v1.0
Published 01/10/24
geàrraidh m. [ˈɡ̊ʲɑːɍi],
In weakly stressed position, for example as generic in qualified place-names such as SG Geàrraidh a’ Bhàird NB360201, [ ̩ ɡ̊ʲɑˑɍi] or even [ ̩ ɡ̊ʲɑɍi] or [ ̩ ɡ̊ʲɑɍə] may be heard (Cox 2022, 727–28). In the plural, geàrraidhean, geàrrannan and geàrrachan are found (Cox 2002a, 58).
gen. idem, is derived from ON gerði nt. ‘field, enclosed piece of land’ (NO) by, for example, Henderson (1910, 117, 19: ON gerdi [sic]), MacBain (1911), MacLennan (1925), Borgstrøm (1940, 26, 205), Oftedal (1956, 57, 108, 127, 153; 1972, 119; 1980, 173), Cox (1992, 138; 2002a, 162; 2007b, 59–62; 2022, 727–28) and McDonald (2009, 357).
ON gerði yields EG *[ˈɡʲeɍʲðʲə], yielding *[ˈɡʲeːɍʲðʲə], with lengthening of the stressed vowel before r + consonant (as in ON garð acc. > SG gàrradh, q.v. – before the development of stressed epenthesis), yielding *[ˈɡʲeːɍʲʝə], with the development of the dental to a velar fricative, yielding SG *[ˈɡ̊ʲeːɍ(j)iː],
With [ɍʲ] /ʀʲ/ falling together with [ɍ] /ʀ/, as in SG fairrge (Lewis) [ˈfɑɍ͡ɑɡ̊ʲə] /fɑʀ͡ɑɡ´ə/ ‘sea, ocean’.
with vocalisation of the fricative (as in EG áirġe *[ˈaːɾʲʝə] > SG àirigh [ˈaːɾʲi] ‘sheiling’), which in turn yields SG geàrraidh [ˈɡ̊ʲɑːɍi], after shortening of unstressed vowels in Scottish Gaelic, and with lowering of the stressed vowel before /ʀ/ (e.g. EG ferr ‘better’ > SG fèarr > feàrr).
SG geàrraidh probably retains the sense ‘enclosure, enclosed land’ in older Gaelic-originated place-names in Lewis, particularly in village names (e.g. Geàrraidh na h-Aibhne NB235318, Na Geàrrannan NB193441) or those within villages (e.g. An Geàrraidh Mòr NB252467). Geàrraidh is synonymous with SG buaile (s.v. bòl) in the sense ‘enclosure’ in Harris;
Faclan bhon t-Sluagh˄, s.v. gearraidh.
cf. also the open compounds (Harris) geàrraidh-buntàta ‘potato enclosure’, geàrraidh-feòir ‘hay enclosure’
Faclan bhon t- Sluagh˄, s.v. gearraidh buntata, gearraidh feoir.
and (South Uist) geàrraidh-càil ‘cabbage enclosure’.
McDonald 1972, s.v. gearra-càil: ‘Islands’.
Perhaps because such enclosures were often built beside or against the main house, perhaps in some cases formed from the walls of previous house structures, the primary sense ‘enclosure’ was extended to (Lewis) ‘the grassy ground immediately surrounding a house or sheiling hut,
Oftedal 1954, 377.
the site of a shieling,
Borgstrøm 1940, 26, 205.
or the grassy area where a sheiling once stood’,
Cox 2022, 727.
cf. ‘home pasture, sheiling’ (MacLennan 1925). Further extensions include (Harris) ‘an area of more than 12 lazybeds’,
Faclan bhon t-Sluagh˄, s.v. gearraidh.
‘pastureland between shoreland and moorland’,
Henderson 1910, 117; MacBain 1911.
(North Uist) ‘reclaimed moorland’,
Faclan bhon t-Sluagh˄, s.v. gearraidh.
and ‘moorland’.
Faclan bhon t-Sluagh˄, s.v. gearraidh (corrected to geàrraidh).
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For ON gerði in Old Norse loan-names in Scottish Gaelic, see for example (Lewis) SG Geardha Bheag (Cox 2022, 725–29) and, in final position, Àsmaigearraidh (465–68), Beagnaigearraidh (509–12), Crothairgearraidh (661–62), Mol Chadhaigearraidh (815–18), Tuimsgearraidh (959–62) and, in reduced form, Teànnraigir (707–08).