The place names of upper Deeside

Adam Watson, Elizabeth Allan, 1984

A review by Joe Dorward

The place names of upper Deeside (1984)

It has been known for at least a century that the proper collection of Gaelic place names was more than problematic - experts in the field have know all along the difficulties involved.  In 1915 the (even then) noted expert on Gaelic place names William Watson was asked by the editor of the Cairngorm Club Journal to comment on their proposed collection of place names in the Cairngorms - his response hit the nail on the head :

there is one condition necessary, and that is that the names, so far as possible, shall be checked from the mouths of Gaelic speakers, especially Badenoch and Braemar. This is not a piece of work that can be done by any chance man who can read and write Gaelic ; it is work for an expert … it should be obvious that a discussion that does not start with firm data [local pronunciations collected by an expert] is futile … The one thing needful, the native pronunciation in Gaelic, is the one thing that nobody thinks of ascertaining

– William Watson (ccj 46, January 1916, p133-134)

That's important - because getting place names right is not just about writing the right the words down.  It's also about getting the subtler aspects of language such as dialect, and pronunciation right too. And that, as William Watson makes clear, is not a job any Gaelic speaker can do right.

There's no doubt the Gaelic of western Aberdeenshire was different from the Gaelic spoken in the rest of Scotland. It had 'different words for things', and when the words were the same - they had different connotations.

A good example of the 'different words for things' is given in Alexander (1928) - where the author writes :

The name of this cottage, Ruigh nan Clach, is interesting as preserving the word ruigh (pron. rui), the term used in the Gaelic of the eastern Highlands for a summer sheiling, corresponding to airidh (ary) in western Gaelic

- Alexander (1928) (p57)

A good example of the different connotation is given in Gordon (1948) - where the author writes :

This spur is known as Sròn an Daimh, the Nose of the Hart, and perhaps takes its name from some celebrated stag which had his home or was shot here. The Gaelic word damh (of which the genitive is daimh) is correctly applied to an ox, but the older generation of Mar stalkers used the word when speaking of a stag

- Gordon (1948) (p342)

Interestingly Seaton Gordon got to know the hills of western Aberdeenshire when Gaelic was still everyday speech in Mar Forest, and he did what he could to preserve the place names in his writing, while seeking expert advice from William Watson.

These two examples give a good idea about how much work The place names of Upper Deeside demanded from the authors over the ten or more years it took to compile.  The result speaks for the authors - it shows they understood 'all of the above', and why they though it a job worth doing.  To some extent The place names of Upper Deeside is a continuation of work all ready in progress - much of the understanding required to do the job right is evident in Watson (1975) – where the author writes :

The most accurate pronunciations are given by older local people who have lived all their lives in a small area and whose parents also lived there. Many of those who know the area well as climbers nevertheless err when pronouncing a lot of the place names

– Watson (1975) (p 21)

If you're beginning to think this sounds like a near impossible task - I'm with you.  I'm not nearly qualified to take this job on (and wouldn't if I were). Just imagine copying all the place names on an Ordnance Survey map - never mind asking the locals what they mean.  The place names of Upper Deeside speaks for itself, and the huge amount of effort it required by the authors.  Although I don't have enough Gaelic to pass judgement on the Gaelic-side, I'm a critical enough reader of the English-side, and find their explanations of Gaelic derivations convincing enough that I consider this book the definitive work on the subject.

The book's flaws are few, and minor - the most annoying is an inconsistent use of English, and Scots in the translations - allt is translated to burn ; alltan to burnie ; but caochan is translated to streamlet.  Similarly the Bràigh in Am Bràigh Riabhach is translated to upland, while the Bhruthach in A' Bhruthach Mhór is translated to brae - leaving us to speculate on the possible significance on these inconsistencies.

There's no doubt the authors did the best possible job on The place names of Upper Deeside.  It's probably too-late for anyone else to do a better job.  Fortunately for us - Watson and Allen didn't start too-late, and the result of their painstaking work is the most authoritative work on the subject.  I don't think I could overstate my own high-regard for it.  This is a creditable piece of work, and I regard my own copy as priceless.