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
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
(c. 1900):
rats = bad luck, enemies
eggs = arguments, fights
laundry = moving house
loss of teeth or fingers = death
scissors = heartache
and wake up with an itchy nose someone you know will die today!
In 1964, miners from the Valleyfield coalfields in Fife and from the Bo’ness fields broke through a rock face and met eachother 500m underground. This was the first time anyone could walk directly to Fife from the Lothians “across” the River Forth.
