The Scottish Prisoner

On the other hand … they certainly had plans (as used in Lord John’s sense) in the 18th century—and presumably, a man with an orderly mind would have listed his plans either as 1, 2, 3, or A, B, C (if not I, II, III). WhatImeantersay is, it could reasonably be regarded as simple common-sense usage, rather than as a figure of speech—and IF so, it isn’t anachronistic.

If you think it might trouble folk unduly, though, I can certainly reorder his lordship’s language, if not his plans.

To which the editor luckily replied:

Dear Diana

That all makes perfect sense. In fact, the more I think about it, the more it sounds like the natural expression of an orderly 18th-century mind. So let’s keep it.

Scots/Scottish/Scotch—As I’ve observed in the notes to other books, the word “Scotch,” as used to refer to natives of Scotland, dropped out of favor in the mid-twentieth century, when the SNP started gaining power. Prior to that point in history, though, it was commonly used by both Scots and non-Scots—certainly by English people. I don’t hold with foisting anachronistic attitudes of political correctness onto historical persons, so have retained the common period usage.

“Yellow-johns”and “swarthy-johns”were both common Irish insults of the period used in reference to the English, God knows why (cf. Ireland and the Jacobite Cause, 1685–1766: A Fatal Attachment, by Йamo

Gаidhlig/Gaeilge

The Celtic tongue spoken in Ireland and Scotland was essentially the same language—called “Erse”—until about 1600, at which point local variations became more pronounced, followed by a big spelling shift that made the Gaelic of the Highlands ( Gаidhlig) distinct from the Irish Gaelic ( Gaeilge). The two languages still have much in common (rather like the relation between Spanish and Italian), but would have been recognizably different even in 1760.

Now, with reference to my own novels, I did know that Gaelic was the native tongue of the Scottish Highlands, when I began writing Outlander. Finding someone in Phoenix, Arizona (in 1988), who spokeGaelic was something else. I finally found a bookseller (Steinhof’s Foreign Books, in Boston) who could provide me with an English/Gaelic dictionary, and that’s what I used as a source when writing Outlander.

When the book was sold and the publisher gave me a three-book contract, I said to my husband, “I think I really must seethe place,” and we went to Scotland. Here I found a much bigger and more sophisticated Gaelic/English dictionary, and that’s what I used while writing Dragonfly in Amber.

And then I met Iain. I got a wonderful letter from Iain MacKi

At this point, Iain was no longer able to continue doing the translations, but I was extremely fortunate in that a friend, Catherine MacGregor, was not only a student of Gaelic herself but was also a friend of Catherine-A

And then I rashly wrote a book that not only involved Scottish Gaelic andIrish, but actually employed the language as a plot element. Fortunately, Cathy and Cathy-A

One thing about Gaelic is that it doesn’t look anythinglike it sounds—and so my ever-helpful Gaelic translators kindly offered to make a recording of themselves reading the bits of Gaelic dialogue in the book aloud, for those curious as to what it really sounds like. You can find this recording (and a phonetic pronunciation guide) on my website at www.DianaGabaldon.com, or on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AuthorDianaGabaldon.

Gaelic and Other Non-English Terms

Here, I’ve just listed brief common expressions that aren’t explicitly translated in context.

         Moran taing—thank you

         Oidhche mhath—good night

         Mo mhic—my son

         Scheisse!—Shit! (German)

         Carte blanche—literally “white card,” used as an expression

        in picquet to note that one holds a hand with no points. In

        more general parlance, it means one has the freedom to do

        anything in a given situation, as no rules apply.

         Sixiиme—Sixth

         Septiиme—Seventh

To those selfless champions of a beautiful and beloved language who have so kindly helped me with Gaelic translations through the years:

Iain MacKi

 (Gaelic/ Gаidhlig): Voyager, Drums of Autumn,

The Fiery Cross, and A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Catherine MacGregor and Catherine-A

 (Gaelic/ Gаidhlig) : An Echo in the Bone,

The Exile, and The Scottish Prisoner

Kevin Dooley (Irish /Gaeilge) : The Scottish Prisoner

Moran Taing!