FROM arts to science, from culture to food and drink, Scotland has made an indelible mark on the world.
Scottish languages, too, have contributed to our unique cultural heritage.
And now the charm of the Scots language is being brought to a wider audience as the Oxford English Dictionary adds an array of words to its latest edition.
A range of Scots words, including bawbag, bampot and hee-haw, are being added to the principle historical dictionary of the English language.
Among some of the other words in the latest update are fantoosh (an adjective used to portray someone who is flashy, stylish, fashionable and exotic, often used disparagingly, implying ostentation or pretentiousness); bide-in or bidie-in (a person who lives with his or her partner in a non-marital relationship); baffies (meaning slippers, bealach, meaning mountain pass, bosie, used to describe a person’s bosom or a cuddle, hug) and coorie (often used alongside down or in and meaning to crouch, stoop or keep low or to snuggle or nestle).
Fiona McPherson, senior editor on the OED and a former Weegie (inhabitant of Glasgow) said: “It was a great joy to work on these Scottish words, some of which were familiar to me, and a good number of which were submitted via our the Free The Word campaign of 2017.
“The variety of words included show innovation, self-deprecation, and a sense of humour, and are all worthy additions to the OED.”
Here is the full list of the Scottish additions in this update, and words to which new Scottish senses have been added: – baff, n.2 – baffie, n.
– bam, n.2 – bampot, n.
– bamstick, n.
– bauchle, n.
– bawbag, n.
– bealach, n.
– bide-in, n.
– bidie-in, n.
– bigsie, adj.
– black-affronted, adj.
– bosie, n.1 – bowf, n. and adj.
– bowfing, adj.
– coorie, v.
– coupon, n.
– dab, n.1 – eeksie-peeksie, adj.
– fantoosh, adj.
– geggie, n.2 – grass, v.
– hee-haw, n.
– jotter, n.
– roaster, n.
– rooked, adj.
– side, n.3 – sitooterie, n.
– sitten, adj.
– sprag, n.2 – spret, v.
– sprit, n.4 – spruggie, n – sprunt, v.2 – sprunting, n.2 – title, v.
– titter, v.1 – tittie, n.2 – tittie-billie, adv. and n.
– titulation, n.
– titup, adj. and n.
– tube, n.
– Weegie, n. and adj.
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