Scottish words help!!
Francesco Tondelli
I'm Giulia from Italy and I'm writing my uni thesis on three scottish
writers: James Kelman, Duncan McLean and Alan Warner!!Is there anybody who
can help me with the meaning of some scottish words I can't find anywhere?
If possible I'd like to know if they belong to some scottish dialects :-))
The words are:
yark
taing
godawful
cowking
lowsing
thrower
on the ran dan
uphellyaa
hurrorah-borealis
cowardy ben
to get blootered
bammycain
mishmash
scoosh case
maw
chubb
clatty
bampot
hats-off-to-ye
eedjit
drookit
humpty dumty
ever kept budgies
at the fanny
Thank you very very very much for your kind help ;-D
Giulia
http://www.wedding-service.co.uk/
Some of these Scottish words or phrases may be a tad rude for a lass of
tender years like yersel but here goes ........
> The words are:
> yark
> taing
> godawful
God awful = Bloody terrible
> cowking
> lowsing
> thrower
> on the ran dan = Out on the town, looking for skirt or available ladies
> uphellyaa = Norse festival from the Hebredies
> hurrorah-borealis
> cowardy ben
> to get blootered = to take more alcoholic drink than is wise for a young
man
> bammycain
> mishmash = a mishmash of potage as is this reply to your elegant posting
> scoosh case
> maw = Mother, Mum, Mummy, Mother Dearest can I have five quid ....
> chubb = Chubb lock (type of lock) Chibb - Hit with a hammer
> clatty = Dirty - You clatty woman
> bampot = I have been called a "Bampot" in this very News Group,
but successfully sued the perpetrator. "Bampot" means a stupid, daft person.
> hats-off-to-ye = doffing ones hat in respect
> eedjit = like "Bampot" means a stupid, daft person.
> drookit = like drookin - soaking wet after a heavy shower of rain
> humpty dumty
> ever kept budgies
> at the fanny = Telling lies, being deceitful or at the vagina.
d@ve @llison, Dundee, Scotland
http://www.wedding-service.co.uk/
"Francesco Tondelli" <fton...@libero.it> wrote in message
news:9trr2d$nkm$1...@news.ngi.it...
Robert, (Auld Bob), Peffers
>
> I'm Giulia from Italy and I'm writing my uni thesis on three scottish
> writers: James Kelman, Duncan McLean and Alan Warner!!Is there anybody who
> can help me with the meaning of some scottish words I can't find anywhere?
> If possible I'd like to know if they belong to some scottish dialects :-))
Frae Auld Bob Peffers, (From Old BobPeffers),
Hi,Giulia, I will do my best for you.
>
> The words are:
> yark
Yark is a variation of, *Yerk*, it has several meanings. 1 - to lace or bind
tightly. 2 beat, whip, break, strike, hammer. 3 - To crack down on, to or
the sharp sound of striking. There are many other meanings but those are
the most common.
> taing
Taing may be a variation on taings, tangs. Meaning tongs.
godawful
godawful is not really a Scots word it is, *God Awful*, meaning very bad.
> cowking
cowking. I can only assume it is from, *cowk, (couk)*, to vomit or to retch
probably would more likely be spelled , *cowkin*.
> lowsing
lowsing. Literally, *loosing*, but is usually used to mean to stop work and
is more often spelled, *lousing*, in the phrase, *lousing time*, the time to
finish work.
> thrower
Thrower is a coal mining term mostly in Fife. It is a passage cut through a
coal seam, probably from, *througher* or a tunnel going through.
> on the ran dan
On the ran dan has many shades of meaning from having a riotous time to
having a dirty weekend.
> uphellyaa
Uphellya. is a fire festval in Shetland and this gives a clue to many of
the words used as they mostly seem to have a Shetland slant to their use.
see http://www.uphellyaa.com/
> hurrorah-borealis
Aurora Borialis - The Northern Lights. see -
http://www.aviation.ca/bowvalley/aurora.html
> cowardy ben
Cowardy ben. Not sure but probably just means a coward.
> to get blootered
Blootered is to get very, very drunk.
> bammycain
Bammycain. I do not know this word.
> mishmash
Mishmash
Mishmash is an English word for a confused mixture.
> scoosh case
Scoosh case Don't know the phrase but scoosh is to come out like the jet of
liquid when a soft drink is shaken. Scoosh has therefore become a word for
soft drinks so probably a scoosh case could be a crate for soft drink
bottles.
> maw
Maw, is Mother.
