Scots-Gaelic?

[KnottedYet]

Why o why can't I find the Scots gaelic for "squid"? I've slogged my way through every darn english/gaelic online dictionary I could find. The only one I found is Irish Gaelic: mathair shuigh. But that can't be right, cuz mathair means mother. And I can't back-translate "shuigh" anywhere.

And there's enough squid fishing around Scotland (historically and presently) that there must be a short word for "squid".
Y'know, "squid" itself could be derived from something celtic, it's not scandahoovian and it's nothing like the latin... I need an OED.

Edit: Oooh, the 20 volume print edition of the OED is on sale right now for $895! Can't search that online unless you subscribe, but you can search the Compact OED for free: www.askoxford.com It says "squid" is of unknown origin. Now, if the OED doesn't even know where the word came from, it must REALLY be a mystery. (or gaelic? )

Anybody know the origin of the engilsh word "squid"?
Anybody know the Scots Gaelic word for "squid"?
Anybody know the english translation for "shuigh"?

Earthquakes and squids. My world is so exciting.

[margo49]

Just e-mailed Bruno
about this
The real ? is why o why is this so critical?
then of course, it *is* Knotted
better not to ask

[KnottedYet]

Bah, it's not critical. I just like words. (I used to carry a dictionary around and read it. Really.)

I like that older english words that can kinda be related start with similar letters: glisten, glimmer, glint, glamor, gleam, glare; or squish, squash, squid, squirt, squeamish

Isn't that cool?

today is squid day.

[KnottedYet]

Hmmm, I'm starting to think "mathair shuigh" is a naughty slang. Closest english translation I can come up with is "mother soaker."

Hmmmm.

[Bruno28]

I can't find a gaelic translation for squid either. I did come across some gaelic text in my searches where the phrase 'squid ink' stood out among a whole block of gaelic prose suggesting that either there is no gaelic for squid or squid is a gaelic word . Sometimes when I'm 'up north' I'll accidentally tune to a gaelic radio station and there will be several minutes of incomprehesible words then someone will say 'helicopter' which is disconcerting. (It's usually a news story about mountain resue).

Obviously helicopter is a more modern word than squid, hence no gaelic equivalent.
I did find this web site for the gaelic society of Inverness and there is an email address where you could email the secretary if that's any help.

http://www.gsi.org.uk

[Thorn]

Slightly off topic, but I assume that if you're a word freak you've found te following site...http://forum.wordreference.com/ ?

I can get lost here for hours. Pick a language and there will be people discussing idioms and derivations from the viewpoint of oodles of different native languages.

Alas, no gaelic in the list, but there is a general forum you might try.

[KnottedYet]

Oh. My. Gawd.

I've found "my people"!

(actually, Thorn, YOU found my people; and actually, they are my "other" people cuz TE cyclists are also my people, but that way is much more dramatic)

WORD NERDS!!!!
An entire forum of word nerds!

Bruno, thank you for the gaelic contact. If I didn't feel like such a dork, "duh, I wanna know the word for "squid", I'd be writing right this very moment! Gotta hang out with the word nerds until I feel brave enough.

I kinda like the idea that "squid" is a mystery word. Maybe I'll solve it. My life's work: finding the derivation of squid! I'll be famous! Interviewed on the news! Splashed all over the front of the Wall Street Journal!

[margo49]

Woman of the Century! Even.

Btw Kalmar is "pencil box" in Mod Hebrew.

[KnottedYet]

Cool! My pen/pencil case looks vaguely like a squid, and now I shall remember "kalmar" forever!

(Pssst... hey, Margo... if you give me a transliteration of the hebrew word for "squid" I'll add it to my signature line. )

[mimitabby]

Slightly off topic, but I assume that if you're a word freak you've found te following site...http://forum.wordreference.com/ ?

I can get lost here for hours. Pick a language and there will be people discussing idioms and derivations from the viewpoint of oodles of different native languages.

Alas, no gaelic in the list, but there is a general forum you might try.

I go here almost as much as TE for assistance with Italian. It's a great resource.

[Bruno28]

Yeah!!!! - I found it.

Scots Gaelic for squid is........gibearnach

Now we can all sleep easy.

Some sites give the alternative straoidhleachan but that seems to be interchangeable with octopus also. So I think the first is probably more specific.

Yes, I'm a word nerd too....or an anorak as we're called over here. I believe so called because trainspotters, the most nerdish of nerds, wear anoraks.

Another Sunday afternoon constructively filled. Actually it was great distraction from trying to hook up my new dvd recorder through my satellite box so that it actually works. I've been less successful on that front, unfortunately.

[margo49]

Diyonon

"diyo" is ink, btw, and the suffix is making it like an "ink-ing thing"

What is the diff between an anorak and a parka? Linguistically - functionally they are the same I think (tho' I wear a parka) They keep the wind out. Why should nerds/trainspotters suffer cold? Since 70% of heat loss is thru the head you need a hood and a (pref 100% wool) hat under it. If you have a pointy enough hood you can even put a pompom on the hat. But the nerdiest thing is people who tie the hood cord in a bow under their chinny-chin-chin (imo)

[KnottedYet]

YAY BRUNO!!! THREE CHEERS!!

Thank you, thank you! Ah, yes, we can all sleep soundly tonight, the mystery has been solved by our own Bruno!

(I still wanna know the derivation of "squid", but my soul is content.)

And thank you, Margo!
<Knot rushes off to add words to her sig>

[Bruno28]

"What is the diff between an anorak and a parka? Linguistically - functionally they are the same I think (tho' I wear a parka)

A parka has fur round the hood and is longer.

[margo49]

Bruno - please *try* to keep it clean.
There are sensitive souls on this forum