The Way Back

Glossary of Scottish Terms

In alphabetical order

A ghràidh - Gaelic for ‘my love’ or ‘my darling’ - pronounced ‘uh ghry’

A nighean - Gaelic for ‘my daughter’ or ‘my girl’ - pronounced ‘uh nee-in’

Aye - yes

Bawbag - the literal definition is ‘scrotum’, but it’s used as slang to describe someone in an insulting or dismissive way

Blether - a long-winded chat

Braw - good or pleasing

Cannae - can’t

Chippy - a fish and chip shop

Collie bucky - carrying someone on your back

Cullen skink - a traditional Scottish smoked fish chowder

Drambuie - liqueur made from Scotch whisky, heather honey, herbs, and spices

Dreich - dreary, bleak weather

Flat - apartment

The Fringe - also known as Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this is the world’s largest performing arts festival, held every August in Edinburgh

Ghillie brogues - a traditional type of shoe characterized by their lack of tongue and long laces, and primarily worn at functional events like weddings

Glaswegian - a person from Glasgow

Haar - a cold, wet fog

Haggis - Scotland’s national dish; a savoury pudding comprised of offal mixed with oats, suet, onion, spices, and cooked inside a sheep’s stomach

Honesty boxes and croft shops - often found in rural areas of Scotland, these are unmanned stalls that sell homemade goods or fresh produce, where people pay using the honour system

Knickers - underwear

Lass - a girl or woman

The Military Tattoo - also known as the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, this world-renowned month-long event is a celebration of music, dance, and military precision, held every August on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade

Nae bother - no bother, no problem

Numpty - a stupid or silly person

Och - used to express a range of emotions, including surprise, regret, annoyance, etc.

Pished - drunk

Plaid fly - a large piece of fabric in the same tartan as the kilt, worn draped over the shoulder as part of a traditional kilt outfit

Slag (as in ‘slag someone off’) - to criticize someone or talk badly about them behind their back

Slàinte and Slàinte mhath - Gaelic for ‘cheers’ (literally translates to ‘health’ and ‘good health’ respectively) - pronounced ‘slahn-che’ and ‘slahn-che-vah’

Sporran - a pouch worn over the kilt; a key feature in part of traditional Highland dress

Tattie scone - a griddle scone made primarily from boiled potatoes

“Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye” - an old Scots saying meaning ‘what’s meant for you won’t pass you by’

Youse - a common plural form of ‘you’ in Glasgow and the West Central Scotland region