Beurla Reagaird (; previously also spelled ''Beurla Reagair'') is a nearly extinct, Scottish Gaelic-based cant used by the indigenous travelling community of the

Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Albania * Dukagjin Highlands Armenia * Armenian Highlands Australia * So ...

of Scotland, formerly often referred to by the disparaging name "

tinker Tinker or tinkerer is an archaic term for an itinerant tinsmith who mends household utensils. Description ''Tinker'' for metal-worker is attested from the thirteenth century as ''tyckner'' or ''tinkler''. Some travelling groups and Roman ...

s".

Name

loosely translates as "speech of metalworkers" in reference to their traditional occupation of being traveling blacksmiths.Kirk, J. & Ó Baoill, D. ''Travellers and their Language'' (2002)

Queen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

Although ''Beurla'' today refers to the

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to t ...

, its original meaning is that of "jargon" (from

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writte ...

, ''bél'' "mouth" plus the abstract forming suffix ''-re''),MacBain, A. ''An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language'' (1896; 1982 reprint) Gairm with the second element being linked to the word ''eagar'' "order, array, arrangement" (cf. the Irish ''Béarla na Saor'' "speech of the smiths").Neat, T. ''The Summer Walkers'' (1996; 1997 reprint)

References

Scottish Travellers Cant languages Scottish Gaelic dialects Mixed languages {{Lang-stub

Name

See also

References