A strath is a large valley, typically a river valley that is wide and shallow (as opposed to a glen, which is typically narrower and deep).
Word and etymology
An anglicisation of the Gaelic word srath, it is one of many that have been absorbed into the English and Scots languages. It is commonly used in rural Scotland to describe a wide valley, even by non-Gaelic speakers.
In Scottish place-names, Strath- is of Gaelic and Brittonic origin.Strath- names have a similar origin to Gaelic srath, meaning "broad-valley", as well as to Cumbric and Pictish cognates (cf. Welsh ystrad).
Gaelic srath is derived from Old Irish srath, recorded as having meant "grassland". The modern Scottish Gaelic sense of "broad-valley", paralleling the meaning of Brittonic cognates, developed from substrate influence from Pictish.
Toponymy
It occurs in numerous place names within Scotland including Strathmore, Strathspey and Strathclyde. Abroad, many places with Scottish heritage also use the prefix, including Strath-Taieri in New Zealand; Strathalbyn in South Australia, Strathfield, a suburb of Sydney, Australia; Strathewen, Victoria, Australia; Strathpine, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia; and various places in Canada: Strathmore, Alberta; Strathcona; Strathroy, Ontario; and Strathburn, Ontario.
It also occurs in the names of five Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company liners, four of which, the Strathaird, the Strathnaver, the Stratheden and the Strathmore, carried thousands of migrants to Australia between the 1950s and the 1960s. The ships acted as troop carriers during the Second World War and the fifth ship, the Strathallan, sank in the Mediterranean in 1942 taking troops to the landings in North Africa.
The word is related to Welsh Ystrad, as in Strat Clut, the Old Welsh name for the Kingdom of Strathclyde.
In Keith there is a distillery producing the Strathisla whisky. It is a single malt whisky that is also an ingredient to the blend Chivas Regal.
In geology
In geology, a strath is a bedrock surface within a river valley that marks a base level of erosion by the river. This may underlie a contemporary strath valley floor, corresponding to the present base level, but it may also correspond to a former base level now preserved in the geologic record.
When a river in a strath valley is rejuvenated by a drop in base level, remnants of the former valley floor may be preserved as strath terraces. These may record past climate oscillations or may be a result of river meandering.
If a change in sedimentation rates results in renewed deposition of sediments (aggradation) in a strath valley, the original strath surface may be buried under fresh sediments and become part of the geologic record. For example, at least three such straths are present in the valley of the Rio Grande River near Albuquerque, New Mexico.
See also
- Annandale, Dumfries and Galloway
- Dale (place name element)
References
- T. A. Gibson (1835). Etymological Geography: Being a Classified List of Terms of Most Frequent Occurrence, Entering, as Prefixes or Postfixes, into the Composition of Geographical Names. Oliver & Boyd. p. 23. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
- James, Alan G. "The Brittonic Language in the Old North - A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence" (PDF). Scottish Place Name Society. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- Hall, Mark A; Driscoll, Stephen T; Geddess, Jane (11 November 2010). Pictish Progress: New Studies on Northern Britain in the Early Middle Ages. Brill. ISBN 9789004188013. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
- "The Strathallan Story". Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007.
- Thornbury, William D. (1969). Principles of geomorphology (2d ed.). New Delhi: CBS Publishers. pp. 111, 196. ISBN 8123908113.
- Thornbury 1969, p.196
- Pan, Baotian; Burbank, Douglas; Wang, Yixiang; Wu, Guangjian; Li, Jijun; Guan, Qingyu (2003). "A 900 k.y. record of strath terrace formation during glacial-interglacial transitions in northwest China". Geology. 31 (11): 957. doi:10.1130/G19685.1.
- Fuller, Theodore K.; Perg, Lesley A.; Willenbring, Jane K.; Lepper, Kenneth (May 2009). "Field evidence for climate-driven changes in sediment supply leading to strath terrace formation". Geology. 37 (5): 467–470. doi:10.1130/G25487A.1.
- Finnegan, Noah J.; Dietrich, William E. (February 2011). "Episodic bedrock strath terrace formation due to meander migration and cutoff". Geology. 39 (2): 143–146. doi:10.1130/G31716.1.