> chubb
Chubb is a maker of door locks and is often just used to mean any door
lock.. Chubb could perhaps be a corruption of, *chib*, which is a, (usually
concealed), knife.
> clatty
clat is a lump so I assume clattie to be lumpy. I have heard the term used
to mean filthy, dirty or messy.
> bampot
Bampot is an idiot.
> hats-off-to-ye
Hats-off-to ye. is, *hats off to you*, it is an expression of admiration.
]
> eedjit
eedjit is idiot.
> drookit
drookit is litteraly drowned but usually means soaked to the skin or
drenched.
> humpty dumty
Humpty Dumpty was a character from a nursery rhyme but there may be sexual
connotations, (depending on the context it is used in).
> ever kept budgies
Ever kept budgies may have some other meaning but is, *have you ever kept
budgerigars*?
> at the fanny
at the fanny is not specifically Scots and is probably at the vagina
Graham McDermott
Peffers <b...@peffers50.freeserve.co.uk> writes
>
[great explanations removed for brevity.....]
>> scoosh case
>
>Scoosh case Don't know the phrase but scoosh is to come out like the jet of
>liquid when a soft drink is shaken. Scoosh has therefore become a word for
>soft drinks so probably a scoosh case could be a crate for soft drink
>bottles.
>
Scoosh case means something is easy.
If its easy then its described as a scoosh case. Sometimes also
shortened to mean you found something easy, as in "I scooshed it." (I
found it easy). Or "It was a scoosh" (it was easy).
I havent heard it in years - may just be a West Glasgow thing.
--
GMcD
Brian C
note of. I read the list and could see some were 'regional'
things. And some I didn't know..;)
There isn't really one 'scottish' dialect, which an italian may
not realise.
Graham McDermott
Peffers <b...@peffers50.freeserve.co.uk> writes
>
>
>
>Humpty Dumpty was a character from a nursery rhyme but there may be sexual
>connotations, (depending on the context it is used in).
This one puzzled me too, but I had another thought and perhaps with some
context we might know more about it....
Could be rhyming slang?
Humpty Dumpty == numptie (as in idiot)
I noticed a couple of the words were words for idiot or similar so the
author of the original texts may have been searching a bit for another
word for the same thing and used rhyming slang instead? Just a guess -
dont take it as anything other than that.
Cant say as I've ever heard it used in any form other than the nursery
rhyme, but then again I've heard people ask for a pint of Mick in one
pub (never anywhere else, at least not that I remember), where Mick was
Mick Jagger = Lager. Rhyming slang can be fairly local unless it gets
popular through the TV or radio.
--
GMcD
Adam Whyte-Settlar
"Graham McDermott" <gra...@bankieboy.demon.coNOSPAM.uk> wrote in message
news:j$UQ7LAxW...@bankieboy.demon.co.uk...
Usually describing an exam question that he thought was easy.
Not sure where he was from though.
A W-S
ian-s...@blueyonder.co.uk
Tondelli" <fton...@libero.it> :
>Hi there!
>
>I'm Giulia from Italy and I'm writing my uni thesis on three scottish
>writers: James Kelman, Duncan McLean and Alan Warner!!Is there anybody who
>can help me with the meaning of some scottish words I can't find anywhere?
>If possible I'd like to know if they belong to some scottish dialects :-))
>
Auld Bob sorted out most of them for you.
Although I think he got a couple wrong.....<g>
But I'm a Glaswegian !
>
>The words are:
>chubb
Possibly an alternative spelling of "Choob"
A stupid person
>
>at the fanny
Messing about, wasting time.
More often heard as, "fannying around (or about)"
-- The Despicable Stewart
-- Perfidious Alban
-- http://www.scs.informer.ukgateway.net/
Mike MacKinnon
"Robert, (Auld Bob), Peffers" <b...@peffers50.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in
message news:9ts2lt$4v9$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Francesco Tondelli" <fton...@libero.it> wrote in message
> news:9trr2d$nkm$1...@news.ngi.it...
> > Hi there!
> >
>
> > bammycain
>
> Bammycain. I do not know this word.
Means a lunatic asylum. My dad used to use it all the time.
cf. 'He should be in the Bammycain!'
Mike
http://www.wedding-service.co.uk/
>
> cf. 'He should be in the Bammycain!'
Runs in the Family ?
d@ve @llison, Dundee, Scotland
http://www.wedding-service.co.uk/
"Mike MacKinnon" <mmack...@nospam.pgpower.com> wrote in message
news:1uMM7.1219$_3....@news.iol.ie...
MA Fraser
SNIP
> > GMcD
> One of my tutors at college used the phrase 'it's a scooshie' quite a lot.
