Useful Scots Words

This picture is 'acquired' from Graham Stewart's blog on the BBC Site using the Scots language. 

It is dated from last year but worth a read - if you can cope with the Scots language!

Language is a flowing medium. Words used in one era are unacceptable today. 'Peculiar' for instance, once implied you stood out from the crowd, as in 'a peculiar people,' which would possibly be rendered, 'an exclusive people,' today. Similarly words used in one part of Scotland are not used in another. Anyone called 'George' in Edinburgh is often referred to as 'Dode!' Why I do not know, I can only tell you that it is so! I am unaware of this happening anywhere else in Scotland but remain open to contradiction.  


Here are some words I occasionally use down here in the English wilderness and I must confess wish I could use more often. How ever the mind responds to those around us and they rarely come to mind here. Funnily enough crossing the border enables Scots words to rise to the surface of the mind. For instance on one occasion I was flying into Edinburgh airport (I was in a plane) and as we flew over the darkened Firth of Forth, the lights of Kirckaldy on one side and similar lights from Leith glimmering on the left, the plane shuddered in the air flow. "Gey shoogly," I thought to myself, and realised immediately that had I been approaching Stansted I would have remarked "A lot of turbulence around tonight."  Scots words are indeed more homely, and in that case more appropriate!


Here are some I like.The come from the 'First Foot Dictionary,' which is a must read! 


Barry  Splendid, good, wonderful

Clatty  Actually this is Clarty in Edinburgh. 

               Adj-- meaning dirty,unkempt as in-- He could dae wae a guid wash!

Dreich  ADJ.Description of the usual Scottish weather viz:Damp, dreary, overcast, drizzling, threatening to pish doon, looks like it will stay like this for weeks.......

      

Drookit  Soaked to the skin.

               Ah'll need tae get hame an dry aff,that rains got me drookit.

Galoot  An idiot.  A wonderful word, and often put into use near me, er hold on.....
             Yah big galoot ye, yuv let the aligator oot.


Glaikit  Another of my favourite words! Much used in my family!
ADJ. Stupid, foolish, thoughtless, vacant. As in "Awa, yi glaikit bastirt!" 
           Often used of gadgies, minkers and schemies.


numptie moron.  This is the snob way of spelling this. 


Numpty (Numb tea). A useless individual.See that Hugh Keevins?
               He's a right numpty, see that Chick Youngl? He's a real numpty.


Nyaff (Kneeyaff). Annoying wee bugger, especially applicable to a politician. 
               See you ya wee nyaff if ye dinnae bugger aff yer gettin' a bash in yer mooth


Peelly wally  Unwell, extremely pale and tired - usually referred to children (and me) when unwell


Teuchter   Anyone living outside the central belt of Scotland. Actually it is the folks north of the central  belt the highlanders! To the Lowlanders they are indeed Teuchters!


Toerag A scamp, scallywag, mild form of bastirt. (from forces slang "Tuareg"-an Arab)


Radge Adj. Crazy person, madman. What you looking at me for? 
               Verb. To do something crazy