- Connell, Sean D.; Love, David W. (2001). "Stratigraphy of middle and upper Pleistocene fluvial deposits of the Rio Grand (post-Santa Fe Group) and the geomorphic development of the Rio Grande Valley, Northern Albuquerque Basin, Central New Mexico" (PDF). New Mexico Burea of Geology and Mineral Resources Open File Reports. 454B: 167–178. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
A strath is a large valley typically a river valley that is wide and shallow as opposed to a glen which is typically narrower and deep The River Spey flowing through StrathspeyWord and etymologyAn anglicisation of the Gaelic word srath it is one of many that have been absorbed into the English and Scots languages It is commonly used in rural Scotland to describe a wide valley even by non Gaelic speakers In Scottish place names Strath is of Gaelic and Brittonic origin Strath names have a similar origin to Gaelic srath meaning broad valley as well as to Cumbric and Pictish cognates cf Welsh ystrad Gaelic srath is derived from Old Irish srath recorded as having meant grassland The modern Scottish Gaelic sense of broad valley paralleling the meaning of Brittonic cognates developed from substrate influence from Pictish ToponymyIt occurs in numerous place names within Scotland including Strathmore Strathspey and Strathclyde Abroad many places with Scottish heritage also use the prefix including Strath Taieri in New Zealand Strathalbyn in South Australia Strathfield a suburb of Sydney Australia Strathewen Victoria Australia Strathpine a suburb of Brisbane Australia and various places in Canada Strathmore Alberta Strathcona Strathroy Ontario and Strathburn Ontario It also occurs in the names of five Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company liners four of which the Strathaird the Strathnaver the Stratheden and the Strathmore carried thousands of migrants to Australia between the 1950s and the 1960s The ships acted as troop carriers during the Second World War and the fifth ship the Strathallan sank in the Mediterranean in 1942 taking troops to the landings in North Africa The word is related to Welsh Ystrad as in Strat Clut the Old Welsh name for the Kingdom of Strathclyde In Keith there is a distillery producing the Strathisla whisky It is a single malt whisky that is also an ingredient to the blend Chivas Regal In geologyIn geology a strath is a bedrock surface within a river valley that marks a base level of erosion by the river This may underlie a contemporary strath valley floor corresponding to the present base level but it may also correspond to a former base level now preserved in the geologic record When a river in a strath valley is rejuvenated by a drop in base level remnants of the former valley floor may be preserved as strath terraces These may record past climate oscillations or may be a result of river meandering If a change in sedimentation rates results in renewed deposition of sediments aggradation in a strath valley the original strath surface may be buried under fresh sediments and become part of the geologic record For example at least three such straths are present in the valley of the Rio Grande River near Albuquerque New Mexico See alsoAnnandale Dumfries and Galloway Dale place name element ReferencesT A Gibson 1835 Etymological Geography Being a Classified List of Terms of Most Frequent Occurrence Entering as Prefixes or Postfixes into the Composition of Geographical Names Oliver amp Boyd p 23 Retrieved 21 March 2013 James Alan G The Brittonic Language in the Old North A Guide to the Place Name Evidence PDF Scottish Place Name Society Retrieved 14 June 2020 Hall Mark A Driscoll Stephen T Geddess Jane 11 November 2010 Pictish Progress New Studies on Northern Britain in the Early Middle Ages Brill ISBN 9789004188013 Retrieved 30 June 2019 The Strathallan Story Archived from the original on 9 October 2007 Retrieved 20 December 2007 Thornbury William D 1969 Principles of geomorphology 2d ed New Delhi CBS Publishers pp 111 196 ISBN 8123908113 Thornbury 1969 p 196 Pan Baotian Burbank Douglas Wang Yixiang Wu Guangjian Li Jijun Guan Qingyu 2003 A 900 k y record of strath terrace formation during glacial interglacial transitions in northwest China Geology 31 11 957 doi 10 1130 G19685 1 Fuller Theodore K Perg Lesley A Willenbring Jane K Lepper Kenneth May 2009 Field evidence for climate driven changes in sediment supply leading to strath terrace formation Geology 37 5 467 470 doi 10 1130 G25487A 1 Finnegan Noah J Dietrich William E February 2011 Episodic bedrock strath terrace formation due to meander migration and cutoff Geology 39 2 143 146 doi 10 1130 G31716 1 Connell Sean D Love David W 2001 Stratigraphy of middle and upper Pleistocene fluvial deposits of the Rio Grand post Santa Fe Group and the geomorphic development of the Rio Grande Valley Northern Albuquerque Basin Central New Mexico PDF New Mexico Burea of Geology and Mineral Resources Open File Reports 454B 167 178 Retrieved 31 July 2020
