The Outlandish Companion

by Diana Gabaldon

  The adverb follows the noun or pronoun.

  Ruith e luath. Ran he quickly. Ruith Iain luath. Ran John quickly. Possessive Case.

  Some possessed subjects are aspirated. Examples:

  Mo mhéthair (My mother)

  Do mhéthair (Your mother) singular

  A mhéthair (His mother)

  Some are not: A méthair (Her mother) Ar méthair (Our mother) Am méthair (The mother) Bhur méthair (Your mother) plural

  When the spelling for the possessed subject starts with a vowel, as in athair (father):

  “My father” is spoken and written as

  M’athair. “Your father” singular is spoken and written as D’athair Your father plural is spoken and written as Bhur’n athair.

  “His father” is spoken and written as ’athair.

  “Her father” is spoken and written as A h’athair.

  “Our father” is spoken and written as Ar ’n athair. Exception.

  “Their father” is spoken and written as An athair.

  The pronoun “you” or “your” is used in the plural form when addressing an elder, as recognition of seniority or a form of respect. Examples:

  Ciamar a tha thu? becomes Ciamar a tha sibh? (How are you?)

  Bheir ghomh do chéta becomes Bheir ghomh bhur chéta. (Give me your coat.)

  Vocative case.

  A bhalaich. O boy (This is a form of address, not an exclamation.)

  A dhuine. O man

  A bhoireanaich. O woman

  A nighean. O girl

  A choin. O dog

  A charaid. O friend

  Proper names starting with a vowel don’t get the preceding A.

  A Thearlaich. O Charles

  A Sheaumais. O James

  Iain. O Iain

  Anna. O Ann

  Ealasaid. O Elizabeth

  Accents

  Generally, vowels are pronounced:

  A as in Arm

  E as in End

  I as in Ingot

  O as in On or Onward

  U as in Ooze

  “Accents” slanting up to the left over a vowel denote a long vowel. (A E I O U). An accent slanting up to the right over the vowel 6, indicates a pronunciation of O as in motor.

  COMPREHENSIVE GLOSSARY OF FOREIGN TERMS

  (including British slang)

  hoovering (English)—vacuuming

  Sassenach (Gaelic) [Sass-uh-nak]—out-lander, or foreigner; more specifically an English person; usage generally derogatory. There are multiple spellings of this term: Sassunach, Sassenaich, etc.; I picked one, and stuck with it.

  baragh mhor (Pseudo-Gaelic)6—a large Baragh.

  uillean pipes (Gaelic) [OOlain]—a small bagpipe, literally, “elbow pipes,” as 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 was used almost exclusively outdoors, and was considered [by the English] a weapon of war)

  hurley (Scots) “Hurley, hurley round the table …” A “hurl” is a short, impromptu journey; “hurly” means either a noise or tumult, or a wheel or handcart; a “hurley” (modern usage) is a child’s makeshift vehicle, constructed of pram wheels and the like. As used in the original verse, the meaning appears to indicate the passing of food round a table, with concomitant noise and conversation.

  pooch nane (Scots)—“pouch none”; put nothing in one’s sporran; i.e., don’t take anything away from the table.

  fungas (Gaelic) [foongas]—mushrooms; fungus in general

  drammach (Gaelic) [dramak]—a mixture of oats and water, uncooked. Very refreshing (says Iain) on a hot day while cutting peats, etc.

  burke (English)—generally dismissive term for an undistinguished male.

  tynchal [tinshal]—a hunt. IMT notes that there is no letter “Y” in Gaidhlig, so he doesn’t think this is a Gaelic term, preferring “Sealg.” (Sir Walter Scott used it, but he was a Lowlander, what would he know?) It seems to be a Scots (rather than Gaelic) term (spelt variously), meaning “a circle formed by sportsmen to encircle deer or other game.”

  sealg (Gaelic) [she-alag]—a hunt.

  ballag buachair (Gaelic) [Ballag buakair]—mushroom; literally, “manure bubble.” (correct spelling of “balgan-buachrach, ”as used in Out-lander is “technically not incorrect” (IMT).)

  quiring (English, obs.) [KWI-ring]—singing; choiring, griss (Scots)—nail.

  lug (Scots)—ear.

  swivet (English)—state of extreme agitation; “in a swivet” over something

  Luceo non uro (Latin)—“I shine, not burn.” Motto of clan MacKenzie, appearing on the clan badge with the image of a “burning mountain.”

