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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

🦀🐚 Have you ever heard this word? 🦀🐚

Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Interestingly, there is also a very similar term in the Scots of Buchan: lobster buckie – which means, literally, a whelk lobster: dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/la...

dsl.ac.uk

Dictionaries of the Scots Language:: SND :: lapster

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The word itself is made up of CONACHAG, a whelk, and GIOMACH, a lobster. This is a reasonable term for the hermit crab which is not a true crab and resembles a small lobster without its shell. They are also called GIOMAICH, lobsters, in other dialects, e.g. Giomach-tuathal – Ardhasaig, Harris.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The informant was Gibidh Mac a’ Chlèirich (Gilbert Clark) who was one of the most important tradition bearers in Islay in the 20th century. Gibidh appears on many of the Islay recordings now available through Tobar an Dualchais. He also left valuable word lists to HDSG.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

This word was collected in 1968 in fieldwork carried out by the Historical Dictionary of Scottish Gaelic (HDSG), now part of the @dasg-glaschu.bsky.social

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Occasionally we come across words that have only one attestation. That’s the case for CONACHAG-GHIOMACH. Faclair editors are understandably cautious about dealing with words which lack evidence of usage. In this case, however, there are reasons to think that the source is reliable.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

CONACHAG-GHIOMACH 🦀🐚 ~ a hermit crab Dictionary entry: www.faclair.ac.uk/entries/69 #ConachagGhiomach #PartanTuathal #HermitCrab #Gaelic

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Reposted by Faclair na Gàidhlig

Irish Script On Screen (www.isos.dias.ie) @dias-isos.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

1/3📜✨Nua ar ISOS: Russell Library, Maynooth Dhá lámhscríbhinn Ghaeilge ón 19ú haois, scríofa ag Murthy Sheehy. Scéalta Fiannaíochta, filíocht, seanchas &traidisiún liteartha. A fascinating glimpse into Irish writing &scribal culture. Míle buíochas do🙏 @mulibrary.bsky.social @dias.ie #DIASdiscovers

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

🦀🐚 An cuala sibh fhèin am facal seo a-riamh? 🦀🐚 🦀🐚 Mas ann à Ìle a tha sibh, dè chanadh sibh ris an ‘hermit crab’? 🦀🐚

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Ach, gu h-inntinneach, tha facal gu math faisg air CONACHAG-GHIOMACH ann am Beurla Ghallta: ‘lobster buckie’: dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/la...

dsl.ac.uk

Dictionaries of the Scots Language:: SND :: lapster

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

’S e ‘buckie’ am mìneachadh a tha an cois CONACHAG fhèin ann an liosta Ghibidh Mhic a’ Chlèirich. Chan eil e soilleir am b’ e fhèin a thug am fiosrachadh sin seachad no an neach-cruinneachaidh.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Giomach-tuathal – Àird Asaig, na Hearadh Giomach-tuathal – Grabhair, Leòdhas ‘Giomach ann am faochag’ – Cliuthar, na Hearadh

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Agus ’s e a’ chonachag (no an fhaochag-mhòr, Buccinum) as toigh leotha mar dhachaigh. Ged nach eil CONACHAG-GHIOMACH ri fhaighinn ann an tùsan eile, tha grunn fhiosraichean eile a’ toirt giomach air a’ chreutair-mhara:

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

LOBSTER BUCKIE An toiseach, ’s dòcha gu bheil coltas amharasach air an fhacal CONACHAG-GHIOMACH. Ach tha e reusanta mar thuairisgeul air a’ chreutair. Chan e partain (no crùbagan) cearta a tha ann am partain-tuathal/hermit crab. Tha iad coltach ri giomaich bheag, gu sònraichte às aonais an slige.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Tha am briathrachas a dh’fhàg e aig luchd-cruinneachaidh an Historical Dictionary of Scottish Gaelic/Faclan bhon t-Sluagh air leth luachmhor is mionaideach: shorturl.at/ueBi4

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Chuir e an t-uabhas de chlàraidhean ri Sgoil Eòlas na h-Alba an dà chuid mar fhiosraiche agus mar chruinniche, agus cluinnear mòran dhe sin a-nis air Tobar an Dualchais: www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/person/5486?...

