Scots and Doric Phrases (Cultural Proof #8)

Location: --
Date: September 1st-December 20th

"Make a language log of ~30 local, commonly-used expressions or phrases such as metaphors, idioms, analogies, proverbs, and clichés. This proof is best accomplished over a long period of time and is NOT a vocabulary list! Make 1-2 insights in a short paragraph about each expression or phrase."

1. "Boil yer heeds" or "boil yer heid" = get lost
1. Telling someone to get lost is a rather common expression found mostly in bars and nightclubs. This phrase is typically used with a negative connotation (i.e. telling a drunken loon to knock it off) rather than playfully telling a friend to get lost. This phrase is especially important to use with older generations who are more apt to recognize the phrase.
2. "Whit's fur ye'll no go past ye" = whatever is meant to happen to you, will happen to you
1. The idea behind this phrase is to keep a person looking ahead to the future. Another way to use it is as a condolence when a rather unfortunate event happens. The translation may not be heard as often in those that speak plain English, it is rather common for those who are more fluent in Scots. Despite it's wisdom as a phrase, it has fallen into disuse.
3.  "She's/He's up to high doh" = to be worked up or riled up
1. The expression above is quite common in Aberdeen, especially among parents. There are many private schools along and just next to the main street in the town, meaning that there is plenty of grade-school drama just waiting to be heard. This phrase was also often heard on the bus while people gossiped about others. 
4.  "Yer bum's oot the windae!" = you're talking trash/you make no sense
1. This is just another example of a more outdated but still occasionally heard phrase. My friend introduced me to the phrase as he explained that his Nana used to say it to him all the time. Although the translation is straight forward, the people who say it are more often than not very older people who live in the NOrthern Highlands, where Scots-English is still quite prominent. 
5.  "ava get the messages" = I have to go get the groceries
1. An interesting note about this phrase is the use of "messages". On the surface level, this many seem like someone who is going to the Royal Mail or out to check the mailbox. The origin of the word may come from the heavy bag that mail boys used. Occasionally, the mail boys would carry groceries to the people who were unable to do it themselves, thus carrying the "messages". This phrase is still quite common in more rural parts of the Aberdeenshire and all of Scotland.
6.  "Flitting away" = (he/she/they) move away
1. While this initially may seem like a very short and quite underused, the opposite is actually true. This phrase has become more and more popular in Aberdeenshire due to the downturn of the economy. Most of the local markets are based on the oil pulled from the North Seas and while alternate forms of energy are becoming more popular, the market has fallen. This means a lot of families are "flitting away" as buildings become vacant.
7.  "Yer aff yer heid" = you are crazy
1. This phrase also somewhat common but also more localized to Edinburgh. The "capital" of Scotland. It's a fairly straightforward expression but one that can be heard among a group of jolly friends. Unlike "boil yer heid", it's typically meant in an affable context.
8.  "Lang my yer lum reek" = long may your chimney smoke = may you live long and be well
1. Another favorite phrase of endearment and well wishes is telling someone, "lang my yer lum reek."A notable point about Scots-English is that their well-wishes may often be quite odd at first, such as asking how someone's pigeons are or wishing that their chimney may continue to smoke. However, much of this stems from the first major development of Scottish cities, when carrier pigeons were popular and smoking chimneys meant that a house was warm and welcoming.
9.  "Heid doon arse up" = Go on with it
1. One truth about the Scottish people is that they can come off as quite gruff, even though they mean well. The phrase above is an example of this, as well rolled off in an Doric accent, it sounds quite harsh and intimidating. However, this phrase can in many situations, such as being muttered by an angry taxi driver at terrible traffic or even by friends at a pub when their mate is telling an interesting story. 
10.  "Fit like/fit lyk" = Hello!
1. "Fit like" is a more regional phrase that is only found in Aberdeen. Other common greetings are "how's ya?" and even occasionally "cheers" when someone walks in a room.
11.  "Aye, foos yer doos?" = how are your pigeons? = how are you?
1. This expression is another one that is Doric specific. This phrase originates from the keepers of racing pigeons, an old past time that has declined in popularity in the recent day and age.
12.  "Aye peckin', aye peckin' awa min." = They're pecking away just fine = I'm doing just fine
1. The answer to "foos yer doos" is always as stated above. For the most part, answering in something else other than "aye peckin'" results in curious stares. Unless their day has been exceptionally terrible, the typical response is that they have been doing fine.
13. "Get tae" =  a phrase of irritation and wanting someone to leave
1. This phrase is one commonly heard at pubs and by older taxi drivers. The "guardians" of the Doric and Scots languages are commonly those that hold jobs that are closely tied to the community, such as small business owners and taxi drivers that know the layout of the city. These people are more likely to have grown up in the city rather and can understand the dialects and small phrases, such as "get tae" instead of outsiders that have recently moved. 
14.  "A dinnae ken" = I don't know
1. "A dinnae ken" is perhaps one of the most common phrases used around Scotland as it is a very versatile and easily spoken expression. Many non-natives have even picked up on this one as well. This phrase is also a great example of the Scottish pronunciation of words. Their consonants often slur together, as shown by "dinnae" and produce soft sounds, such as the "nae" part of the work. This is opposed to the harsh "t" in "don't".
15.  "A wee bonnie haddie" = a small, beautiful haddock (popular fish) = a very pretty lady
1. While this phrase seems quite odd at first, it provides insight into the culinary culture of the nation. Fish and chips, a traditional food in the UK is mainly fried haddock, a popular fish caught in the North Sea and northern Atlantic Ocean. Fish is a main staple in Scots' diets, meaning it's appearance in local dialects is frequent. 