  Je suis prest (French)—“I am ready.” Motto of clan Fraser. NB: This is an ancient form of French; in the modern form, the “s” has been replaced by a diacritical mark, and the word is spelled “prét.“ However, the Fraser motto uses the old spelling.

  Tulach Ard (Gaelic) [Toolak Aarsd]— “The High Hill.” Battle cry of clan MacKenzie. I have no idea what high hill, but that’s what it means.

  tarn (English)—small pool, commonly found on moorland.

  tannasg (Gaelic) [tannasg]—spirit or ghost.

  sgian dhu (Gaelic) [Sgeean duh]—the “black knife”; a small knife carried in stocking-top or armpit.7

  Stad, mo dhu (Gaelic) [Stat, mo ghuh]— “Stay, my black one.” (IMT notes that this is perhaps not the way a native speaker would say it.)

  sguir (Gaelic) [sgooir]—stop (doing whatever you’re doing).

  swiving (English)—sexual intercourse; vulgar usage.

  Buidheachas, mo charaid (Gaelic)

  [Booiakas, a karaid]—roughly, “Thank you, friend”; “buidheachas” indicates thanksgiving or gratitude, or satisfaction. IMT notes that “Taing” is a much more commonly used word for thanks.8 Easier to spell, too.

  donas (Gaelic) [DOnas]—devil or demon.

  duine (Gaelic) [DOOnuh or Du-ine]—a man, an individual.

  cobhar (Gaelic) [CO-ar]—one dictionary gave this word as “seafoam,” which was the meaning I intended. However, another gives it only as “relief or help.” IMT says it’s help, or refuge.

  ciamar a tha thu (Gaelic) [Kia-mar a haa u]—greeting; “How are you?”9

  saft (Scots)—literally, “soft.” Figuratively, a light drizzle, as in “saft weather,” or foolishness/mental deficiency—“saft in the heid.”

  silkie (also selkie) (Scots)—a seal.

  bassin (French) [bah-SEEN]—a basin or shallow dish.

  en deshabille (French) [ahn day-sha-BEEL]—in a state of undress.

  mo airgeadach (Gaelic) [mo eregedak]— my silver one. IMT notes that a native speaker would be more likely to say, “Mo nighean bhan.” [mo nee-an vaan], meaning “My fair-haired girl.” Since Jamie is more likely referring to Claire’s skin than her hair, I think perhaps the former is more likely, even if not common usage.

  caiman geal (Gaelic) [caiman gi-al]— white dove; “geal” also carries the meaning “bright.”

  tenebrous (English) [TEN-eh-brus]— shadowed.

  cullen skink (Scots)—As one of my cookbooks remarks, “This is not an offensive small animal, but a traditional recipe for soup from the Moray Firth area.” It consists of haddock and mashed potatoes, simmered in milk and cream with onion, butter, mace, parsley, and salt and pepper.

  dittay (Scots)—a court document; an indictment.

  croich gorn (pseudo-Gaelic)—your guess is as good as mine—probably better.

  philtres (English, obs.) [FIL-ters]—potions or formulas, often magical or alchemical in nature

  poofter (English)—homosexual; derogatory.

  peruke (English) [per-OOK]—small wig.

  mo buidheag (Gaelic) [mo booiak]—my friend. Correct possessive form is “mo bhuidheag.”

  canty (Scots) [CAN-tee]—lively, pleasant, cheerful; implying also something small an
d neat, or a person in good health.

  broch tuarach (Gaelic) [BROCK TOO-arak]—north-facing tower.

  harled (Scots)—plastered.

  broch (Gaelic) [BROK]—tower. In particular, an ancient round tower, usually either B.C. or very early A.D.

  Sheas (more usually spelled “seas”) (Gaelic) [shais]—stand, or stop.

  mo maise (Gaelic) [mo vaishe]—roughly, “my beauty.” “Maise” means ornament, greaty beauty, elegance. IMT notes that common usage is more likely “mo nighean mhaiseach,” meaning “my beautiful girl” [mo nee-an vaisheak]. Also, correct possessive form is “mo mhaise.”

  mo chride (Gaelic) [mo cree or mo kri-e]— my heart. Used as a term of affection.

  braw (Scots)—literally, “brave,” but also implies “fine, splendid, excellent.”

  cockernonny (Scots)—a gathering of hair into a neat bundle.

  ruaidh (Gaelic) [Rooagh]—red; a ruaidh, “the red one.” IMT notes that while this does mean red(haired), it’s commonly applied to the color brown, in general use.

  gille (Gaelic) [GILL-e; sometimes corrupted in English usage to “gilly”]—a lad, young man, or servant man.

