”/KOOa do ɣoolyəm SHEESSəl/“Lament for William Chisholm”; also sometimes called “Mo Rùn Geal Òg”/mo ROON gyal AWg/”My Young Pale Love”, by a woman about her husband who met his end at Culloden, leaving her destitute, with nothing but his shirt for company. Grim stuff, but lovely listening.
Phrase (as printed): ciamar a tha thu?
Phrase (if revised): ciamar a tha u?
Phonetic transcription: /KIMerə HAOW/
Book: ABOSA
pb: 230
hc: 159
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “How are you?”: the classic greeting, which I spell with the th removed from thu, as I finally realized—when teaching none other than the Outlander TV show cast—that it causes entirely unnecessary problems. The word is pronounced /oo/, while the beginning of all other words beginning with thu are pronounced /hoo/: for instance, thuirt, thug, thugam (“said,” “gave,” “to me”). There is no reason whatsoever to retain this th, which causes learners to pronounce the phrase /kimmer a ha hoo/ when it should be /kimmer ə ha-oo/ or /KIMerə HAOW/, as it sounds in colloquial speech. And so I take great pleasure in simplifying your lives by including it here as it was learned by our beloved clansmen!
Phrase (as printed): ciamar a tha thu, a charaid?
Phrase (if revised): ciamar a tha u, a charaid?
Phonetic transcription: /KIMerə HAOW, ə CHAridge/
Book: EITB
pb: 814
hc: 576
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “How are you, oh, friend?”
Phrase (as printed): ciamar a tha thu, a choin?
Phrase (if revised): ciamar a tha u, a choin?
Phonetic transcription: /KIMerə HAOW, ə choñ/
Book: MOBY
pb: 177
hc: 128
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “How are you, oh, dog?”
Phrase (as printed): ciamar a tha thu, an gille ruaidh?
Phrase (if revised): ciamar a tha u, a ghille ruaidh?
Phonetic transcription: /KIMerə HAOW, ə YEElə rooaiy/
Book: FC
pb: 342
hc: 230
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “How are you, oh, red-haired boy?” Interestingly, we can discover the origins of the surname Gilroy here, (mac) g(h)ille ruaidh/GEELərooiy/.
Phrase (as printed): ciamar a tha thu, mo athair?
Phrase (if revised): ciamar a tha u, m’ athair?
Phonetic transcription: /KIMerə HAOW, MAhər/
Book: EITB
pb: 960
hc: 682
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “How are you, my father?”
Phrase (as printed): ciamar a tha tu, mo chridhe?
Phrase (if revised): ciamar a tha u, mo chridhe?
Phonetic transcription: /KIMerə HAOW, mo CHREEə/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 253
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “How are you, my heart?”
Phrase (as printed): ciomach
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /keeməch/
Book: ABOSA
pb: 386
hc: 266
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Captive.”
Phrase (as printed): cirein croin
Phrase (if revised): cirein-cròin
Phonetic transcription: /KEErən-CROin/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 253
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Sea monster; sea serpent.”
Phrase (as printed): clarty
Phrase (if revised): clartie
Phonetic transcription:
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 253
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: Dirty, filthy.
Phrase (as printed): clattie imp
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription:
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 245
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: Filthy imp.
Phrase (as printed): clot-heid
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /klot-heed/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 245
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: Cloth-head; idiot or imbecile.
Phrase (as printed): co a th’ann?
Phrase (if revised): có a th’ ann?
Phonetic transcription: /KOə HAOWN/
Book: FC
pb: 1370
hc: 929
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Who’s there?”
Phrase (as printed): có tha faighne
achd?
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /KOha FAIYnyəchk/
Book: EITB
pb: 790
hc: 560
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Who’s asking?”
Phrase (as printed): có thu?
Phrase (if revised): có u?
Phonetic transcription: /ko-oo/
Book: EITB
pb: 790
hc: 560
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Who (are) you?”
Phrase (as printed): cobhar
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /KOar/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 240
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Foam.”
Phrase (as printed): cockernonny
Phrase (if revised): cockernonnie
Phonetic transcription:
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 241
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: “A gathering of hair into a neat bundle.”
Phrase (as printed): coil
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription:
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 243
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: A difficulty or troublesome circumstance.
Phrase (as printed): coimhead air sin!
Phrase (if revised): seall air sin!
Phonetic transcription: /COYit air SHEEN/ or /SHAOwl air SHEEN/
Book: EITB
pb: 637
hc: 451
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Look at that!”: literally, “watch on that.” I would tend to say seall air sin here: “look at that.”
Phrase (as printed): collieshangie
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription:
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 246
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: An uproar or squabble.
Phrase (as printed): come ben
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /kum ben/
Book: MOBY
pb: 245
The Companion to the Fiery Cross, a Breath of Snow and Ashes, an Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart's Blood Page 74