The Outlandish Companion - Diana Gabaldon [145]
coof (Scots)—silly person, idiot.
Slan leat, a charaid choir (Gaelic) [Slaan leaht, a karaid koir]—“Farewell, kind friend.”
hough (Scots)—shin of beef.
a leannan (Gaelic) [A le-anan]—sweetheart (vocative), with the implication of “baby”—addressed to a daughter or other young person.
lang-nebbit (Scots)—literally, “long-nosed”; an interfering, “nosy” person.
mo ghille (Gaelic) [mo yille]—my boy, my lad.
teuchter [teukter]—a (rather derogatory) term used by Lowlanders for Highlanders. Roughly equivalent to “hick” or “hillbilly.”
Cirein Croin16 (Gaelic)—seamonster or sea serpent
clarty (Scots)—dirty, filthy.
arisaid (Gaelic) [aarasaid]—a woman’s shawl.
deamhan (Gaelic) [deoain]—demon or devil.
a bann-sielbheadair {properly spelt as “a bhan shealbhadair” (IMT)} (Gaelic) [a va-un he-alvadair]—mistress; more literally, owner of a bond of indenture.
each uisge (Gaelic) [oorusch]—a water horse.
uisge (Gaelic) [uishge]—water.
Oreilles en feuille de chou! (French)— literally, “Cauliflower ears!” Meant (obviously) as an insult.
bawbee (Scots)—a bit of money or a small present.
bree (Scots)—either a great disturbance, or a soup (e.g., partan bree; a crab soup).
gowk (Scots)—an awkward, silly person.
Deo gratias (Latin) [DAY-o GRAH-tseeahs]—“Thanks be to God.”
Ciamar a tha tu, mo chridhe? (Gaelic) [Kia-mar a haa u, mo crie-e?]—“How are you, my heart (darling)?”
Tha mi gle mhath, athair (Gaelic) [Ha Mi glay vah, ahair]—“I am well, father.”
An e ’n fhirinn a th’aqad m’annsachd? (Gaelic) [An e ’n iirin a h’agad. ansakd?]—“Do you tell me the truth, my love?”
m’annsachd (Gaelic)—my best beloved
Mo grédh ort, athair (Gaelic)—“I love you, Father”; literally, “My love on you, Father.” [Mo graag orst, ahair.]
a bheanachd (Gaelic) [a ve-anakd]—my blessing (vocative).
nighean na galladh (Gaelic) [nee-an na Gallag]—literally, “daughter of a bitch”; a very nasty insult.
Cours! (French) [KOORs!]—“Run!”
Yona’kensyonk (Kahnyen’kehakd)—dried fish.
Kahnyen’kehaka (Kahnyen’kehakd)—the Mohawk, Keepers of the Eastern Gate
Kakonhoaerhas17 (Kahnyen’kehaka)— dogface.
Kahontsi’yatawi (Kahnyen’kehaka)— Black Robe; a Catholic priest, specifically a Jesuit.
Et vous? (French)—“And you?”
reposez-vous (French)—rest yourself, take it easy.
C’est bien lé, c’est bien (French)— “That’s good; it’s all right; everything’s all right.”
Je suis une sorciére (French)—“I am a sorceress.”
C’est médicine, lé. (French)—“This is medicine.”
O’Seronni (Kahnyen’kehakd)—a white person, white people
Hodeenosaunee (Kahnyen’kehakd)—the Mohawks’ term for the Iroquois peoples
Do mi! Do mi! (Gaelic)—“To me! To me!” (as in, rally round here and lend a hand!) (IMT says: “You probably mean ’To me! To me!’ In which case it should be ”Thugam! Thugam!“ [Hoogam! Hoogam!])
Parlez-vous franéais? (French)—“Do you speak French?”18
Qui est votre Seigneur, votre Sauveur? (French)—“Who is your Lord, your Savior?”
Voulez-vous placer votre foi en Lui? (French)—“Do you have faith (do you place your trust) in Him?”
Oui, certainement. (French)—“Yes, certainly.”
cuimhnich (Gaelic) [cuinik (first “I” longer)]—remember.
an fhearr mac Dubh (Gaelic)—translates more or less to “best of the offspring of the Black One”—general meaning, “(first) Son of the Black One.”
NB: See also Appendix II: Gaelic Resources
1 For anyone desiring further information on Gaelic educational programs or materials, please see Appendix II. Gaelic Resources.
2NB: While they are not strictly speaking foreign, I have also included occasional medical terms or colloquial terms in English that seemed sufficiently archaic as not to be easily understood or likely to be found in a dictionary less comprehensive than my own favorite, the massive Merriam-Webster’s Third New International Dictionary unabridged.
3NB: “Gaelic” is the usual spelling; “Gaidhlig” is the preferred spelling by many current students of the language, and “Gaidhlic” is what Iain says it should be. Iain speaks the bloody language and I don’t.
4Iain MacKinnon Taylor is a native Gaidhlic speaker, born on the Isle of Harris,