Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†GOLLA, GULLA, n. Also gulya, goill-, golja, gul-. [′gʊʎɑ]
1. “A young woman who assists at the christening of a child” (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., gulla, 1888 Edm. & Saxby Naturalist 184, gulja, 1908 Jak. (1928), golla, golja); a godmother (Jak.).Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 144:
They [fairies] even required the services of the children of men for fiddlers, howdies, gulyas and nurses.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 60:
Mi sister, Eppie, . . . wis auchteen whin doo wis born, an' doo's shürely heard dy midder tellin' at shü wis goillya ta dee.
2. A midwife (Sh. 1825 Jam., gulla, 1914 Angus Gl.).
[O.N. kolla, woman (only in combs.); Norw. dial. kolla, id., Sw. dial. kulla, a ewe, an unmarried woman.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Golla n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 26 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/golla>
