Phrase (as printed): taing do Dhia
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /tang do YEEa/
Book: MOBY
pb: 385
hc: 280
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Thanks to God”: you can hear Jamie say this in the Outlander TV series, episode 1, “Sassenach,” when Claire puts his shoulder back into place.
Phrase (as printed): tannasg
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /TANask/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 239
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Spirit, ghost”: this is our word in my part of Argyll, although I have also heard taibhse/TYEshə/, bocan /BOCHgən/, and tamhasg/TAvask/, among other things, to describe a denizen of the lonely space between worlds.
Phrase (as printed): tannasgeach
Phrase (if revised): tannasgach
Phonetic transcription: /TANəsgəch/
Book: FC
pb: 745
hc: 503
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Abounding in specters.”
Phrase (as printed): tapadh leat Iain. Cha robh fios air a bhith agam
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /TACHpə LECHt EEaiyn. Cha ro feess air ə vee akəm/
Book: EITB
pb: 854
hc: 604
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Thanks with you, John. I hadn’t known”: it is interesting that tapadh leat has taken hold as the standard form of “thank you” in the Western Isles, because it is quite likely that originally it was more of a parting gesture than a show of gratitude while someone was still in your company, more of a “thanks (be) with you,” like latha math leat/LAa ma leht/“a good day (be) with you”, or oidhche mhath leat/“a good night (be) with you”. “Thank you and goodbye,” in other words.
Phrase (as printed): Tearlach mac Seamus
Phrase (if revised): Teàrlach, mac Sheumais
Phonetic transcription: /TCHAARləch machk HAMISH/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 241
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Charles, son of James”: Charles Edward Stewart, the “Bonnie Prince.”
Phrase (as printed): teuchter
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /TCHOOCHtər/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 253
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: A Gaelic speaker. A rather derogatory term used by Lowlanders for Highlanders. Roughly equivalent to “hick” or “hillbilly.”
Phrase (as printed): tha ana-cnàmhadh an Diabhail orm
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /ha ANəKRAAvəɣ ən JEEal ORəm/
Book: EITB
pb: 814
hc: 576
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “The Devil’s ingestion is on me”: I’ve got terrible indigestion.
Phrase (as printed): tha ball-ratha sìnte riut
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /ha baowl-raa SHEENtchə root/
Book: MOBY
pb: 1103
hc: 804
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “A lucky, erect penis is against you”: I had the singular pleasure of reciting this poem in Gaelic to the lovely Ginger and Summer of the Outlander podcast! Abair plòigh!/Abər PLOY/“what fun!”. This demonstrates the former lack of shame shown by the Gael in discussing the kind of thing that came to be thought of as rude by “polite British society.” The long-faced Presbyterian outlook did not always hold such sway in the Highlands!
Phrase (as printed): tha gaol agam oirbh, a mhàthair
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /ha GÖL AKəm AWriv ə VAhər/
Book: MOBY
pb: 5
hc: 5
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “I love you, Mother”—literally, “I have love on you”: the interesting point in Gaelic language about many things that we don’t necessarily have innately—like particular emotions, feelings, diseases, and states of being and circumstance—is that they “come onto” and “go from” us rather than us “having” or “doing” them, as in English. Although we do “have” love in Gaelic, the recipient of the love has it put “upon” them by their counterpart, rather than them “being loved.” There is no verb “to love” as there is in English. Likewise, even a cold “comes on you,” and you would say tha cnatan orm/ha KRAtan orəm/“(a) cold is on me” when you have the common cold.
Phrase (as printed): Tha mi gle mhath, athair
Phrase (if revised): tha mi glé mhath, athar
Phonetic transcription: /hami gLAY va Ahər/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 253
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “I am very well, oh, Father.”
Phrase (as printed): tha mi gu math, mo athair
Phrase (if revised): tha mi gu math, m’ athair
Phonetic transcription: /hami gMA Mahər/
Book: ABOSA
pb: 541
hc: 371
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “I am well, my father”: when two vowels come together, one generally loses the fight and disappears, hence mo athair becoming m’ athair in colloquial speech and also now in writing.
Phrase (as printed): tha nighean na galladh torrach!
Phrase (if revised): tha nighean na galla torrach!
