v1.0
Published 01/10/24
càrbhair m., gen. idem, in the sense ‘boat with grooved planks (Lewis) ... built differently to other boats, for the planks do not overlap but fit closely’ is derived by Henderson (1910, 143: cārbhair
Similarly indexed on p. 360.
) from ON karfi m. ‘a medium-sized boat’ (NO), so also McDonald (2009, 369). However, ON karfa acc. yields SG carbh ‘ship’ (s.v. carbh), as Henderson notes. SG càrbhair is likely to be a loan-blend from Eng. carvel,
‘The ordinary name from the 15th to the 17th century, of a somewhat small, light, and fast ship, chiefly of Spain and Portugal, but also mentioned as French and English’ (OED˄).
as in the term carvel-built, i.e. with planking lain edge to edge rather than overlapping (i.e. clinker-built).
MacLennan (1925, s.v. carbh) claims that the boat carbh is similarly constructed, but this is unlikely to be the rule, and the claim is probably the result of conflation of SG carbh with càrbhair/carbhair.
On the assumption that Henderson’s cārbhair intends càrbhair, the form apparently retains the long stressed vowel of Eng. carvel. However, the Lewis (Bernera, Ness and South Lochs) Gaelic pronunciation is [ˈkʰaɾ͡avaɾʲ],
AFB˄ gives /karavɪrʲ/ [sic].
with a short stressed vowel followed by stressed epenthesis, possibly reflecting a Scots pronunciation with a short stressed vowel (cf. MScots carvell ‘a light fast-sailing vessel’ (DOST˄)).
But note the tendency for long vowels to be shortened before heavy consonant groups, e.g. SG Aonghas (EG Óengus), SG morair (mormhaor) (Pict. *morṽaer < *mōrṽaer) (Jackson 1972, 108; see also O’Rahilly 1942c, esp. 218–32, and 1942b).
Final SG -[aɾʲ] (-[aðʲ]) replaces the final syllable of the etymon with the Gaelic agent suffix -air, cf. SG iasgair ‘fisherman’ (< iasg ‘fish’) and, in loan-words, SG lanntair < Scots lantren or Eng. lantern, SG similear < Scots chimley ‘chimney’.
Cf. Cox (2008b, 174), whose analysis is based solely on Henderson’s form, also but incorrectly references SG seanair ‘grandfather’, which is a compound of sean ‘old’ and athair ‘father’.
SG carbhair (without lengthmark) ‘a carvel-built boat’ is recorded in MacLeod (2005, 125),
George MacLeod (Seòras Chaluim Sheòrais 1890–1969 (Hebridean Connections 23979˄) was from Breaclete, Bernera, Lewis.
along with the terms druim carbhair ‘carvel keel’
In an apparent typesetting error, druim carbhair is explained as ‘carvel knee’, but cf. druim clinceir ‘clinker keel’ (ibid.).
and reang carbhair ‘carvel rib’ (p. 8). An Carbhair was the local name for Liberal SY110, a 22ft-keel, carvel-built fishing boat registered in 1899 (Hebridean Connections 39698˄).
An Carbhair was owned by Malcolm Macdonald (Calum Aonghais) of Tobson, and skippered by Kenneth Macleod (Coinneach Chaluim Mhurchaidh Thormoid) of Hacklete, both in Bernera, Lewis (ibid.).