share Scots words

whoops

In Scotland (esp Fife and Lothians); a roadsweeper or a person who would push a two-dustbin barrow and use a broom and shovel to clear rubbish and shite off the thoroughfares.
from the urban dictionary entry on scaffy.

a lark, or skylark

Image by Sergey Yeliseev

easily recognisible, conspicuous, familiar.

In Doric, the dialect of NE Scotland, wh is pronounced f.

So fit? means what?. Of course it retains its other meanings as well.

It is possible therefore that in a shoe shop in Aberdeenshire the following sentence might be uttered, and understood. (NB Fit or Foot sometimes is used to refer to a shoe eg the right foot (shoe).)

Fit fit fits fit fit?

This can be translated as

Which (or what) shoe fits which (or what) foot?

at least in a very old fashioned way of speaking there is a funny way of saying that you are acquainted with someone. So for instance Jock might say to Angus

D’ye ken auld Wullie McPherson? (Do you know old William McPherson?)

and Angus might reply

Aye, ah’ve clapped his dug mony’s the time. (Literally — Yes I’ve stroked his canine animal companion many’s the time.)

This is too old fashioned for many Scots in the 21st century but I think it’s a brilliant way to say that you know someone.

a stirring stick

verb 1 be quiet!, shut up! 2 call for silence 3 silence, quieten 4 be quiet, remain silent.

As in hud yer wheesht — hold your tongue.

A Shetland word for ewe or perhaps sheep in general.

A Muckle Yow at Mossbank Primary School.

Photos of this years festival at the BBC website.