ULSTER SCOTS LANGUAGE ST JOHNSTON AND CARRIGANS

The spellings given below reflect only how people in our area pronounce the words and expressions.

Somebody pointed out that like most languages, there are

more words that insult women than there are that insult men!

Ulster-Scots		English Translation

A		I
Abeen		Above
Abeen aal		Above all
Aal		All
Aal dolled up		All dressed up (woman)
Aal happed up		All wrapped up against the cold
A bad plant		Bad person
A deeney no naeboody		I don’t know anybody
A deeney no unyboody		I don’t know anybody
A coodnay dee it		I couldn’t do it
A got a bad scar		I got a bad scare
A heeney a cleek		I haven't got any money to click
A heeney a spunk		I’m out of breath
A heeney got nein		I haven't got any
A heid case		Insane
A hurted maysell		I hurt myself
Ain (like N)		Own eg me ain is my own
A just fair hate the sight o 'er / 'im		I hate the sing of her or him a lot
A lock of		A little
A lotta		A lot of
Aminta		Aren't I?
Amang		Among
A moonlacht flit is a shourt sit		A moonlight flit is a short sit – means it is bad luck to move house in the dark and means you won’t be long where you are going
An oul footer		A person who does a job slowly and incompetently
An oul hoy		A gullible idiot
A Notion of		In love with
A nuver knowed 'er		I never knew her
A rotten taste		Tastes bad or tastes as if it has gone off
A rung them		I rang them
A waiting on		On their/her/his death bed
A wee bit		A little
A wee taste		A little
A wee while		A little while
A wheen		A few
A young ain		A young one
Aboot		About
Aaff		Off
Afeard oh		Afraid of
Alane		Alone
Am haingin' on		I'm hanging on, that is surviving
Am naw weal		I'm unwell
Ankered		Anchored
Aperul		April
Are freens		Are related
Argay		Argue
Aroon		Around
Ashey pet		Lazy dog or cat
At aaal		At all
Awa		Away
Awa our the water		Away abroad
Aye		Yes
Baaby		Baby
Baak		Back
Bad crowd		Bad bunch
Bad luckin		Ugly
Bad oul luck aboot her		Sinister looking
Baddest		Worst
Badly Shuck		Badly shaken ie frightened
Baag		Bag
Balded		Bald
Ban		Band
Bare pelt		Naked
Bee-st		Cattle
Behint		Behind
Bennistur		Banister
Ben-she		Banshee
Bertay		Bertie
Big lump		Grown up
Big stone		Rock
Biship		Bishop
Bisom		Broom
Blaak		Black
Blaakberries		Blackberries
Blak Fast		Black Fast - refers to the custom of taking only black tea and nothing else on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday
Blak luckin		Dark looking
Blak Smith		Blacksmith
Blid		Blood
Bliddin'		Bleeding
Blissud Virgun		Blessed Virgin
Blondie		Blond woman
Bokin		Vomiting
Borned		Burned
Boulted		Enraged
Bourn		Born
Bow-Day		Body
Boyz O boyz		Boys O Boys, an expression of sympathy
Brae		Road going up a small hill
Brattle-of-Thunder		Clap of Thunder
Bren-Han		Brendan
Brens		Brains
Breedman		Breadman
Brig		Bridge
Brock		Rubbish
Broon		Brown - colour and surname
Brothan/Brochan		Porridge
Bugger		Annoying person
Busted the ball		Burst the ball
Caat		Cat
Cack		Excrement
Cahederal		Cathedral
Cal		Call
Cannae		Cannot
Cannae get our		Can't get over (ie still annoyed about something or amazed at)
Cannae heed dim		Can't believe
Cannel		Candle
Carrickan		Carrigans
Catherin		Catherine
Caught		Got pregnant unexpectedly
Chalkie		Stupid awkward female
Chased ‘er		Got rid of
Chats Vury Broad		Talks in a strong acce
Cheer		Chair
Cheerio		Goodbye
Cherlie		Charlie
Chitterin'		Chattering
Chitter		Chatterer
Chou		Chew
Clabbered		Person or clothes covered in mud
Clash		Slap
Clat-in		Sneaking about looking for something to take or steal
Cleared		Went away fast
Cleas		Clothes
Clergy		Protestant minister
Clift		Frivolous and daft woman
Coap it our		Turn it over
Cochern		Corcoran
Coddin		Joking
Com doon		Come down
Com roon		Come round
Come oot a priest		Was ordained a priest
Comin		Coming
Conceit in		Fond of a person
Confessions		Confession
Coo		Cow
Cooont		Count
Cooonter		Counter
Cooonty		County
Coorse		Course, meaning course and also rough-looking
Cowl		Cold
Crabbit		Always complaining
Crahadoes		Craighadoes
Cretur		Poor thing
Crickit fiel		Cricket field
Croke		Die
Croon		Crown
Cud		Could
Cudnay luck at ‘im		Couldn’t look at him - meaning he is too irritable
Curser		User of bad language
Cutterment		Accessory or strange person
Cuttie		Girl
Dawn		Done
Dear		Expensive
Dear Buy		Have a lot to put up with
Dearn		Dare
Dee		Do
Deef		Deaf
Deek		Ditch
Deeney		Don't
Deep		Religiously bigoted
Dees-nae		Doesn't
Dees-nae no uf 'es comin' or gan		Unintelligent
Deid		Dead
Den		Dan
Denner		Dander, walk
Did ye get bathed?		Did you get a bath?