> Usually describing an exam question that he thought was easy.
> Not sure where he was from though.
> A W-S
Never heard of scooshie but I have come across scoosh as in soak. If
we were ever told that a question was a stooshie on the other hand,
then we would know it was hard.
Mark.
Adam Whyte-Settlar
"MA Fraser" <mfraser...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:444d6155.01112...@posting.google.com...
Stooshie - hmmm - no - I am pretty sure it was 'scooshie' he used to say. He
was a bit weird though.
The adorable
Adam Whyte-Settlar
- destined to be forever in the minority.
Adam Whyte-Settlar
<ian-s...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:onn50ucjuulcbb3b9...@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 25 Nov 2001 23:23:45 +0100, I read these words from "Francesco
> >chubb
>
> Possibly an alternative spelling of "Choob"
> A stupid person
I thought the word was 'Tube'.
Leastways I once saw some graffitti on an oil rig construction site which
read;
'Pythagerus was a square, man!'
and underneath some Weegie had written
'Aye, and yir a f*****' tube, pal!'
--
ian-s...@blueyonder.co.uk
Whyte-Settlar" <grawi...@hotmail.com> :
>
>"MA Fraser" <mfraser...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:444d6155.01112...@posting.google.com...
>> "Adam Whyte-Settlar" <grawi...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news
>> SNIP
>> > > GMcD
>> > One of my tutors at college used the phrase 'it's a scooshie' quite a
>lot.
>> > Usually describing an exam question that he thought was easy.
>> > Not sure where he was from though.
>> > A W-S
>>
>> Never heard of scooshie but I have come across scoosh as in soak.
Yes, "scoosh", normally to "squirt" water from a water pistol or hose
(as against throwing a bucket of water).
>
>> If we were ever told that a question was a stooshie on the other hand,
>> then we would know it was hard.
I think this is the old "sounds similar" problem.
It's more likely to have been the word, "stushie", he used.
(An argument or an upset)
A difficult question would therefore "cause a stushie".
In this context, an upset or panic ('cos you don't know the answer)
>>
>> Mark.
>
>Stooshie - hmmm - no - I am pretty sure it was 'scooshie' he used to say.
West Coasters would say "scoosh" or "scoosh case", I'll hazard a guess
he was from further East. They have a tendency to add "ie" to a word,
eg. The "mannie" came into the house !
Comments needed from Auld Boab, methinks.
Helen Ramsay
> West Coasters would say "scoosh" or "scoosh case",
In Fife, scoosh would mean to squirt with a liquid. It also means
lemonade/pop.
I'll hazard a guess
> he was from further East. They have a tendency to add "ie" to a word,
> eg. The "mannie" came into the house !
>
> Comments needed from Auld Boab, methinks.
I'm not Auld Boab, but I'd say the tendency to add 'ie' to the end of words
is more likely to come from Angus than Fife. My Mother was born and raised
in Arbroath and it's definitely very common there.
--
Cheers, Helen
Remove 39 from my address.
Chic McGregor
<hel...@39western.wave.ca> wrote:
><ian-s...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote
>
>> West Coasters would say "scoosh" or "scoosh case",
>
>In Fife, scoosh would mean to squirt with a liquid. It also means
>lemonade/pop.
>
In Perth it would mean that, or something that was easy to accomplish.
'Doddle' was also used for the latter meaning.
>I'll hazard a guess
>> he was from further East. They have a tendency to add "ie" to a word,
>> eg. The "mannie" came into the house !
>>
>> Comments needed from Auld Boab, methinks.
>
>I'm not Auld Boab, but I'd say the tendency to add 'ie' to the end of words
>is more likely to come from Angus than Fife. My Mother was born and raised
>in Arbroath and it's definitely very common there.
>
>--
>Cheers, Helen
>Remove 39 from my address.
>
regards
chic
>
>
David A. Allan
"Helen Ramsay" <hel...@39western.wave.ca> wrote in message
news:X8PN7.6805$6a.8...@read1.cgocable.net...
<snip>
> I'm not Auld Boab, but I'd say the tendency to add 'ie' to the end of
words
> is more likely to come from Angus than Fife.
Certainly is from Angus, Helen! ;-)
David
ian-s...@blueyonder.co.uk
Allan" <daa...@pd.jaring.my> :
Now folks, I didn't specify Fife !
I just said, "further East".
After all, it's *all* furrin territory over that way !
D & R...........
