old Caihness words

[Joefitz]

I was talking to my (American) wife the other day about Caithness words, as I had used "gappus" when referring to a neighbour, and it occurred to me i knew the origin of "teuchter"-sp-but can anyone tell me where "Gollach" came from??

[golach]

Gollach is a derogatory term used by them from Sutherland to insult a Caithnessian, A gollach is a Earwig or a Forkie tail

[Joefitz]

Thank You, Golach, that makes sense!......LOL.....By the way, haven't thought about forkie -tails for ever.....or slaters for that, either!!

[golach]

Joefitz Have a look here, lots of Kaitness wordies to confuse your good lady

http://www.caithness.org/dialect/

[Torvaig]

Mmm.... didn't think Gollach was a derogatory word; more of an endearment! I know as kids, the phrase "Och, yur chist a wee gollach" was a gentle rebuke! Then again, the various uses of local lingo can vary quite a bit between the districts. I was surprised when I started Wick High School at some of the dialect differences between town and country.

[sids]

Gollach is of course not a Caithness word. It's a Sutherland word for a Caithness person. Being a Gaelic word, we don't know its real meaning and do not wish to see it on a roadsign.

[whiteneck]

i'm almost certain golach is gaelic for stranger

[trinkie]

Appeared in the Groat Feb 1914


My Cradle Tongue.


There's rapture in the magic burn,
And mirth in winking leaves,
There's glory in the westing sun,
Athwart the barley sheaves.


Yet softer touch of something else
Entranced my heart when young -
The sappy words of Caithness-shire
My own Cradle Tongue !


It found me when a 'boyag' small
( A 'dugend kithan ' I )
Who 'cowned' and 'bellyed' off and on
And 'cocked' till I was dry.


I got my 'sooans' now and then
Or 'burstens' failing that.
And 'crackens' sometimes for my tea
Or 'meelans' fried in fat.


I loved the 'gollans' on the green
The 'lairags' in the sky
I caught the 'blockies' at the rocks
and many a 'peltag' fry


I often 'smyaggered' all my clothes
With many a 'foosum' trace
And sometimes when I took a 'stoon'
I 'dorted oot e face''


Oh sunny days when 'butties' young
Played 'skibbie lickie' fast
With 'prisoners' base' and rare 'key-hoy'' -
Bright pleases in the past


Then welcome Culture's lore and grace
And all the spells of Art
But still the juicey words of home
Grip richest on the heart.

[Cattach]

Gollach is a derogatory term used by them from Sutherland to insult a Caithnessian, A gollach is a Earwig or a Forkie tail

Gollach is most certainly not a derogatory term. It is used by those in Sutherland to describe the inhabitants of Caithness just as the Gollachs do likewise by identifying those from Sutherland as Cattachs. Both words are from the Gaelic.

[Walter Ego]

Gollach is most certainly not a derogatory term. It is used by those in Sutherland to describe the inhabitants of Caithness just as the Gollachs do likewise by identifying those from Sutherland as Cattachs. Both words are from the Gaelic.

Gallaibh means 'stranger' (ie: non-Gael) in Gaelic. The county of Caithness is referred to in Gaelic as 'The land of strangers' (land of the non-Gael).

Which makes the tedious case for the Gaelicisation of Caithness roadsigns rather laughable - as even the Gaels acknowledge that Caithness is not part of Gaeldom.

It can be used derogatively, in the same way that 'Teuchter' can be also used as an insult.