Phonetic transcription: /ha NYEEin na GALə TAWrəch/
Book: FC
pb: 282
hc: 190
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “The daughter of the bitch is fertile”: I don’t recognize the form galladh/GALəɣ/. I don’t think we use this in mid and south Argyll. Something you still hear commonly enough is taigh na galla leat!/tie nə GALə lecht/“to the bitch (whore) house with you!”
Phrase (as printed): Tha sinn cruinn a chaoidh ar caraid, Gabhainn Hayes
Phrase (if revised): Tha sinn cruinn còmhla gus ar caraid Gabhann Hayes a chaoidh
Phonetic transcription: /ha sheen krooin KAWLə goose ar CAridge GAvan Hayes ə CHÖIY/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 249
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “We are come together to lament the loss of our friend, Gavin Hayes.”
Phrase (as printed): thalla le Dia
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /HULLə lə JEEa/
Book: MOBY
pb: 479
hc: 348
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Go with God.”
Phrase (as printed): theirig dhachaigh
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /HAIRik ɣACHi/
Book: ABOSA
pb: 44
hc: 31
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Go home!”: we have lots of ways to say “go!” from different areas of Scotland: falbh, thalla, rach, reach, theirig. The Gaelic is nothing if not rich and, in fact, where I’m from, thalla—rather confusingly—means “come”!
Phrase (as printed): thig a seo, a bhean uasa
Phrase (if revised): thig an seo, a bhean uasal
Phonetic transcription: /heek ə shaw, ə ven OOAsal/
Book: FC
pb: 227
hc: 152
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Come here, oh, noble woman”: you will hear our very own Sam as Jamie using these words to Colum in episode 2, “Castle Leoch,” of the Outlander TV show: m’ uasail chòir /“my dear
laird”/, as it works as both the noun and adjective “noble.”
Phrase (as printed): thig a seo, a chuisle
Phrase (if revised): thig an seo, a chuisle
Phonetic transcription: /heek ə shaw, ə CHOOSHlə/
Book: FC
pb: 976
hc: 661
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Come here, oh, vein”: chuisle may well be used colloquially in some places as “blood,” as in the sense it is here, but I know it only as “a vein” or “an artery.”
Phrase (as printed): thig a seo, a Shorcha, nighean Eanruig, neart mo chridhe
Phrase (if revised): thig a’ seo, a Shorcha, nighean Eanraig, neart mo chridhe
Phonetic transcription: /heek ə shaw, ə HAWrəchə, NYEEin EUNrik, NYARst mo chreeə/
Book: FC
pb: 229
hc: 154
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Come here, oh, Claire, daughter of Henry, strength of my heart.”
Phrase (as printed): thig air ais a seo!
Phrase (if revised): thig air ais a’ seo!
Phonetic transcription: /HEEK a RASH ə shaw/
Book: FC
pb: 208
hc: 140
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Come back here!”
Phrase (as printed): thig a mach!
Phrase (if revised): thig a mach!
Phonetic transcription: /HEEKə mach/
Book: FC
pb: 416
hc: 281
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Come out!”
Phrase (as printed): thig crioch air an t-saoghal ach mairidh ceol agus gaol
Phrase (if revised): thig crìoch air an t-saoghal, ach mairidh ceòl ‘s gaol
Phonetic transcription: /heek KREECH airən TÖL ach marry KYAWLis GÖL/
Book: MOBY
pb: 1061
hc: 773
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “An end shall come on the world, but love and music shall endure”: a particularly pleasant sentiment!
Phrase (as printed): thole
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription:
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 251
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: To put up with, to endure. “A canna thole any mare o yer snash.” (“I can’t endure any more of your cheek.”)
Phrase (as printed): thugham! thugham!
Phrase (if revised): thugam! thugam!
Phonetic transcription: /HOOKəm! HOOKəm!/
Book: FC
pb: 887
hc: 600
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “To(ward) me!”: we use this prepositional pronoun—don’t you just love grammatical terminology?—when talking about phoning one another. In Gaelic you still talk about “placing a call”: nach cuir u fón thugam?/nach KOOroo phone HOOKəm/“Won’t you place a phone (call) to(ward) me?”/.
Phrase (as printed): tiugainn!
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /TCHOOkeen/
Book: MOBY
pb: 575
hc: 417
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Let’s go!”: our equivalent of “Let’s roll!” Most often spoken very quickly, like the sound of clicking the fingers of each hand in quick succession.
Phrase (as printed): trusdair
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /trooster/
Book: EITB
pb: 1019
hc: 723
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Scoundrel.”