Helen Ramsay
>
> "Helen Ramsay" <hel...@39western.wave.ca> wrote
> <snip>
> > I'm not Auld Boab, but I'd say the tendency to add 'ie' to the end of
> words
> > is more likely to come from Angus than Fife.
> <snip>
>
> Certainly is from Angus, Helen! ;-)
>
Helen Ramsay
> On Sat, 1 Dec 2001 09:58:31 +0800, I read these words from "David A.
> Allan" <daa...@pd.jaring.my> :
>
> >"Helen Ramsay" <hel...@39western.wave.ca> wrote
> >> I'm not Auld Boab, but I'd say the tendency to add 'ie' to the end of
> >words
> >> is more likely to come from Angus than Fife.
> ><snip>
> >
> >Certainly is from Angus, Helen! ;-)
>
> Now folks, I didn't specify Fife !
That's true. Your reference to Auld Boab, who as we all know lives in Fife,
led me to that assumption.
> I just said, "further East".
Aye! Aye!
> After all, it's *all* furrin territory over that way !
Depends on who's talking.
> D & R...........
Aye, an weel yi micht!
www.wedding-service.co.uk/
> "David A. Allan" <
NO Relation to David A. Allison
(Alisdair)
David A. Allan
<snip>
> Nice to see you have a wee bittie time to look in on us David ;-)
Oh, I do pop in once in a while, just to see what's up...miss keeping
regular track of SCS though, I must admit.
(Ahm awa hame tae Scotland on the 14th!)
Cheers
David
Helen Ramsay
> > Nice to see you have a wee bittie time to look in on us David ;-)
>
> Oh, I do pop in once in a while, just to see what's up...miss keeping
> regular track of SCS though, I must admit.
>
> (Ahm awa hame tae Scotland on the 14th!)
Safe journey and hae a bridie fur me ;-)
ejaycee
<ian-s...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:5vah0ucpbhab2a3qs...@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 1 Dec 2001 09:58:31 +0800, I read these words from "David A.
> Allan" <daa...@pd.jaring.my> :
>
> >
> >"Helen Ramsay" <hel...@39western.wave.ca> wrote in message
> >news:X8PN7.6805$6a.8...@read1.cgocable.net...
> ><snip>
> >> I'm not Auld Boab, but I'd say the tendency to add 'ie' to the end of
> >words
> >> is more likely to come from Angus than Fife.
> ><snip>
> >
> >Certainly is from Angus, Helen! ;-)
>
> Now folks, I didn't specify Fife !
> I just said, "further East".
> After all, it's *all* furrin territory over that way !
>
> D & R...........
>
The obligatory 'ie' is added to just about everything.
We have cossies, vegies, bikies, wheelies, moanies,
chickies, brekkies................now I know where it came from LOL
Are you also responsible for the dreadful habit of ending every sentence
with 'but' - it doesn't even make any sense.
I went to the shops but.
I had my tea but.
Gee the weather was hot but.
--
Ejaycee
in the heart of Tasmania
shaking her head but
Robert, (Auld Bob), Peffers
"ejaycee" <ejan...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:5soO7.114473$e5.3...@newsfeeds.bigpond.com...
The word is a perfectly good Scots word when properly used at the end of a
sentence or phrase. The English equivalent is, *though*. While not condoning
its overuse, - *Ah murmell it its pittin doon, but*.
--
Aefauldlie, (Scots for Sincerely),
Auld Bob Peffers,
b...@peffers50.freeserve.co.uk
Web Site, *The Eck's Files*
http://www.peffers50.freeserve.co.uk/
ARealHighlander
Another meaning for you - MAW
A Maw is someone normally from the Islands of NW Scotland who come from a
rural part of the Island (most of the islands then!)
On the Isle of Lewis people who stay in the town were called Townies, and
people who came from the 'country' were anyone from any of the rural parts
of the Island, and were called Maws.
Regards, Ray
ejaycee
"Robert, (Auld Bob), Peffers" <b...@peffers50.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in
message news:9udorf$72p$1...@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "ejaycee" <ejan...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
> news:5soO7.114473$e5.3...@newsfeeds.bigpond.com...
> >
> > with 'but' - it doesn't even make any sense.
> >
> > I went to the shops but.
> > I had my tea but.
> > Gee the weather was hot but.
--
> > Ejaycee
> > in the heart of Tasmania
> > shaking her head but
> >
> Frae Auld Bob Peffers:
> The word is a perfectly good Scots word when properly used at the end of a
> sentence or phrase. The English equivalent is, *though*. While not
condoning
> its overuse, - *Ah murmell it its pittin doon, but*.
