The use of 'W' in place of 'L' in words such as 'làmhan' (hands) or 'latha' (day) has been called the Eigg cluck, as it has been identified with the Isle of Eigg where the feature is found.  However, as the map shows, the feature is more widespread than that. It is also found in western Argyll e.g. in Ardnamurchan, Lismore and Moidart.  In these cases, the SGDS shows that there are differences of pronunciation between L and W e.g. in Eigg itself, it is given as 'wl' whereas in Arnamurchan it is shown as 'lw'. The clearest use of 'W' has been found in native speakers of St Kilda (which was evacuated in 1930).  This use of L=W in St Kilda is also found where 'L' is not the first letter e.g. in 'clach' (stone), 'balg' (bag), 'ball' (limb) or 'sluagh' (crowd).  However, in 'bliadhna' (year), two of the three St Kildans in the survey used L=L, while the third substituted L=R.

Another distinctive feature of Gaelic as spoken on St Kilda was the substitution, in some cases, of 't' or 'st' for a slender 'c', e.g. 'loisg' (burn) is in the Survey as (wesht) and 'uisge' (water) is 'eshta'.

 

The substitution of 'W' for 'L' is also found in a Gaelic dialect of Cape Breton in Canada.

 

The accompanying map also shows other substitutions for 'L'.  In Islay, 'D' is used instead of 'L' e.g. latha (day) is pronounced da?a, where ? represents a glottal stop. Another less common variation is the use of 'th', in southern Mull and the adjacent small island of Easdale.