Destination: Edinburgh
Practical Matters
Edinburgh
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You'll have no difficulty in understanding the people of Edinburgh, who tend automatically to modulate their accent when speaking to non-Scots. But there are many words and expressions that are uniquely Scots and used in everyday conversation, here are a few:
LANGUAGE
auld old; Edinburgh is often called Auld Reekie, a reference to its smoking chimney-pots which once cast a pall over the city
awfy very; a person might be described as `awfy auld'
belong come from; an Edinburgh native says `I belong tae Edinburgh'
ben mountain; Ben Nevis is the highest in Scotland and the UK
blether to chatter or a garrulous person; `she's an awfy blether'
bonnie pretty, attractive; `that's a bonnie blink' meaning a fine view
brae slope or hillside
braw fine, `he's a braw laddie'
burn stream
cairn a pile of stones, often on the top of a hill or acting as a memorial
ceilidh an informal gathering to tell stories and singsongs; now often an organised entertainment with a Scottish theme
clan Highland tribe or family group owing allegiance to a chief
couthy homely and comfortable
douce gentle and kind; can be used to describe weather conditions
dram a drink of whisky
dreich dreary, wet and dull; used about the weather but also about people and gatherings
first-foot the first visit paid to neighbours and friends after the start of New Year, traditionally with a bottle of whisky
fouter fiddle around
glen a Highland valley
gloaming dusk
guttered drunk
haar fine summer sea mist found on east coast
harling mixture of limestone and gravel used to cover exterior house walls
hen affectionate and informal mode of address to a female
Hogmanay New Year's Eve
ken to know; either a fact or a person `D'ye ken the High Street?', `I dinnae ken Jock Fisher'
kirk church
laird estate landowner
lassie girl
lugs ears
lum chimney; as in `lang may your lum reek' - ie good health
manse vicarage; the home of the minister
messages food shopping; `I'm awa' tae get the messages'
policies grounds or parkland surrounding a substantial house
pend vaulted passage or archway
quaich a two-handled drinking bowl
sarnie sandwich
Sassenach originally a non-Gaelic speaking Lowlander, now usually a non-Scot
scunnered displeased, fed up
stay live; 'I stay in Edinburgh'
stravaig wander aimlessly, and pleasurably, about
stushie argument, fight
trews tartan trousers
wynd narrow lane between houses
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