> --
You know Bob I had a sneaking feeling you were pulling
my leg, so I got down my Collins Gem Scots Dictionary
(all 5" x 5" of it) and low and behold there it was.
"In the Glasgow area but is often used as the last word in a sentence to
emphasise what has been said in the rest of the sentence, especially when
this contradicts or quantifies what has previously been said by either the
speaker or someone else."
Sort of makes sense when you see it like that
Barnaby
I'd always asumed it was an Irish thing that had taken root in Glasgow.
Everyone in Belfast says it, but.
Robert, (Auld Bob), Peffers
snip
> > its overuse, - *Ah murmell it its pittin doon, but*.
> > --
>
> You know Bob I had a sneaking feeling you were pulling
> my leg, so I got down my Collins Gem Scots Dictionary
> (all 5" x 5" of it) and low and behold there it was.
>
> "In the Glasgow area but is often used as the last word in a sentence to
> emphasise what has been said in the rest of the sentence, especially when
> this contradicts or quantifies what has previously been said by either the
> speaker or someone else."
> Sort of makes sense when you see it like that
>
>
> --
> Ejaycee
> in the heart of Tasmania
>
>
>
>
Now would I kid a girl? Did you look up murmell while you were at it? Guid
auld Scots word that.
Adam Whyte-Settlar
> "David A. Allan" <daa...@pd.jaring.my> wrote
> >
> > "Helen Ramsay" <hel...@39western.wave.ca> wrote > <snip>
> > > Nice to see you have a wee bittie time to look in on us David ;-)
> >
> > Oh, I do pop in once in a while, just to see what's up...miss keeping
> > regular track of SCS though, I must admit.
> >
> > (Ahm awa hame tae Scotland on the 14th!)
>
> Safe journey and hae a bridie fur me ;-)
hae twa bridies - a plennun en en enginen anaw.
--
ejaycee
>
> "ejaycee" <ejan...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
> news:vEHO7.125233$e5.4...@newsfeeds.bigpond.com...
> snip
> > > its overuse, - *Ah murmell it its pittin doon, but*.
> > > --
> >
> > You know Bob I had a sneaking feeling you were pulling
> > my leg, so I got down my Collins Gem Scots Dictionary
> > (all 5" x 5" of it) and low and behold there it was.
> >
> > "In the Glasgow area but is often used as the last word in a sentence to
> > emphasise what has been said in the rest of the sentence, especially
when
> > this contradicts or quantifies what has previously been said by either
the
> > speaker or someone else."
> > Sort of makes sense when you see it like that
> >
> >
> > --
> > Ejaycee
> > in the heart of Tasmania
> >
> >
> >
> >
> Frae Auld Bob Peffers:
> Now would I kid a girl? Did you look up murmell while you were at it? Guid
> auld Scots word that.
> --
Robert, (Auld Bob), Peffers
It just means to protest.
David A. Allan
> "David A. Allan" <daa...@pd.jaring.my> wrote
> >
> > "Helen Ramsay" <hel...@39western.wave.ca> wrote > <snip>
> > > Nice to see you have a wee bittie time to look in on us David ;-)
> >
> > Oh, I do pop in once in a while, just to see what's up...miss keeping
> > regular track of SCS though, I must admit.
> >
> > (Ahm awa hame tae Scotland on the 14th!)
>
> Safe journey and hae a bridie fur me ;-)
Thanks - I certainly will!
David
David A. Allan
>
> "Helen Ramsay" <hel...@39western.wave.ca> wrote in message
> news:HRgO7.10527$6a.1...@read1.cgocable.net...
> > "David A. Allan" <daa...@pd.jaring.my> wrote
> > >
> > > "Helen Ramsay" <hel...@39western.wave.ca> wrote > <snip>
> > > > Nice to see you have a wee bittie time to look in on us David ;-)
> > >
> > > Oh, I do pop in once in a while, just to see what's up...miss keeping
> > > regular track of SCS though, I must admit.
> > >
> > > (Ahm awa hame tae Scotland on the 14th!)
> >
> > Safe journey and hae a bridie fur me ;-)
>
> hae twa bridies - a plennun en en enginen anaw.
Och, Ah'm suir Ah'll hae mair thin *twa*, Adam! ;-)
David
David A. Allan
<snip>
> Are you also responsible for the dreadful habit of ending every sentence
> with 'but' - it doesn't even make any sense.
>
> I went to the shops but.
> I had my tea but.
> Gee the weather was hot but.
Don't know if it's related (although it probably is), but I have noticed
many of my friends in Northern Ireland ending sentences in "but", but....
;-)
David