Salen
An Sàilean
Meaning
the little inlet of the sea
Location
Argyll & Bute
Argyll & Bute
PA72
NM575434
English / Map Form: Salen
Gaelic Form: An Sàilean
Location: Mull, Firth of Lorn, Argyll
Post Town: ISLE OF MULL
Postcode area: PA72
County: Argyll & Bute
Local Authority: Argyll & Bute
Nearest Main Roads: A849
English / Map Form: Salen
Gaelic Form: An Sàilean
Language Notes
G fem. def. art. an (with t- before vowels) + nom. sg. sàilean, fem. = ‘the little inlet of the sea’Element Meaning
G sàilean ~ little inlet of the sea
Sources
Salein 1801 Langlands
Salan Columkil 1824 Thomson
Salen 1843×1845 NSA vii, 287 et passim [village and parish]
Salen-dubh-Challum chille 1843×1845 NSA vii, 287 [“Near the small village of Salen are the ruins of a cell which belonged to the monastery of Iona. A rivulet which runs past it, is called the Preacher’s Burn, Ald-an-tsearmaniche; and tradition affirms, that it got this name from the circumstance of St Columba’s coming there occasionally to preach. It is said that the want of good water alone prevented his settling there. The village is called Salen-dubh-Challum chille, i.e. Malcolm of the cell’s black bay.”]
Salen burn 1843×1845 NSA vii, 357 [i.e. Allt na Searmoin]
An Sàilein Muileach 1902 Dwelly iii, 1026
’s an t-Sàilean Mhuileach 1939 Mòd Ionadach na Dreòllainne programme [“Mòd Ionadach na Dreòllainne gu bhi air a chumail ’s an t-Sàilean Mhuileach”; dative form; non-slenderisation of noun and adjective indicates that sàilean is masculine; nom. *An Sàilean Muileach; online at https://digital.nls.uk/120754492]
Bun-Sgoil an t-Sàilein 2019 Modern school sign and road sign [genitive form from nom. An Sàilean]
Our thanks to Dr Alasdair C. Whyte, University of Glasgow, for the above forms.
