Alexander Macbain
Encyclopedia
Alexander Macbain (1855-1907) was a Scottish philologist, best known today for An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language (1896).
, Inverness-shire) and grew up in poverty. A native Gaelic speaker, he learned English at the Irish General Assembly school in Badenoch (1863-1870), whose teacher was Alexander Mackenzie
. As a teenager, he taught for half a year at the Dunmullie School in Boat of Garten
(1870-71), attended Baldow School in Badenoch, was employed by the Ordnance Survey
in Scotland and Wales (1871–74) and returned to Baldow School for another term. Having obtained a bursary, Macbain was accepted at Old Aberdeen Grammar School (1874) and subsequently studied at King's College, Aberdeen
(1876), where he graduated with an MA in philosophy.
, which had just become the secondary school for the entire highlands
. Raining's school became part of the High Public School in 1894–95, for which Macbain continued to work until his death. He was made Legum Doctor
at Aberdeen University in 1901 and received his pension in 1905. During the last two decades of his life, Macbain was one of the leading figures in a Gaelic intellectual circle which met in Inverness and Edinburgh. The group included both older members, such as Alexander Nicolson, Alexander Carmichael
and Donald Mackinnon, and a younger generation which included Father Allan McDonald
, William J. Watson
, George Henderson
and Kenneth McLeod
. Macbain never married. On 4 April 1907, he died of a cerebral haemorrhage in Stirling
. He was buried in his home district Badenoch, in the Rothiemurchus churchyard.
(d. 1888) had made from texts found in manuscripts. The result was the two volumes of Reliquiae Celticae (1892–94). He also published an annotated edition of W. F. Skene's The Highlanders of Scotland (1902) and of the History of the Mathesons by his former teacher Alexander Mackenzie; contributed to an edition of Evan MacEachen's Gaelic Dictionary; and was editor for Celtic Magazine (1886-1888) and Highland Monthly (1889-1902).
Many individual papers were published in the proceedings of the Gaelic Society of Inverness and the Inverness Field Club
. His first book was Celtic Mythology and Religion, which appeared in 1885 (reprinted 1917). The work for which he is best known today is the philological milestone An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language (1896). Macbain published a critical edition of the Book of Deer
and contributed entries on the Picts
in Chambers's Encyclopaedia
, articles for magazines and newspapers and reviews for the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness (1880–1903). He was responsible for two popular textbooks, Gaelic Reader and, together with John Whyte
, How to Learn Gaelic.
MacBain was highly critical of Skene's position of the Pictish language
as Q-Celtic in character. It has been suggested that the degree of animosity evident in MacBain's treatment of Skene may have been for personal reasons and that he was biased against him.
Selected publications
Early life and education
Macbain was born in Balguish Farmhouse, Glenfeshie (BadenochBadenoch
Badenoch is a traditional district which today forms part of Badenoch and Strathspey, an area of Highland Council, in Scotland, bounded on the north by the Monadhliath Mountains, on the east by the Cairngorms and Braemar, on the south by Atholl and the Grampians, and on the west by Lochaber...
, Inverness-shire) and grew up in poverty. A native Gaelic speaker, he learned English at the Irish General Assembly school in Badenoch (1863-1870), whose teacher was Alexander Mackenzie
Alexander Mackenzie
Alexander Mackenzie, PC , a building contractor and newspaper editor, was the second Prime Minister of Canada from November 7, 1873 to October 8, 1878.-Biography:...
. As a teenager, he taught for half a year at the Dunmullie School in Boat of Garten
Boat of Garten
Boat of Garten is a small village and post town in Badenoch and Strathspey, Highland, Scotland. In 1951, the population was less than 400; in 1971, it was almost 500; in 1981, it was almost 700, and the same in 2001.-Etymology:...
(1870-71), attended Baldow School in Badenoch, was employed by the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
in Scotland and Wales (1871–74) and returned to Baldow School for another term. Having obtained a bursary, Macbain was accepted at Old Aberdeen Grammar School (1874) and subsequently studied at King's College, Aberdeen
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
(1876), where he graduated with an MA in philosophy.
Professional career
In July 1880, Macbain was appointed rector of Raining's school, InvernessInverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, which had just become the secondary school for the entire highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
. Raining's school became part of the High Public School in 1894–95, for which Macbain continued to work until his death. He was made Legum Doctor
Legum Doctor
Legum Doctor is a doctorate-level academic degree in law, or an honorary doctorate, depending on the jurisdiction. The double L in the abbreviation refers to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both Canon Law and Civil Law, the double L indicating the plural, Doctor of both...
at Aberdeen University in 1901 and received his pension in 1905. During the last two decades of his life, Macbain was one of the leading figures in a Gaelic intellectual circle which met in Inverness and Edinburgh. The group included both older members, such as Alexander Nicolson, Alexander Carmichael
Alexander Carmichael
Alexander Carmichael was a writer and folklorist, best known for his multi volume work Carmina Gadelica.-Life:...
and Donald Mackinnon, and a younger generation which included Father Allan McDonald
Allan McDonald
Allan McKenzie McDonald, DFC was an Australian politician.-Early life:McDonald was born at Winchelsea, Victoria, the fourth child of contractor Allan McDonald and Elizabeth, née McKenzie. He attended Winchelsea State School and subsequently worked as a farm labourer and then farmer...
