Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1964, Page 221

Norse Steinn in Hebridean Place-Names
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The element steinn is almost certainly found also in the
following names: “Steishal” [s't'e:s'aL] in Lochs Parish
(Lewis); “Steishal” in the lake name “Loch Steishal” (pro-
nunciation unknown) in Uig Parish (Lewis); “Stenscholl”
(Gaelic spelling Steiseal acoording to E. Dwelly’s Gaelic-
English Dictionary, probably wrong for Steiseal) in Kilmuir
Parish (Skye); and “Steinisval” [s't'e:N's'avaL] in Uig Parish
(Lewis). All these represent O. N. Steins-fiall') ‘stone moun-
tain’ or possibly ‘Steinn’s mountain’, from the man’s name
Steinn, identical with the appellative. Further, there is a
promontory called “Steinish” near Stornoway (Lewis) and
a village of the same name some three miles east of Tar-
bert (Harris). Although I have no information on the
pronunciation of this name or on prominent stones on the
premises, I find it very likely that the name represents O. N.
Stein-nes, or possibly Steina-nes ‘stone promontory’ in both
cases. “Steisinish”, a promontory on the small island of
Killegray (Harris Parish), may be O. N. Steins-nes ‘stone
promontory’. The name may have some connection with a
nearby dún (fortified place) although the form of the name
points to some proininent single stone. “L.[ochJ Steinavat”,
near the road betwcen Lochmaddy and Sollas (North Uist)
may be O. N. Steina-uatn ‘stone lake’.
These names, as far as their pronunciation has been
ascertained, render the O. N. diphthong ei by the Iong
vowel [e:]. This is also the case in a wealth of other place-
names, such as “Breinish” [br'emis'], a village in Uig Parish
(Lewis) from O. N. Breið-nes ‘broad promontory’ (its situ-
ation confirms the meaning of the name, which is found
also on the minor island Pabbay (Harris Parish) and on
North Uist); “Breivig” [br'e:vig'] (Barra) from O. N. Breið-
!) [-vaL], also [-aL] after consonants, is the usual Mod. G. equivalent
of O. N. •fiall or -fell ‘mountain’ (in the Hebrides also applied to quite
low hills). As it is now impossible to decide which of the two Norse
forms was preferred in the Hebrides, the form fiall is arbitrarily chosen
here.