Posted by Kate on July 16, 2001 at 12:35:03:
In Reply to: Re: Kilts... The Long and the Short of it... posted by Theresa on July 16, 2001 at 11:50:22:
: Hello, Kate, and thanks. After reading your statement, visions of the MacWilliam encampment came to mind and I now think I know the difference in these two terms. Gee, you always learn something here. Now, if I only knew how to pronounce them.
: Theresa
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:
: : : : Thanks for the warning Theresa.
: : : : How serious is this situation? Are we talking feileadh beag or feileadh mor?
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: : : Scott, I have no idea what you're talking about being kinda new to all of this myself. My suggestion would be to ask someone from the MacWilliam Clan. As far as the seriousness of the situation...well, my sense of it is it's as serious as you want it to be.
: : : Theresa
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: : Oh believe me, Scott!! We're talking BOTH 'small and great', here!! The MacWilliam Boys have been seen parading around in the 'Beag' while our own Soldier #2 prefers to keep EVERYTHING covered and thus favours the 'mor'!!
: : Serious? As Theresa says, it's only as serious as you wish to take it!! :o)
: : Kate.
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Yep, you're right, Theresa! If you want to learn something, this is the place to learn it!! As to how to pronounce the names of these kilts, it's actually easy - once you know!! :o) The 'Feileadh Beag' or 'Small (short) kilt', is phonetically pronounced 'filla beg' and the 'Feileadh Mhor' (or 'Great (long) kilt') is pronounced 'filla more'. See? Easy!! :o)
Perhaps you'll find the following interesting:
'But it was the fierce blast from the North and from the East that inspired the Great Kilt - the plaid (or blanket) that the Highlander wore as protection from the biting cold and the damp which penetrated every bone and sinew of his body.
This plaid came off the loom about twelve ells long. It would then be halved and stitched to form six ells of double-width material (an ell in Scotland was just over a yard). When it was worn it was pleated, or kilted, in order to provide a good thickness of material around the vital organs. It formed a very effective protection from the cold and could be drawn up over the head to keep out the wind and the rain.
It could also be readily discarded in the heat of the battle to allow greater freedom of movement and one battle in the 16th Century take its name from garment worn immediately under the plaid. This was the battle of "Blaire-na-Leine" (the Field of Shirts). This garment was the long-tailed shirt which the Highlander could tie between his legs, but history does not record what he wore underneath the shirt!
...By the way, it has several names in Gaelic and in English: it is also called the great kilt, the great plaid or belted plaid, the breacan feile, the feileadh mhor or philamore'.'
(from... 'The Tartanweb' - 'how to wrap the Great Kilt'.)
Clear it up any? :o)
Take care,
Kate.