Words we use (Sep 2000)

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Words we use (Sep 2000)

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From: "J.F-Smith" <jferg@xx.co.nz>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000

Och weel I micht as weel say a few words....! Since you set the topic.
Here in New Zealand there have been very many Scots words, indeed some
Gaelic words adopted/absorbed into the everyday Kiwi language.
There is a High Country sheepstation area in NZ where the sheepdogs are
still commanded in Gaelic! Although it's questionable whether the Shepherds
ken what they are saying!
Anyway, almost everyone uses the word " Wee" e.g.in NZ.
I recall some great and I believe really descriptive words such as
" Och awa'we ye daft Gowk"
" Yer Glaikit!"
"Stop yer greetin'"
" geez a keek"
Where did Hen come from as in " c'mon hen gie's a dance"
Ditto " Keelie" as perhaps in Glesca Keelie"
The kind that used to spend their annual holidays in Saltcoats/What time of
year was the Glesca fair when a' the folk frae the Gorbals - it seemed came
doon to the Three Towns?
We sometimes couldnae " THOLE" them or found it hard to!
The use of the word " Whiles." for sometimes?
I " whiles" used to go doon the Parade at Saltcoats on a Saturday /Sunday to
"hae a geek at the Lassies!" In ma' best " Claes"

Anyway all it's an interesting topic and I'm looking forward to being
reminded o' some awfu' guid Auld Scots words1

Best wishes all
John


From: "Mike Morrison" <bhoys71@xx.com>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000

This brings to mind an occurrence I was involved in a number of years ago. My father had past away (God rest his soul) and I had returned from Canada for the funeral. A couple of days later I went to the Bay Hotel with my brother , Frank, and my cousin, Cathy, who had come over for the Funeral from New Jersey.

Anyway, we had drowned our sorrows and closed the Bay, but of course, we still had some alcohol to finish, so we slipped them under our coats and proceeded to walk home to the High Flats, (all 12 stories of them I think), as we were passing the Melbourne Cafe a car pulled up and rolled down it's window, and the gentleman inside said, CID, put down those drinks, luckily for us there was a distubance down Hamilton St. and the car sped off, just before they left I turned to my cousin from New Jersey, who was fumbling in her purse, I asked her what she was doing and she replied,

"He wanted to see our ID, so I was looking for my driver's licence".
Don't you just love those Americans.

Mike Morrison, now living in Whitby, Ontario, Canada.


From: "morag black" <bramble2@xx.net>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000

How about scunner' and scunnert, gowpin as feet were invariably after a day's shopping up and down Sauchiehall St. Huntigowt (April Fool's day) ,Stoater,(good looking lassie), pechin' as in pantin' and pechin,. My Gran would use scale for spill and timpt for empty and ashet for a dish. Bachle -away ye silly wee bachle -and bahookie, the use of both in the same sentence might lead to a rammy! Pauky, douce and dour. Boke, as in the dry boke, a friend suspects that's old English but I've never heard it anywhere but Scotland. Fasht for Angry. Shoogle, tumble yer wilkies Did you ever plunk school or play peevers, snib the door or get a dunt in the arm?

A phrase that I don't think particularly Scottish my mum would use if I asked for say, a new pencil or drawing paper was 'There's more pencils in this house than tongue can tell..' I heard it as 'than Duncan Tell', which I thought must be some wonderful department store. It wasn't 'till I asked if we could go there that the bubble was burst! Don't know if these spellings are correct.


From: "Hugh Docherty" <thepapa1@xx.com>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000

I've been lurking on this list for quite a while. Haven't participated because I have no direct link to the 3 towns. However, my great grandmother was Christina Jenkins and she was born in Saltcoats in 1840. My father came from Auchinleck. Congratulations to Hugh on his TOTW idea. Great move!

Reading the mail brought back memories of my granny. She too used the word thole. As when speaking of her daughters cat. "Yon black cat is a thief, and I cannot thole a thief."

My dad had a rhyme that went "The wee man cam' ower the hill, chapped at the door, keeked in, liftit the sneck and walked in." All the while, tapping on the forehead, peeping in the eye, lifting the nose and trying to put his finger in the mouth. Needless to say, we kids learned the Scottish tongue in an amusing way.

By the way, as you might guess, I'm American, but a lot of Scotland is in me.

Hugh Docherty


From: "Hugh McCallum" <hewmac@xx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2000

In keeping with this topic:

Tae a Fert... by Rabbie Burns.

Oh what a sleekit horrible beastie
Lurks in yer belly efter the feastie
Jist as ye sit doon among yer kin
There sterts to stir an enormous wind
The neeps and tatties and mushy peas
Stert workin like a gentle breeze
But soon the puddin wi the saucie face
Will huv te blawn all ower the place
Nae matter whit the hell ye dae
a'bodys gonnae huv tae pay
Even if ye try tae stifle
It's like a boollet oot a rifle
Hawd yur bum tight tae the chair
Tae try and stop the leakin air
Shift yursel fae cheek tae cheek
Prae tae God it diznae reek
Bur aw yur efforts go assunder
Oot it comes like a clap o' thunder
Ricochets aroon the room
Michty me a sonic boom
God almichty it fairlae reeks
Hope a hunae shit ma breeks
Tae the bog a' better scurry
Aw whit the hell, its no ma worry
A'body roon aboot me chokin
Wan ur two ur nearly bokin
Ah'll feel better fur a while
Cannae help but raise a smile!
Wiz him! Ah shout with accusin glower
Alas too late, he's jist keeled ower
Ya durtae bugger they shout and stare
Ah didnae feel welcome eny mair
Where e're ye be let yur wind gang free
Sounds like jist the job fur me
Whit a fuss it Rabbie's perty
Ower the sake o' wan wee ferty.

Hugh McCallum
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