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

GIBIDH CLEARC Fhuaireadh am facal bho Ghibidh Mac a’ Chlèirich/Gilbert Clark ann am Port Sgioba, Ìle. Bha Mac a’ Chlèirich air fear dhe na seanachaidhean a b’ fheàrr a bha ann an Ìle san 20mh linn, cho math ri bhith na neach-togail bhàtaichean cliùiteach.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Bidh sinn a’ faighneachd cheistean dhen t-seòrsa sin, agus dh’fhaodadh gum bi againn ri atharrachadh a dhèanamh air na h-inntridhean againn. Ach tha corra adhbhar ann airson creideas a thoirt dha seo.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Sin a tha an suidheachadh a tha againn airson CONACHAG-GHIOMACH. Mar sin a bheil e airidh air inntreadh dha fhèin? A bheil fiosrachadh eile ann a dhearbhas gun robh am facal ann an cainnt nan daoine, no gu dearbh nach robh idir agus gur e facal fuadain a tha ann?

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Bho àm gu àm, gheibh sinn facal aig nach eil ach aon phìos fianais. Mar as àbhaist, bidh deasaichean an Fhaclair air am faiceall mu a leithid de dh’fhacal, gu seachd àraid mas ann bho chruinneachadh de dh’obair-raoin (fieldwork) a tha e.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

CONACHAG-GHIOMACH 🦀🐚 Inntreadh: www.faclair.ac.uk/entries/69 ~ Creutair-mara sligeach aig a bheil deich casan agus bodhaig bhog a bhios a’ còmhnaidh ann an sligean faochaig-mhòir is eile; partan-tuathal. #PartanTuathal #HermitCrab #Gàidhlig

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

🌰 How would you use this word? 🌰

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

But geanm-chnò is an unusual word. Where did it come from? And what tree or trees did it refer to in its history – the horse chestnut or the sweet chestnut? Tòmas looks into these questions in our Gaelic blog: www.faclair.ac.uk/blog/380/gd

faclair.ac.uk

Faclair na Gàidhlig

Home page for the Faclair na Gàidhlig project presenting a historical dictionary of the Scottish Gaelic language

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

At this time of the year you might see children gathering conkers in the park. They might also play a game of conkers. In Gaelic, we could call these geanm-chnòthan.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

GEANM-CHNÒ 🌰 ~ a chestnut; a chestnut tree Dictionary entry: www.faclair.ac.uk/entries/15 #geanmchnò #chestnut #autumn

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

🌰 Ciamar a chleachdadh sibh fhèin am facal seo? 🌰

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Ach cò às a tha am facal àraid seo? Agus dè a’ chraobh gu dìreach a bha ann – an ‘horse chestnut’ no an ‘sweet chestnut’? Rinn Tòmas rannsachadh air na dearbh cheistean seo: www.faclair.ac.uk/blog/380/gd

faclair.ac.uk

Faclair na Gàidhlig

Home page for the Faclair na Gàidhlig project presenting a historical dictionary of the Scottish Gaelic language

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Aig an àm sa dhen bhliadhna, chithear clann a’ trusadh nan geanm-chnòthan anns a’ phàirc. Bidh cuid air an cur gu feum airson sabaid gheanm-chnò.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

GEANM-CHNÒ 🌰 ~ cnò mòr ruadh-dhonn a dh’fhàsas ann am plaosg biorach dhen chraoibh gheanm-chnò; a’ chraobh gheanm-chnò fhèin. Inntreadh: www.faclair.ac.uk/entries/15 #geanmchnò #chestnut #foghar #Gàidhlig

Tuaisgeul na h-ìomhaigh: Geanm-chnò – dealbh-chamara a thog Tòmas fhèin ann an Glaschu! Faodar a chleachdadh a-rithist (CC BY-NC).

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Reposted by Faclair na Gàidhlig

GPC Welsh Dictionary @gpcwelshdictionary.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Word of the Day tasio www.geiriadur.ac.uk/gpc/gpc.html... To make a stack or rick of corn, hay etc; pile or heap up, bundle. Also tas(i)o, tasu, teisio etc. CC0 1.0 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tu...

Stacking hay in South Australia (c.1915)

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

🍂🍁 Cuairt-litir – Foghar 2026 🍂🍁 ’S e toiseach an fhoghair a tha ann agus toiseach bliadhna ùir acadaimigich. Anns a’ chuairt-litir seo bheir sinn sùil air ais air cuid dhe na bha sinn ris as t-samhradh. Abair gun robh sinn dripeil! #Gàidhlig #faclaireachd

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Faclair na Gàidhlig – Cuairt-litir | Newsletter

’S e toiseach an fhoghair a tha ann agus toiseach bliadhna ùir acadaimigich. Anns a’ chuairt-litir seo bheir sinn sùil air ais air cuid dhe na bha sinn ris as t-samhradh. Abair gun robh sinn dripeil!

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Parts of the sea urchin are edible. However, it’s difficult to find any mention in Gaelic history of people eating them. Have you ever heard of this?

