Six letters to go. I’m actually sorry that this is winding down again this year, but I know that even I can’t devote this much quality time to blogging all year long.
Whenever I set a story in a place different from my own small section of the world, I like to familiarize myself with the terms and expressions commonly used there. Since Listen to the Stones is set on the Isle of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Northern Scotland, a place where Gaelic is spoken locally as well as Scottish and English, I’ve had to look up Gaelic terms to add a touch of realism to the story.
Most recently, I was looking for the word umbrella. In Scottish Gaelic, it’s sgàile, in Scottish, it’s gamp, and in UK slang, it’s brolly. Here, in my little corner of Canada, an umbrella is always called just that.
My husband believes that short women, I’m barely 5 feet tall, are a hazard. He isn’t wrong. We can put an eye out with one of those things. LOL. Back in high school, bubble umbrellas were all the rage. I had one trimmed in yellow and loved it. I could hold it down low to keep myself dry, not have to worry about the wind turning it inside out, and I could see where I was going. It was perfect. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you can still buy them today. Needless to say, I ordered one. As soon as it arrives, I’ll be safe under my umbrella, today’s song of the day.
That’s it for the letter U. Tomorrow we’ll talk about the letter V.
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Living the Dream 
Another great song. I still have the Best of the Hollies vinyl that was a gift from a friend for my 16th birthday.
In Australia we call them brollys too.
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Umbrellas, usually, rural north, but not much use – rain usually means wind too, and dead umbrellas in town litter bins.
Granddad used to say gamp- Not sure when I last heard brolly. , .
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That’s why I purchased a bubble umbrella. I think brolly is more Irish and English, but I found the use of so many words quite interesting. I like to add bits and pieces of the language when I’m writing a stort set in another country. I like to think it adds atmoshere.
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