From Michael Ansell – 25 July 2020
Thanks Alan
I am struggling with the phonetic terminology so please forgive me but to me the Scots/English sound combination that would come closest to the sound of G craobhach would be something like cròovoch or crùvoch, kind of like cruffock I guess. It’s not clear to me why the ‘ao’ sound should have been represented by ‘eo’ in Scots. Having said that I don’t think it is common to see ‘oo’ combinations in old Scots charters, perhaps this wasn’t done and they had to use something else like ‘eo’. Maybe that is what you are saying below.
With respect to Kirriereoch (yes I would say an ceathramh riabhach but for pronunciation) there is a form from RMS 1592 in Carreoch (carre +och?) which is approximating to the modern pronunciation of Kirrie-òach. James Dorret’s map 1750 has Kireroh. However Blaeu has Kererioch very much pointing to the brindled quarterland. It’s interesting there is the Kirerroch near Loch Dee and the Kirreoch on the shoulder of Corserine, both of which are closer to how Kirriereoch is pronounced today.
There’s also Croy near Cumbernauld.
Kind Regards
Michael