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Alexander Forbes (1905: 385) explains why: ‘from the habit the sagacious crow has of dropping them [sc. the sea urchins] on a stone or rock, so as to get at the contents’. ‘Cnagan-starraig’ means the same thing, just with another word for the crow.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

‘Crogan-feannaig’ itself is made up of CROGAN, which means a vessel or small pot (today it usually means a jar or a tin), and FEANNAG, a crow. Therfore, we could call it ‘the little crow pot’.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The graphic shows the headword ‘crogan-feannaig’, with its variants, and just some of the other words for the urchin (usually not specific to any particular species, although there are some exceptions).

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

CROGAN-FEANNAIG ~ sea urchin 🍥 New entry: www.faclair.ac.uk/entries/106 So what’s the Gaelic for sea urchin? Well, we have a long list of words and variants of the same word, across dialects...and we’re still finding more. #croganfeannaig #seaurchin #gaelic

Image description: Purple sea urchin (Sphaerechinus granularis), Portugal. The photography by Diego Delso, delso.photo (CC BY-SA).

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

🍥 Dè chanas sibhse san sgìre agaibh fhèin? 🍥 🌊 Bheil facal agad air seòrsa àraid de ‘chrogan-feannaig’? 🌊

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

crogan-feannaig – Uibhist a Deas, Uibhist a Tuath, an t-Eilean Sgitheanach gearra-bhoc – A’ Chomraich moglan garbh – An t-Eilean Sgitheanach

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Seo beagan mu cà ’n lorgar na diofar fhaclan: cat-tràgha(i)d – Cataibh (Dùthaich MhicAoidh) cnogan-grunna [sic? grunnd?] – Leòdhas (Siabost) coinean-mara, conan-mara – Muile, Tiriodh cragan-feannaig – Leòdhas (Nis; an Taobh Siar)

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Dh’innis Alasdair Foirbeis (1905: 385) gun robh ainm co-cheangailte ri feannagan (agus starragan) air an adhbhar seo: ‘from the habit the sagacious crow has of dropping them on a stone or rock, so as to get at the contents’.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Gabhaidh pàirt de fheòil a’ chrogain-fheannaig ithe, ach tha e doirbh iomradh a lorg air daoine ga ithe gu h-eachdraidheil air a’ Ghàidhealtachd. Bheil fios agad fhèin air a leithid?

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Chan e a-mhàin sin, ach mar a chithear ann an ‘crogan-feannaig’ bha grunn diofar riochdan dhen aon fhacal: ‘crògan-feannaig’, ‘cròcan-feannaig’, ‘cragan-feannaig’, ‘cnagan-feannaig’.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

’S iomadh facal a tha againn air a’ chreutair. Chan eil na tha anns an deilbh ach cuid dhe na nochd ann am Faclan bhon t-Sluagh, cruinnichte bho fhiosraichean air feadh na Gàidhealtachd bho na 1960an chun nan 1980an.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

CROGAN-FEANNAIG 🍥 Inntreadh ùr: www.faclair.ac.uk/entries/106 Creutair-mara cruinn aig a bheil slige chruaidh agus gathan biorach; sea urchin (den ghnè Echinoidea). #croganfeannaig #seaurchin #Gàidhlig

Tuairisgeul mun ìomhaigh: Crogan-feannaig purpaidh (Sphaerechinus granularis), a’ Phortagail. An dealbh le Diego Delso, delso.photo (Cead CC BY-SA).

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A translation of the excerpt by Maureen NicLeòid (2016): [People with an official appearance came on board. We were asked to leave our lumaraidh (i.e. baggage or belongings) and to get lost for about three hours.]

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Our entry etymology is currently ‘Uncertain’, however it is possible that the word derives in part from English ‘lumber’. One sense of the latter is ‘Things or material considered useless or of little value; junk, clutter’ (OED 1.b. www.oed.com/dictionary/l...).

oed.com

Oxford English Dictionary

The OED is the definitive record of the English language, featuring 600,000 words, 3 million quotations, and over 1,000 years of English.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

It is strongly associated with the Isle of Lewis, and with Ness specifically.

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Faclair na Gàidhlig @faclair.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

LUMARAIDH ~ baggage, luggage; belongings more generally Entry: www.faclair.ac.uk/entries/81 This word is attested only from 1972 when it was used by Dr Finlay MacLeod in Na Balaich air Rònaidh, and where its sense was ‘gear’. #lumaraidh #Gaelic

Image description: ‘Luggage in King's Cross on the way to Platform 9¾’ by HarshLight (CC BY 2.0): https://flickr.com/photos/79172203@N00/29461933848

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