v1.0
Published 01/10/24
aular ‘dunce’. This word is cited in Mackay 1897, 91, and derived from Ice. auli m. ‘dunce’ (Cleasby 1874: ‘prop[erly] “a slug” (?)’), cf. Nn. aula vb ‘to creep, crawl slowly’ (Torp 1919); McDonald (2009, 338), who notes Mackay’s spelling seems incorrect, considers the loan uncertain. Mackay is likely referring to the Gaelic word amhlair m. [ˈãũɫ̪aɾʲ]
Cf. SGDS Item 37.
‘fool, stupid or ignorant person’, a nominal use of EG aṁlaḃar adj. ‘dumb, mute’ (MacBain 1896; eDIL˄; cf. Ir. amhlóir, abhlóir ‘buffoon, fool’ (Ó Dónaill 1977)). SG amhlair generally has a nasalised diphthong from vocalisation of the nasal before the lateral in Gaelic; ON au [ɔu] developed into Ice. au [œi], but yields SG [ɔː], e.g. ON skaut nt. > SG sgòd, q.v.