, William J. Watson
William J. Watson
Professor William J. Watson was a toponymist, one of the greatest Scottish scholars of the 20th century, and was the first scholar to place the study of Scottish place names on a firm linguistic basis....
, George Henderson
George Henderson (scholar)
George Henderson was a scholar of Scottish Gaelic.-Life:Henderson was born on 18 February 1866 in Heughden, Kiltarlity, Inverness-shire in Scotland. He went to Raining's School in Inverness, where he was taught by Alexander Bain, a lexicographer of Scottish...
and Kenneth McLeod
Kenneth McLeod
Kenneth Archibald McLeod , was a politician in Alberta, Canada and a municipal councillor in Edmonton. He was also the builder of the McLeod Building, the Edmonton's first skyscraper.-Early life and career:...
. Macbain never married. On 4 April 1907, he died of a cerebral haemorrhage in Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
. He was buried in his home district Badenoch, in the Rothiemurchus churchyard.
Scholarly output
Macbain was involved in a substantial amount of editorial work. He worked together with Rev John Kennedy to publish the numerous transcripts which the late Rev Dr Alexander CameronAlexander Cameron
Alexander Cameron , known as the “Earl of Essex”, was an Irish-born businessman and lawyer who began the town of Essex and owned much of the land around Windsor, Ontario and Essex County in the late 19th century....
(d. 1888) had made from texts found in manuscripts. The result was the two volumes of Reliquiae Celticae (1892–94). He also published an annotated edition of W. F. Skene's The Highlanders of Scotland (1902) and of the History of the Mathesons by his former teacher Alexander Mackenzie; contributed to an edition of Evan MacEachen's Gaelic Dictionary; and was editor for Celtic Magazine (1886-1888) and Highland Monthly (1889-1902).
Many individual papers were published in the proceedings of the Gaelic Society of Inverness and the Inverness Field Club
Inverness Field Club
Inverness Field Club is based in Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland to promote interest in natural history, geology, archaeology and local history by way of extensive lecture and excursion programmes....
. His first book was Celtic Mythology and Religion, which appeared in 1885 (reprinted 1917). The work for which he is best known today is the philological milestone An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language (1896). Macbain published a critical edition of the Book of Deer
Book of Deer
The Book of Deer is a 10th-century Latin Gospel Book from Old Deer, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, with early 12th-century additions in Latin, Old Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It is most famous for containing the earliest surviving Gaelic literature from Scotland...
and contributed entries on the Picts
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
in Chambers's Encyclopaedia
Chambers's Encyclopaedia
Chambers's Encyclopaedia was founded in 1860 by W. & R. Chambers. It has no relationship with the Chambers' Cyclopaedia, or Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences of Ephraim Chambers in the 18th century, except that the latter shared the same name as the publisher of this.-History:The first...
, articles for magazines and newspapers and reviews for the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness (1880–1903). He was responsible for two popular textbooks, Gaelic Reader and, together with John Whyte
John Whyte
John Whyte may refer to:*John Whyte , former merchant and politician in Quebec*Jock Whyte, Scottish former footballer*John Henry Whyte, Irish historian and political scientist-See also:* John Whyte-Melville-Skeffington, 13th Viscount Massereene...
, How to Learn Gaelic.
MacBain was highly critical of Skene's position of the Pictish language
Pictish language
Pictish is a term used for the extinct language or languages thought to have been spoken by the Picts, the people of northern and central Scotland in the Early Middle Ages...
as Q-Celtic in character. It has been suggested that the degree of animosity evident in MacBain's treatment of Skene may have been for personal reasons and that he was biased against him.
Selected publications
- 1885. Celtic Mythology and Religion. Inverness. Available through the Internet Archive here and here.
- 1885. Ed. and tr. "The Book of Deer." Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness; vol. 11, pp. 137-66. Available from the Internet Archive
- 1895. Personal Names and Surnames of Inverness. Inverness.
- 1896, 1911. Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language. Inverness, 1911 (revised edition, originally published in 1896; reprinted in 1982 by Gairm, Glasgow). Transcribed online at Ceantar.org.
Secondary sources
- Black, Ronald. "Macbain, Alexander (1855–1907)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, 2004. Accessed: 2 Nov 2009.