The Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue defines and illustrates every meaning of every word used in written English in Scotland up to 1700. It is an indispensable reference tool for historians of Scots language, literature, politics, law, and social history.
A popular and informative guide to the Scots language in the best-selling Gem format. Contains words and phrases from both literary and everyday language, this is the perfect wee dictionary of Scots for native and non-native speakers alike. First published in 1995, the Collins Gem Scots Dictionary is by far the most popular guide to the language of today's Scotland, with nearly 1800 everyday words and phrases from all over Scotland clearly explained and with lots of helpful examples of usage. Colour text makes this best-selling dictionary even more user-friendly. With its durable and eye-catching cover, this is a must for every bookshelf!
Scotland is a nation of dramatic weather and breathtaking landscapes – of nature resplendent. And, over the centuries, the people who have lived, explored and thrived in this country have developed a rich language to describe their surroundings: a uniquely Scottish lexicon shaped by the very environment itself. A Scots Dictionary of Nature brings together – for the first time – the deeply expressive vocabulary customarily used to describe land, wood, weather, birds, water and walking in Scotland. Artist Amanda Thomson collates and celebrates these traditional Scots words, which reveal ways of seeing and being in the world that are in danger of disappearing forever. What emerges is a vivid evocation of the nature and people of Scotland, past and present; of lives lived between the mountains and the sky.
First published in 1985, the new edition of the Concise Scots Dictionary has been revised throughout to reflect modern Scots usage, alongside extensive coverage of older Scots. Combining accessible style, clear layout and a durable hardback format, this is a user-friendly and robust dictionary that you can turn to for reference and enjoyment.
This is the first full account of the making of John Jamieson's Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language. The dictionary was published in two volumes in 1808, with a two-volume Supplement following in 1825. Lists of Scots words had been compiled before, but Jamieson's was the first complete dictionary of the language. It was a landmark in the development of historical lexicography and was an inspiration for later lexicographers, including Sir James Murray, founding editor of the OED. Susan Rennie's account of Jamieson's work and the methods he developed interweaves biography, lexicography, and linguistic, social, and book history to present a rounded account of the man, his work, and his times. It is the first study to draw on Jamieson's correspondence and the surviving manuscript materials for the Dictionary and Supplement to reveal Jamieson's working methods and the important contributions made by Sir Walter Scott and others to his work.
affront • baffies • capercailzie • dingie • elderitch first fit • glaikit • hogmanay • jalouse • laldie • mar numpty • onding • pawkie • scunner • thrapple wean • yeukie • and mony mony mair tae whet yer thrapple... What is your favourite Scots word? Have you heard of a stushie or a stairheid rammy? Do you know a numpty who talks a lot of mince? For over a decade, The Herald has published the Scottish Language Dictionaries' Scots Word of the Week. This wee book gathers 100 of our favourites, showing the breadth and diversity of the Scots language over time, ranging from lesser-known Older Scots to formal language to contemporary slang. Uncover the surprising origins of well-known words such as numpty and wean, discover unusual ones like onding and gowan, and savour evocative gems like Robert Burns' 'blethering, blustering, drunken blellum'.
