The Great Scots Language ‘Debate’
I have to admit that I’m becoming increasingly fed up with the constant barrage of criticism directed towards the Scots language. And I am going to call it a language, for want of a better term, because I’m not a linguist, just an ordinary Scot who recognises (and uses) many of the words that seem to be causing so much consternation. To use a favourite phrase, I’ve never heard sic a load o’ piffle.
The Vocab List
Just this morning, on Twitter, a list of words caught my attention. It’s a vocabulary list that’s being handed out in some Scottish schools as part of the Scots lessons. It appeared to be causing a bit of a stooshie, so I thought I’d have a look and see just how ridiculous some of the 18 words were that had made it onto the list.
Spoiler alert: I recognised 17 of them as belonging to the set of words that I either use regularly or would have no trouble comprehending in a normal conversation. I don’t think, for one second, that they’re all traditional Scots words, but language evolves.
Thoughts From An Ordinary Chap
For what it’s worth, here are my thoughts on this particular list:
sannies gymshoes
Not an old Scots word but certainly one that I grew up with. I can imagine that it’d cause some amusement south of the border, where the mental image might be one of strapping slices of bread to a child’s feet.
sark man’s shirt
Not a word that I use, nor one that I hear often. I recognised it just fine, though.
shin shoes
Again, not a word that I use. However, you’d certainly hear it if you spoke with my dad (and mentioned footwear).
simmet vest
I do use this one, usually in a jokey way, but I heard it lots when I was growing up.
peeny apron
I’m more familiar with this being pronounced “pinny” but peeny isn’t foreign to me. I don’t wear one but I do love the word.
baffie slipper
Slippers have always been, and will always be, baffies when I refer to them. It’s quite possibly my favourite word.
breeks trousers
Not a word I use often, though I have been known to when exalting my daughters to adjust their attire e.g. “Pu’ yer breeks up. Yer erse is hingin’ oot!”
bunnet hat
I usually associate this with a man’s cap thanks to my maternal grandfather’s love of his bunnet. I’ve also heard it used to refer to much fancier millinery at weddings and the like.
goonie nightdress
Definitely one that I’ve used many times over the years, often as a general reference to nightwear.
gutties trainers
Most folk I know would regard this as a synonym for sannies. It wasn’t in regular use in my part of Fife as I was growing up.
bothy hut
This is a word that I associate with hiking / hillwalking. I wouldn’t, for example, use it to refer to a garden shed, which was often called a hut in my younger days.
brae hill
The given translation is hill, but this is a word that I use regularly to describe any kind of incline, from a rise of a few metres to a full blown mountain.
shoogle shake
Shoogle is, quite simply, a wonderful word. It ranks alongside baffie, for me, and it’s one that I make regular use of.
scoosh squirt
Another word that I use all the time without even realising it. “Just a wee scoosh o’ Coke in that vodka, please.”
skiddle splash
This is the one word in the list that is unfamiliar to me. I might start using it, or it might be forgotten by tomorrow.
skint grazed
Many’s the time that I skint my knees and elbows while out playing. I’m still not immune to it as I approach the half century. Such a lovely word, even if it does evoke some painful memories.
skelf splinter
This is a funny word that I used to hear folk use, though in our house it was always pronounced “skelb”. I’ve no idea why but they’re the same thing, and bloody painful.
skite slide
“He didnae see the ice and went skitin’ along on his erse”. How could you not like this word? It has darker connotations, too, when it’s used to mean a glancing blow as in: “Ah’ll skite yer lug if ye dae that again!” (a classic mother’s warning to an errant child).
So What?
Indeed, so what? Scots isn’t “Ned speak”. It’s perfectly possible to use a wide variety of Scots words in general conversation without sounding like an uneducated delinquent.
“But my kids won’t be able to communicate in the modern world!”. Pish. They’ll make themselves understood just as kids always have. Knowing some fine Scots words might just make that communication a wee bit more fun and interesting. I’ve even found myself using Scots words in meetings with English and US customers, just to liven things up. People love to learn new words and are keen to share their own local words and phrases with you.
Don’t let politicians lay claim to our words and wrap them in a flag but, if they try to, don’t let that be a reason to deny a big part of your country’s heritage.
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