Diddies		Woman's breasts
Didnae		Didn’t
Dinnae		Don’t
Duked oot		Look out / duck out
Dukin'		Ducking or hiding
Dunt		Bump
Divil		Devil
Divilment		Mischief, harmless practical joking
Don 'er ooot		Done her out, ie outwitted her, took trade away from her for himself or herself
Done ‘im		Defrauded him
Donnell		O Donnell
Doon on me oaxters		Hunched down in an almost sitting position
Doon on me hunkers		Hunched down in an almost sitting position
Dor		Door
Dose		Annoying person
Dotery		Doting/Unintelligent
Doubelin		Dublin
Doug		Dog
Dour		Unfriendly
Drap		Drop
Drap O Whusk-Kay		Drop of Whiskey
Dren		Drain
Droon		Drown
Drooned/Droonded		Drowned
Druve		Drove
Dry bokin		Vomiting when nothing comes up
Dudgie		Duddy
Dunno		Don't know
E Hut 'im a clash		He hit him a slap
E Felled ‘im		He hit him
Eat my meat		Have a meal
Efter		After
Efter-neen		Afternoon
Epple		Apple
Eppetite		Appetite
Er		Her
Erm		Arm
Eaythar		Either
Epplies		Applies
Expectin		Is pregnant
Eye		Always
Faal		Fall
Fae (like fay)		From
Failed		Ailed, not looking well
Fairly getting up		Growing up fast
Falt		Fault
Fand o		Fond of
Fastin		Going to communion
Feard		Afraid
Feither		Father
Fella		Fellow
Fell oot		Have become enemies
Femelie		Family
Ferm		Farm
Fermer		Farmer
Fermyerd		Farmyard
Feel		Field
Feel o beast		Field of Cattle
Fit		Foot
Fitball		Football
Fleer		Floor
Flet		Flat as in lying down flat
Flit		Move house
Fly		Crafty
Folly		Follow
Footerer		Somebody who takes too long to do something and who cannot do it well
Footering		Playing aimlessly with something, doing a job too slowly and incompetently
Footery		A job or task that requires a lot of attention to small detail and which takes time to do
Forby		As well as, in addition
Forgee		Forgive
Fornenst		Opposite
Foundered		Cold
Frien		Friend
Full		Drunk
Full-im		Film
Gallow-Ses		Braces for holding up trousers
Gan		Going
Gan doon tay		Going down to
Gane way		Going out with (romantically)
Gan awa tay		Going away to
Gannie		Going to
Gan on for to bay		Going to be
Gansie		Jersey
Gappy		Stupid
Gawd		God
Gee		Give
Geen		Gave
Geen 'im a hemmrin'		Gave him a beating up
Geid		Gave
Gerdin		Garden
Get the chimley red		Get the chimney cleared and unblocked
Getherrin		Gathering
Gid		Good
Git		Get
Git ooot		Get out
Gled		Glad
Gleek		Glance
Gless		Glass
Glesses		Glasses or spectacles
Goes too hard		Goes too fast
Gone awa		Go away
Gone may fut		Go on my foot
Got a teeth oot		Got a tooth extracted
Goul-Lynn		Shouting
Gouls		Shouts
Granfeither		Grandfather
Gread		Great
Grave yerd		Graveyard
Gress		Grass
Grouwin		Growing
Guid		Good
Guldering		Shouting
Gulpin		Ignorant Fellow
Gunked		Disappointed
Guvvermint		Government
Ha’penny		Half Penny
Hae		Have
Haal		Hall
Half-wit		Stupid person
Hallaeve		Halloween
Hame		Home
Hame work		Home work
Handling		Trouble, row
Hanted		Haunted