Phrase (as printed): tulach ard!
Phrase (if revised): tulach àrd!
Phonetic transcription: /toolaCHAARST/
Book: FC
pb: 352
hc: 237
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “High mound”: battle cry of the MacKenzies, now made famous by “Speak Outlander,” featuring Graham McTavish, Gary Lewis, and yours truly!
Phrase (as printed): tynchal
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /TINshal/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 239
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: A ceremonial hunt. Neither Iain Mac an Tàilleir nor myself has found a direct Gaelic equivalent for this. Answers on a postcard! The assumption is that it is Lowland usage, but it sounds more French to me, truth be told.
Phrase (as printed): uillean pipes
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /OOLən/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 238
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Elbow pipes”: air is supplied by an elbow-pressed bellows rather than by a mouthpiece. Uillean pipes are generally used for musical entertainments, as opposed to the Great Northern Pipes—the traditional “bagpipe” most often seen in films—which were used almost exclusively outdoors and were considered by the British to be a weapon of war.
Phrase (as printed): uisge
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /OOSHkə/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 253
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Water.”
Phrase (as printed): uisgebaugh
Phrase (if revised): uisge-beatha
Phonetic transcription: /ooshkə-BAYhə/
Book: ABOSA
pb: 285
hc: 198
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Life-water” (whisky): illicit stills were as common a thing in Scotland as in North America, and the practice extended down through the years until relatively recently. There are endless stories about how the excisemen—or the “gadgers,” as they were called—were waylaid by any means necessary to prevent them from reaching the still in question. This normally consisted of them being “kindly” taken in, fed up to the hilt, and plied with as much booze as possible, until they chose bed over continuing their exertions on the trail of the bootlegger. The best of it was that it was often the very illicit whisky they sought upon which they had supped themselves into this condition!
Phrase (as printed): urisge
Phrase (if revised): ùraisg
Phonetic transcription: /OORishk/
Book: EITB
pb: 769
hc: 545
Language: Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
Translation: “Water spirit”: known to frequent lonely and sequestered places, says Dwelly’s dictionary on the ùraisgean/OOrishkən/. My guess is that the word originally derives from ur /“child, person” and uisge/OOSHkə/“water”, becoming ur-uisge and finally ùruisg before the spelling was reformed, as with all final unstressed instances of u, to an a—like àluinn, now àlainn, and maduinn, now madainn. These water spirits seemed to be quite friendly fellows as long as they were treated with respect and would only grow mischievous if dealt with unkindly. There is a terrific cartoon by West Highland Animation which features them. Great fun for the kids! Incidentally, I tend to spell agus as agas, with a final a. It was the only one of the above type of word left unreformed and so stuck out like a sore thumb! If you’re doin one, do ’em all!
Phrase (as printed): verra
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription:
Book: FC
pb: 9
hc: 7
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: Very. This is an interesting one, due to its rocketing use among fans and media alike, and something that derives from the word “very” being spoken quickly. We Scots would never actually spell the word this way, but it’s useful in the novels to illustrate the fact that the y
at the end of the word is unstressed in rapid speech and often sounds like an a. We have other words to mean the same thing, like gey/giy/“very”. Similarly, there’s fair (fair[ly]), awfie (awful[ly]), and, peculiar to Glasgow, pure and dead (extremely), as in the famous phrase pure dead brilliant, meaning “exceedingly good.” Now, if only all my kinsmen were as diligent with their Scots and Gaelic as Ian!
Phrase (as printed): wame
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription:
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 246
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: Belly.
Phrase (as printed): wean
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /wane/
Book: FC
pb: 33
hc: 23
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: Child. In Glaswegian dialect, this compound noun comes literally from the Scots words “wee” (small) and “yin” or perhaps “ane” (one), over time melding into one. Heard extremely often in such phrases as: “Wantae you git they weans tellt?” (“Would you be so kind as to reprimand those infants?”)
Phrase (as printed): weirrit
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /WEErit/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 247
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: Strangled. Often an addition to the sentence of burning—a criminal might be allowed the mercy of being strangled before being consigned to the flames.
Phrase (as printed): yeuk
Phrase (if revised):
Phonetic transcription: /yook/
Book: OLC Vol. I
pb:
hc: 244
Language: Lowland Scots
Translation: The itch. Colloquial expression for any sort of rash or skin inflammation.
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 80