  dags (Scots obs.)—pistols.

  snark (British and Scots dialed)—a snore or snort; also, a tangle, as in a noose or snare; also a grumbling, trouble-causing person (Scots). As used—as an epithet— “long-nosed snark”—it is probably derogatory, though may also imply something about the entrapping nature of Captain Randall, who is so addressed.

  bothy (Scots) [BAH-thee]—a small shack or hut.

  besom (Scots) [BEE-zum]—a woman, generally ill-tempered.

  caudle (English) [CAW-dul]—a drink, usually made of warm ale or wine, mixed with bread, sugar, eggs, and spices, often administered medicinally.

  ogives (French) (ogeev)—an architectural feature, in which four arches conjoin in a roof.

  monstrance (Latin-English) [MON-strunce]—an ornamental receptacle (usually made of precious metal) in which the consecrated Host (the Blessed Sacrament) is placed for display during certain rituals, such as Benediction, or for exposition on an altar.

  sortes Virgilianae (Latin) [SOR-tees ver-jill-ee-AHN-ee]—an ancient game of fortune-telling, based on the random selection of text from a book.

  emerods (English, obs.)—hemorrhoids.

  scut (British dialect)—the tail of a rabbit or deer; in vulgar usage, the female pudenda, by extension, a female servant, or any dirty, mean person.

  ma niéce (French)—my niece.

  ma chére (French)—my dear.

  ma bonne amie (French)—my good friend, my dear friend.

  posset (English)—a nutritious drink, usually warm milk, curdled with ale or wine, sometimes thickened with bread or egg.

  gaberlunzie (Scots) [GAB-er-lun-zee]— small lead badge, given to beggars as a license to beg within the borders of a parish.

  snuff mull (Scots)—a container for snuff, often made from a sheep’s horn.

  plimsolls (English)—sneakers or tennis shoes.

  cark it (English)—die; be killed, geyser (English) [GEE-zer]—hot-water heater.

  Tearlach mac Seamus (or mac Sheumais) [Tearlak mac Haamuis]—“Charles, son of James”; Charles Stuart.

  rootling (English)—to rifle through or dig about.

  lych-gate (English)—an enclosed passage in the wall of a churchyard, where processions (such as the coffin, for a funeral) assemble or rest before entering.

  stone (English)—a measure of weight. Most often, fourteen pounds, when used as a measure of human weight. Other substances, such as flax, tobacco, etc., were occasionally measured in terms of “stones” of different weights, each type of “stone” being specific to the substance weighed.

  oxter (English)—armpit.

  salope (French)—slut; trollop.

  femme sans cervelle (French) [FAM sahn ser-VELL]—brainless female (literally “woman without a brain”).

  Non, Monsieur le Comte, je regrette, mais c’est impossible (French)—“I’m sorry, Count; it’s impossible.”

  flux (English)—diarrhea; any of various forms of intestinal upset resulting in diarrhea.

  cozen (English) [CUZ-en]— to charm or persuade.

  lever (French) [leh-VAY]—literally, “rising.” Term applied to the ceremonial ablutions of Louis XIV and XV.

  de rigueur (French) [day ri-GAYR]—literally, “of rigor,” but figuratively, “in fashion”; “the way things must be done.”

  chaise percée (French) [Shays per-SAY]—chair set above a commode or chamberpot.

  costive (English)—constipated.

  mo duinne (Gaelic)—incorrect form of “my brown one”; correct form should be “mo nighean donn.”

  crocodile (French)—crocodile.

  écu (French)—unit of French money.

  livre (French)—another unit of French money.

  A la lanterne (French)—“To the lamppost!” Popular cry of the French Revolution, accompanying the hanging of aristocrats.

  tumbril (French)—wheeled cart in which condemned persons were taken to the guillotine.

  gussets (English)—tapered panels of fabric, sewn into a seam for ornament, or to adjust the fit of a garment.

  silk plissé (French)—a fine, light fabric.

  Mon petit sauvage (French)—“My little savage.”

  confits (English)—small bits of preserved or candied fruit.

  Sa Majesté, le Roi Louis! (French)—“His Majesty, King Louis!” Chére Madame (French)—“Dear Madam.”

  ma petite (French)—my little one

  C’est un cochon qui vit dans la ville, c’est un cochon qui vit… (French)—“This little pig lives in the city, and this little pig lives …”

  ma petite souris (French)—my little mouse.

  salaud (French) [sa-lé]—sloven, dirty person; slut.

  appartement (French)—apartment

  mon chevalier (French)—literally, “my horseman,” or “my soldier”—more generally, an honorific meaning merely “gentleman.”

  parterres (French)—flower beds.

  skelloch (Scots)—a shriek or cry.

  servante aux petits soins (French)—a “servant of little things”—a body servant or groomer.

  mon cher ami (French)—my dear friend.