Hard oul lick		Miser
Hard Luckin oul chou		Hard looking old chew, meaning somebody is ugly and or rough looking
Harem		Harm
Hateful luckin		Ugly
Have a sore teeth		Have toothache
Hayney		Have not
Hayney Time		Have no time
Heared		Heard
Heared tell of		Heard of
He cut his stick		He went off
Hedged		Interrupt lovers
Heed		Head
Heed naw right		Head not right
Heeney		Haven't
He heas naebody belangin' tay 'im		He has nobody that belongs to him, ie relations
Heis		Has
Heis 'im aaal raised		Has him all agitated
He heis nae boudy belangin tay ‘im		He has no relatives
Hemmer		Hammer
Hemmerin		Hammering with hammer
Herp		Harp
Herplin' aboot		Jumping about
He’s Done		He’s ready to die, weakened by old age
Hidden		Secretive
Hirpling		Limping
Hit		It
Hits rotten		Its foul tasting
Hit it a kick		Kick it
Hit wuz stole		It was stolen
Hoakin		Poking through somebody else’s belongings
Hoarse & Kert		Horse & Cart
Hoaxter		Dishonest person
Holy pict-ur		Religious Picture
Hoose		House
Hoover		Vacuum cleaning
Hourn		Horn
Hoy		Foolish person
Hoy up		Egg a person to do something strange or stupid
Howl		Hold
Howlt		Grab
Hubble		Problem
Hunted 'im		Got rid of him
Hur beauty man bay covered		Said about an unattractive woman who has found a man, means her beauty must be covered, man is the local word for must
Ice pop		Ice lolly
I doubt		I believe or think
Ignorant		Rude
Ignorant as be-damned		Very rude and unmannerly
Im		Him
Isnay Gan		Isn't Going
It’s cat aal the gether		Its annoying altogether
It’s ill		Its bad
It's ill a aal the gether		Its terrible altogether
Jaa		Jaw
Jake		Jack, the name Jack or to jack something up
Jake-Da		Jackdaw
Jamie		James
Jamity God!		Swear word, a form of blasphemy
Kaheleen		Kathleen
Kep		Cap
Kerds		Cards
Keepin’ rightly		Keeping well, as in healthy
Kerry		Carry
Keevin		Kevin
Kilt		Killed
Kin-ah		Kind of
Kittel		Have kittens
Kittelens		Kittens
Knowed		Knew
Kooont		Count
Kooonter		Counter
Kooonty		County
Laa		Law
Laached		Laughed
Laacht		Light
Lang		Long
Lang Gauge		Language
Laft		Loft
Lee		Leave
Leek		Like
Leek niethin		Like nothing
Lene		Lane
Let on		Pretend
Lezy		Lazy
Liffer		Lifford
Limon aid		Lemonade
Lit		Let (allow)
Lizabith		Elizabeth
Lowsed		Lost
Luck at the shoop o that		Look at the shape (state) of that
Lucking		Looking
Ma heid’s awa		I’m unable to think
Mack		Make
Mack Up		Make-up
Mackin Up Oul Phrases		Making up stories, lies
Man		Must
Mare		More
Mare o		More of
Margit		Margaret
McLaaghlin		McLaughlin
Meetin hoose		Presbyterian Church
Menners		Manners
Merch		March - to march and the Month of March
Merchin		Marching
Merriet		Married
Mi		May (the month)
Midden		Rubbish tip
Middlin		Half good and half bad
Midnacht		Midnight
Minis		Minutes
Minit		Minute
Miserable		Don't want to spend money, miserly
Money		Many
Money he’s she?		How many has she?
