Pocket Scottish English, The (Jan)

An excellent beginner's guide to the uniquely colourful English spoken in Scotland, including everyday phrases, slang, idioms, compliments and even insults. Know your Arbroath smokies from your wynds, your trews from your sporran, and ... lang may yer lum reek! Some say that Scots use more Scottish slang than English, but whether that’s true or not, the speech of most Scots is certainly peppered with slang. So, whether you’re visiting Glesga (Glasgow), home to Weegies, short for Glaswegians, the Granite City (Aberdeen) or the capital – known as Auld Reekie for the same reason that London was once, and sometimes still is, known as the Big Smoke – this concise guide to Scottish English will come in handy. There are many old Scottish sayings dating back to our grandparents’ day and beyond, but there are also many fairly recent inventions. Some of the older ones are rarely used now, which may be just as well, as they may baffle even a Scot, particularly depending on which part of Scotland you’re in.