  Vite! Dépéchez-vous! (French)—“Quick! Stir yourself!”

  chirurgeon (English, obs.)—surgeon.

  les maétresses sage-femme (French) [lay may-TRESS sahj-FAM]—“the wise-women.”

  bilboquet (French) [bil-bo-KAY]—a handheld game, comprised of a hollow cup, to which a ball is tethered. The object of the game is to catch the ball in the cup.

  broken men (English)—men affiliated with no specific clan.

  charcuterie (French) [shar-KOO-ta-ree]—butcher shop.

  hurly-burly (Scots)—a tempest, a tumult.

  angel-makers—French term for abortionists

  la petite Anglaise maladroite (French)— “the clumsy (badly spoken) English girl.

  ma mére (French)—my mother. Volkslied (German) [VOHKS-leed]— folk song.

  note tonique (French) [noht toh-NEEK]—the keynote of a piece of music.

  passe-partout (French) [pahs parTOO]—a key (literally, “passes through everything”).

  clef (English)—part of a musical signature, indicating whether a given piece is played in treble or bass. May also indicate the key and tempo of the piece,

  Ne vous en faétes pas (French) [Ne voo ahn fayt pah]—“Don’t do that.”

  énorme! (French) [ay-NORM]—“enormous!”

  c’est tout (French) [say TOO]—“That’s all.”

  Bas mallaichte! (Gaelic) [Baas malaihte]—“Black death!” (used as an exclamation of exasperation).

  une sorciére (French) [uhn sorseeayr]—a sorceress.

  horloge (French) [hor-LOHJ]—a clock; particularly a large, public clock.

  havers (Scots)—there are several (wildly divergent) meanings for this term; as used (in Dragonfly), it
indicates “to talk at random or incoherently”; “to fuss about nothing.”

  fiacre (French) [Feeaykr]—a carriage, often available for commercial hire.

  commissariat de police (French)—the police station.

  barouche (French) [bah-ROOSH]—an open carriage.

  les disciples du mal (French)—the disciples of evil.

  fauteuil (French) [fowtooee]—armchair.

  Deo volente (Latin) [DAY-o voh-LEN-tay]—“God willing.”

  Allez! Allez! Montez! (French) [Allay! Allay! Montay!]—“Come on! Come on! Climb!”

  lese-majesté (French) [LEES MA-jestee]—the crime of laying hands upon the King; used casually to imply disrespect.

  coil (Scots)—a difficulty or troublesome circumstance.

  Entrez! (French) [ahn-TRAY]—Come in!

  canaille (French) [kah-nay]—rabble, riffraff, mob, scum of the populace; scoundrel.

  Non! Ce n’est pas vrai! (French) [Suh nay pah vray]—“No! It isn’t true!”

  les putains (French) [lay putanh]—prostitutes.

  Que Dieu nous en garde! (French) [Kuh Dyoo noo ahn gard]—“May God protect us!”

  Au pied, reste! (French) [O pyed, rest!]— “To the foot (of the bed), and stay!”

  Que Dieu vous bénisse, mon enfant. (French) [Kuh Dyoo voo benees, mon enfanh]—“May God bless you, my child.”

  sans-culottes (French)—peasants; the very poor (the term means literally “without trousers”; i.e., too poor to afford pants).

  Regardez (French) [ruh-GARD-ay]— “Look.”

  putti (Italian)—cherubs.

  yows (Scots)—ewes.

  mo luaidh (Gaelic) [mo luai]—my beloved, darling.

  fricht (Scots)—fright.

  caurry-fisted (Scots)—left-handed.

  mo bréthair (Gaelic) [Mo vraahair]—my brother.

  “Mo bhréthair“ for correct possessive.

  C’est un embarras de richesse! (French)—“It’s an embarrassment of riches!”

  my jo (Scots)—my close friend, my dear companion.

  mo muirninn (a muirninn) (Gaelic) [A voornin]—my darling (NB: IMT gives spelling as “mhurninn, ”for the possessive.)

  chacun a son gout (French) [shah-coon a sohn GOO]—“Each to his own taste.”

  dunt (Scots)—a blow

  Plus 9a change … (French) [ploo sah CHANJ]—The more things change, the more they stay the same.