English / Map Form: Carbost
Gaelic Form: Càrrabost
Location: Skye, Inner Hebrides
Post Town: ISLE OF SKYE
County: Inverness-shire
Local Authority: Highland
Nearest Main Roads: B8009
English / Map Form: Carbost
Gaelic Form: Càrrabost
Genitive Form: Chàrraboist
Language Notes
Perhaps ON kjarr-bólstaðr: ON stem form kjarr, neut. 'copse, brushwood, fen or marsh' + ON nom. sg. bólstaðr, masc. 'farm'Element Meaning
Perhaps ON kjarr ~ copse, brushwood, fen or marsh; bólstaðr ~ farm
Sources
| Carraboist | 1596 RMS vi no. 453 |
| Carobost | 1688 Retours (Inverness) no. 109 |
| Cari’s town: Kari, Norse proper name, also kjarra-bolstadhr | Forbes 1923, 102 |
| [“kʰɑ:Rə,bost] | Local source, Sgianaidean |
| [“kʰɑ:Rə,bost] | Local source, Sòdhaigh |
| [“kʰɑ:Rə,bɔst] | R. Cox |
Additional Information
There are multiple instances of this name. The derivation here follows that of Gammeltoft (106-107) who briefly discusses the issue of the medial [a]. ON kjarr is also discussed by Oftedal (1954 (no.113)) under an entry for Kershader.