sennachien.
/ˈsɛnəxi/ In Ireland and the Scottish Highlands: One professionally occupied in the study and transmission of traditional history, genealogy, and legend; now chiefly Scottish a Gaelic teller of legendary romances.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > prose > narrative or story > legend or folk tale > [noun] > study of legend or folk tale > one who
sennachie1534
storiologist1862
1534 in State Papers Henry VIII (1834) II. 215 That no Yryshe mynstrels, rymours, shannaghes, ne bardes, unchaghes, nor messangers, come to desire any goodes of any man dwellinge within the Inglyshrie.
1685 E. Stillingfleet Origines Britannicæ Pref. p. xl Nay, why should the British History be questioned? since no doubt the Britains had Druids, Sanachies, and Bards as well as the Scots or Irish.
1775 S. Johnson Journey W. Islands 258 A great family had a Bard and a Senachi, who were the poet and historian of the house.
1827 W. Scott Highland Widow in Chron. Canongate 1st Ser. I. xi. 212 Her stores of legendary history..were augmented by an unusual acquaintance with the songs of ancient bards, and traditions of the most approved Seannachies and tellers of tales.
1862 J. F. Campbell Pop. Tales W. Highlands IV. i. 16 A Shanachie means a teller of old tales and traditions.
1870 J. H. Burton Hist. Scotl. to 1688 VI. lxv. 303 He was surrounded by a court or staff of sennachies—the bards and historians of his race.
1898 J. MacManus Bend of Road 53 Shanachy.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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