Moonlacht		Moonlight
Moose		Mouse
Moose trap		Mouse Trap
Mooses		Mice
Mooth		Mouth
Mournin		Morning
Muck Anulty		McNulty
Muck Boor-tay		McBrearty
Mulk		Milk
Murray		Mary
My n hoose		My own house
Nacht		Night
Nay boudy		Nobody
Nay guid		No good
Naw		No
Naw a hate of that		There is nothing of that ie not true
Naw the cut		A bad person
Naw thorough		Not thoroughly sane
Naw too square		Not thoroughly sane
Naw weal		Not well
Naw wise		Insane
Near Han		Hear hand or nearby
Neb		Beak of a bird, tip of a pen
Nee-Am-Min		Complaining, Cat Meowing
Nee-Am-Mirror		Complainer
Nein		None
Neithin		Nothing
Nell		Nail
Nelled		Nailed
New ance		Something new
Nigh-boors		Neighbours
Nix Setterday etc		Next Saturday. Means not the Saturday following but the one after that. For example, this Mi is this May meaning the May closest in time while next May means the first May after that
Noo		Now
Nuver		Never
Nuver heared ‘er		Never heard her
Och		Oh
Odd		Anti-social
Oil cloth		Lino
Only a Cod		Only a joke, untrue
On Pups		A dog is pregnant
O'		Of
Ooor		Our or hour
Ooot		Out
Ooota		Out of
Oor		Hour
Oor boyz		My children or our children. Even if the family is all girls this expression is used!
Ospital		Hospital
Oul		Old
Oul boy		Father
Oul doll		Mother
Oul folk		Old people
Oul hussy		Mother
Oul lick		Sycophant, flatterer
Oul wan		Expression of contempt for a person
Our the wire		Over the wire fence
Oxter		Armpit
Pack With		Friendly with
Paint on her		Wearing makeup
Paterick		Patrick
Payhin'		Panting
Pen		Pain
Perty		Party
Phota		Photo
Pie		Pay
Pied		Paid
Pit ‘er oot		Put her out
Poke-It		Pocket
Poochin		Poaching - ie catching fish without licence or permit
Poosin		Poison
Poosined		Poisoned
Poosiner		Poisoner - an annoying person
Pounay		Pony
Prisbyterian		Presbyterian
Prodison		Protestant
Purdies		Potatoes
Q		Hugh
Quare		strange
Quare and nice		Very nice
Quare folk		Strange or useless people
Racht		Right
Rare		Strange
Rare lukin		Strange looking
Ray-phouw		Raphoe
Renn		Rain
Reashes		Reeds
Reek		Smoke
Red		Rid
Rid		Red
Roon		Round
Roonaboot		Roundabout
Ruuse a hanlin		Stirred up a row
Ruckus		Fuss, this word is used in Scotland too
Saang		Song
Scallops		Briars used to fasten thatch to roofs
Scelp your bum		Slap your bum, said to a child as a mild threat to put the child across one’s knee
School messter		School master
Scowl		Tell off
Scowler		Person always telling people off
Scrangin		Rummaging through somebody else's private items
Screayching		Shrieking - comes from schreichog reilige- the banshee as graveyard screecher
Scunnered		Fed up or disgusted with
Seek		Sick
Sef		Safe
Sefty		Safety
Sek		Sack
Sem		Same
Setterday		Saturday
Shap		Shop
Shead		Shed
She lit a big gowl ooota 'her		She let a big roar out of her
She's vury curious		Shes very eccentric and antisocial
Shough		Drain along the roadside
Showort		Short
Showurts		Shorts
Showrtly		Shortly
Shray-hin'		Shrieking
Shraychs		Shrieks
Shuck		Shook
Shuwld-er		Shoulder
Sib-bred		Animals fathered and mothered by animals that were too closely related
Skimpit		Skimpy, small
Slak		Careless and untidy, slack
Slap		A gap in a fence and sometimes a hedge that a person can get through
Sleeked		Crafty and devious
Slipped 'is heed		Slipped his head - used locally to describe the act of getting a girl pregnant and then abandoning her
Slud		Slid, slide
Slype		Drag, slut
Smirt		Smart
Smittled		Spread an illness to
Snowdraps		Snowdrops