16. "A pretty face suits the dish-cloot" = if you have a pretty face, it doesn't matter what you wear
1. What is interesting insight into this idiom is that most of it is said in plain English, while many other Scottish idioms are predominantly Scots-heavy. This may be due to the use of this phrase is more localized in southern Scotland, where the language is influenced by the nearby Englishmen and women. 
17.  "Hing on a minty" = Wait for me!
1. Another popular phrase is "Hing on a minty" because of how easy it is to understand. "Minty" could be linked to the slang for "moment". The use of this is found all over Scotland and its isles and does not belong to one dialect or another.
18.  "tatties oer the dyke" = water off a duck's back
1. Tatties in the phrase do not just mean water but also, potatoes. A traditional dish served at nearly all times of the day is composed of haggis, neeps, and tatties where neeps means turnips and tatties are a small potato. The word "tatties" is common in Scottish expressions and can mean a wide variety of things such as above, where it means water.
19.  "ye needin a hurly" = do you need a ride?
1. While the origin of how hurly connected to needing a ride is obscured, this phrase is from the Doric dialect where many other words have become more obscure over the ages. The use of this phrase has fallen out of commonality with younger generations as cars have become discouraged and the use of public transportation is more popular.
20.  "Mony a mickle maks a muckle" = look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves
1. Alliterations such as the one above seem to pop up in old Scottish phrases quite frequently. While it helps make the idioms more memorable, the phrases often turn into tongue twisters. While in Aberdeen, I had a native Scottish friend who would often tease me with tongue twisting phrases such as above. Despite the popularity of these phrases diminishing with age, they have made a resurgence as phrases one can say five times fast.
21.  "Have a bosie/have a cuddle" = I need a hug
1. Asking for a bosie from a friend outside of a pub would be met with odd stares and disdain. The phrase is mostly used when a group of friends has had three or four drinks in their system as it's used as a very friendly farewell. True to the stereotype, Scots are not exceptionally affectionate. Therefore, this phrase usually comes out when everyone has "loosened up" at a bar. 
22.  "Wether affa cal" = the weather is very cold
1. This phrase has more to it than just what it translates to. While the winds never seem to stop blow and the freezing rains frequent the landscape, the "weather" can also refer to the temperament or tension in a room. When two friends are fighting or sharp words are exchanged, then someone may comment that it feels quite frigid around the room.
23.  "Stop yir footerin aboot or yi'll be beddit" = stop fooling around or you'll be put to bed (child's phrase)
1. As explained above, is a child's phrase, meaning that the main speakers are mothers or other guardians that are threatening their offspring to stop their misbehaving. This phrase can be found more in rural areas as the strong Scottish pronunciation of it alludes to it being spoken in areas where outside dialects and accents have not yet simplified it (i.e. "footerin aboot" simplified to "moving about")
24.  "Goin' ta pictures/cinema" = I'm off to see a movie
1. This phrase is quite popular in Aberdeen due to the number of movie theaters scattered around the city. The town is considered a "working" town instead of a more tourist city, such as Edinburgh. This means that there aren't many tourist shops, activities, or excursions to go on. The three cinemas are the main source of entertainment besides the pubs and night clubs. 
25.  "The loon's a wee scunner!" = the boy's a nuisance
1. Just like the twenty third phrase, this also is a "child's phrase" or one that is directed more towards younger children. What's interesting about this phrase is that it starts to die out as a child gets older and is replaced by more profane language. The term of annoyance becomes more pointed and angry as the boy's (or girl's) actions become more disruptive.
26.  "Don't be a wee clipe" = Don't be a tattle-tale
1. Unlike the phrase above, this can be directed at people of all ages. It can also be heard around the sailors at the port as they exchange gossip after coming out from the oil rigs. The saying is Doric and originates in Aberdeenshire.
27.  "You're a long time deid" = Enjoy life while you can because death is longer than life
1. Although it may seem grim, the idiom is quite popular in the older generations that tell it to the youth. The phrase alludes to it having Doric origins as the "you're" can sometimes be pronounced and said as "yoos". Having an "-oos" is frequently found in northeast parts of the country where Doric is the main dialect.
28. "Huad yer wheesht!" = Be quiet
1. Another common phrase, especially among taxi drivers, is "huad yer wheesht"! The whole saying is used to tell someone else to be quiet, but "wheesht" can be used as a verb, noun, or an interjection. When used alone, wheesht is interpreted as "hush", a word to silence someone or get them to quiet down. It's use is more frequent in fights or when situations are getting out of hand as it's much harsher than a basic "shh".
29.  "Guid gear comes in sma bulk" = good things come in small parcels 
1. Another common idiom in plain English is "good things come in small packages". In Scots, the saying is slightly changed as packages is changed to parcels (mostly used by the English) and then to bulk (mostly used by Scots). An interesting note about this is that the word "sma" (sometimes written as "sma'") is used instead of "wee". This may be because wee has been more frequently used south of the Scottish border.
30.  "Dae ye think ah came up the (local river) on a banana boat?" = phrase of disbelief at a blatant untruth
1. What is particularly curious about this phrase is the use of "banana boat" as it has become generalized as it's own expression of disbelief. The original and popular phrase is that above, being "Dae ye think ah came up the Don on a banana boat?" However, the use of "banana boat" has been transitioned into other phrases of disbelief such as "Dae ye think yoos sail ta North [Sea] on a banana boat?" One commonality between all the phrases is the use of banana boat on a body of water.