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Gaelic Proverbs
Designed for those interested in the lore and tradition of a language, spoken until comparatively recently across much of Scotland, this is a compendium of Gaelic sayings and usage. The book includes notes, historical and social, and comparisons with sayings in different languages.
Alexander Nicolson, one of the best scholars of his day, has gathered together a wide-ranging collection covering such diverse topics as women and marriage, wise men and fools, friendship and courage, and poverty and wealth. The proverbs appear in Gaelic along with the English translation, carefully preserving the pith of the original. These sayings, which as Nicolson remarks in his Preface, 'come from thatched cottages and not baronial and academic halls', reflect keen intelligence and a distinct sense of humour. This is a comprehensive and important collection, with a foreword by Ian MacDonald of the Gaelic Books Council.
Alexander Nicolson, one of the best scholars of his day, has gathered together a wide-ranging collection covering such diverse topics as women and marriage, wise men and fools, friendship and courage, and poverty and wealth. The proverbs appear in Gaelic along with the English translation, carefully preserving the pith of the original. These sayings, which as Nicolson remarks in his Preface, 'come from thatched cottages and not baronial and academic halls', reflect keen intelligence and a distinct sense of humour. This is a comprehensive and important collection, with a foreword by Ian MacDonald of the Gaelic Books Council.
13 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2022
About the author
Alexander Nicolson
28 books2 followersAlexander Nicolson was a Scottish lawyer and Gaelic scholar. He was sheriff-substitute of Kirkcudbright and Greenock, and pioneer of mountain climbing in Scotland.
Giving up theology while at the Free Church College, Nicholson for some time worked as one of the sub-editors of the eighth edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. He moved on, to the staff of the Edinburgh Guardian, a short-lived literary paper of high literary quality. For a year he edited an advanced Liberal paper, the Daily Express, which later was merged into the Caledonian Mercury.
Nicolson was called in 1860 to the Scottish bar. For ten years he reported law cases for the Scottish Jurist, of which he became editor. He acted as examiner in philosophy in the university, and examiner of births, etc., in Edinburgh and the neighbouring counties.
In 1883 Nicolson was appointed to the Napier Commission on the condition of the crofters because of his expertise on Gaelic culture. He was reponsible for the Commission's recommendation that Gaelic should be made a "specific subject" in schools and eligible for grants.
Giving up theology while at the Free Church College, Nicholson for some time worked as one of the sub-editors of the eighth edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. He moved on, to the staff of the Edinburgh Guardian, a short-lived literary paper of high literary quality. For a year he edited an advanced Liberal paper, the Daily Express, which later was merged into the Caledonian Mercury.
Nicolson was called in 1860 to the Scottish bar. For ten years he reported law cases for the Scottish Jurist, of which he became editor. He acted as examiner in philosophy in the university, and examiner of births, etc., in Edinburgh and the neighbouring counties.
In 1883 Nicolson was appointed to the Napier Commission on the condition of the crofters because of his expertise on Gaelic culture. He was reponsible for the Commission's recommendation that Gaelic should be made a "specific subject" in schools and eligible for grants.
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