Soo		Sow
Sook(ed)		Suck(ed)
Soorah		Sarah
Sore heid		Sore head, more specifically a headache
Snowdraps		Snowdrops
Sowl		Soul or sole of shoe
Spoot		Spout
Spootin'		Spouting
Stan		Stand
Stap		Stop
Station hoose		Station House
Stat-Yay		Statue
Stoke		Gypsy - derogatory
Sub		Loan
Sung it		(He/She) Sang it
Sure		Shower
Sure o ren		Shower of rain
Surgery		Doctors
Swalla		Swallow the bird or to swallow
Sweeled aroon		Wrapped around
Sweetays		Sweets
Sweltered		Too hot
Swully		Swilly
Taal		Tall
Tae		To
Tam		Tom or Tom Cat
Tamatas		Tomatoes
Tammy		Tommy
Tams		Tom cats
Tangs		Tongs
Tap		Top
Tappy		Stupid woman
Tartles		Rags, untidy clumps of hair that hang down
Tay		Tea
Taybag		Teabag
Teeth paste		Toothpaste
Teethache		Toothache
Tell		Tail
Tell of her eye		Saw with the corner of her eye
Tellyveeshion		Television
Tematas		Tomatoes
Tevverd		So annoyed that one can't think - Ma heid's tevvered
That road		That way
That’s ill all the gether		That’s terrible
That's naw hit		That's not it
The bus man		Bus driver
The cure		Taking a drink to cure a hangover to undergo a rite or consume something provided by a folk healer with alleged healing powers
The day		Today
The evil		A cyst
The gether		Together
The night		Tonight
Them folk		Those people
Them wans		Those people
The morn night		Tomorrow night
The morra		Tomorrow
The nacht		Tonight
The night		Tonight
The picktours		The cinema
The rail		Railway
The slap		Opening in hedge
Thick		Obstinately resentful and angry
Thinking lang		Missing something terribly so that the time seems very long
Thinks he is somethin		Conceited
Thole		Endure or tolerate a pain or situation or person
Thon		That
Thou		Thaw
Thran		Contrary and always looking for an argument
Threed		Thread
Thrigged up		Dressed up very well
Thru-Gan		Mischievous, badly behaved
Thunner		Thunder
Thurs a wile drouth on may		I am very thirsty
Thurs a wile hunger on may		I am very hungry
Tick us tay		Take us to
To oakster 'im up		To help someone to walk, eg a drunk man
Toon		Town
Towel		Told
Towel aff		Told off, scolded
Tray-ann		Train
Tray-al		Trail, slut
Tuck		Took
Understud		Understood
Unknownst		Unknown to or unnoticed
Unmennerly		Unmannerly
Un-nay		Any
Urchin		Hedgehog
Vease		Vase
Vit		Vet
Vury		Very
Waal		Wall
Waal paper		Wall paper
Waddin		Wedding
Wak		Walk
Wakind		Wakened
Wall		Will - as in last will
Wan		One
Wane		Baby or child
Wather		Weather
Way ‘er		With her
Weanish		Childish
Weal		Well – as in healthy
Weal Mended		Well-Mended, that is, looking healthier
Wee cuttie		Wee girl
Wee filla		Wee fellow
Wee folk		Fairies
Wee lass		Little or young girl
Wee toady		Tiny child or toddler
Wee ‘un		Wee one or child
Well met		Compatible (derogatory) if two people were bad and became friends they would be said to be well met
We wuz al badly scared		We were all badly scared
Whar		Where
Whit		What
White		Insincerely charming
Wi		With
Widinsday		Wednesday
Widow-man		Widower - the expression seems to come from the Irish which had widowers as fear baintreach meaning male widow
Wile		Very, wild
Wile-luckin		Ugly
Willa		Willow
Winda		Window
Wiped 'er eye		Wiped her eye is what a woman does when she steals another woman's boyfriend
Wireless		Radio
Wit		Wet
Wolson		Wilson
Wrang		Wrong
Wud nay		Wouldn’t
Ye		You
Yella		Yellow
Yonder		Over there
Young folk		Young people
Yous		You (plural)

Link to official Ulster Scots Language resources

https://www.scots-online.org/