In the 19th C., fishermen in Nairn believed that wood was either “he” or “she”. Boats made with “she-wood” sailed faster at night than during the day. Boats made with wood that had been stolen, “stealt-wood” also went faster at night.
Category: Words
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Twal Owsen Ploo
An ancient plough that took twelve full-grown oxen to pull.
This was one of the last “twal owsen ploos” used (by Mr. Stephen, tenant at Millden, Belhelvie). Look at the scale bar and you can see why it took twelve oxen to pull!
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BUTTOCKMAIL
BUTTOCKMAIL. n. fine paid to the kirk for intercourse outside of wedlock. Like BLACKMAIL, but for buttocks.
“Wi ruefu face and signs o grace / I paid the buttock-hire”
Robert Burns – The Fornicator
Burns would’ve paid his buttockmail to the Tarbolton Kirk in about 1785.
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GELL-WIVES
GELL-WIVES. n. Women who collected leeches from marshes using their bare legs. Using a stick called a GELL-RUNG they stirred up the GELLS from deep pools. Frequently heard singing “Mally Messlin”, the Gell-wive’s song.
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Fifers’ view o folk
Scotland according to Fife c.1890:
“HEREABOOTER” – a native Fifer
“INCOMER” – anyone resident in Fife for less than 20 years
“LOUDONER” – anyone from south of the Forth
“HEILANTER” – anyone from north of the Tay
“WAST COUNTRY FOWK” – anyone from west of Kinross
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DEIL’S POTS-AN-PANS
DEIL’S POTS-AN-PANS. n. potholes carved into the stream bed by the action of water and pebbles.
Image: Kreuzschnabel/Wikimedia Commons
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Fishermen’s Freits
In fishing communities many words were taboo and would curse ship and crew if said aloud. Here are some “safe” alternatives:
keys: SNUTTLES
sheep: BLITTER
milk: SKUBBA
church: MUNGER-HOUSE
pig: MUDVITE
cat: FOODIN
knife: RAGGER
eel: SMONGIE
crab: SNIFFLE
For instance, if a fisher or a gutter accidentally said “gie tae me the knife” and didn’t call it a “ragger”, the knife had to immediately be thrown into the sea.
CROTTLIE. adj. lichen-covered, or having the appearance of being so.
“Morag’s mournful ditty chimed / As oer the CROTTLIE crags they climbed”
From Gaelic, ‘crotal’ meaning lichen.
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Froissart’s Scotland
The 14th century chronicler Jean Froissart wrote in French. After travelling in Scotland, he invented French translations for Scottish places.
Edinburgh – HANDEBOURCH
Stirling – STRUVELIN
Roxburgh – ROSEBOURCH
Aberdeen – BREDANE
Fife – FII
Dalkeith – ALQUEST
Dundee – DONDIEU
Dumbarton – DOUBRETAGNE
Strathearn – ASTRADERN
Erskine – VERSI
Buchan – BOSQUEM
Sutherland – SURLANCKT
Moray – MORET
Jedburgh – GEDEOURS
PUDDOCKSTANES. n. Fossilised teeth from ancient fish. Folk believed they grew in the heads of toads and were magical. Used to cure/detect poisoning. Swallowed for constipation, retrieved and reused (and handed down over generations…)
