Comments on: Bunker and slitter

By: Jean Houston

Jean Houston — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:49:27 +0000

Thank goodness, i thought I had imaging part of my childhood. My Scots mother was always telling me off for ’slittering’, usually messing about in the garden with water. My Ulster-born mother-in-law had never heard of the word so I thought I had got it wrong. My Devonshire father was with the Artillery attached to the Highland Division during the war so was posted to Perth where he met mother. They lived at Castlecary for a while before moving to Dorset and Father used a lot of Scots words but delivered in a Deven accent.

By: Dirk Raes

Dirk Raes — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:28:44 +0000

My late brother-in-law was a Scot from Glasgow. His mother was from Montrose and she twice visited us in Flanders where Dutch is the mother tongue. She was often surprised by occasional similarities between her local dialect and standard Dutch or even dialectical Dutch. She then referred to Norwegian influences on her Montrose dialect.
Anyway, “ken” is Scottish for “to know “. “to know” in Dutch is “kennen”.
Isn’t it is wonderful,how old Germanic influences still survive in the various dialects

By: DIANA DORNER

DIANA DORNER — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 08:34:19 +0000

Dear Mairi Macdonald,

I find very interesting what you bring in attention to us by
the words Bunker and slitter, entirely new for me.

We want some more please!

DIANA DORNER

By: David

David — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:49:17 +0000

In Norwegian (closest Scandinavian country to Scotland)
House = hus
Mouse = mus
Out = ut.
Child = barn
to cry = gråte
to know = kjenne
to understand = sjønne

Nothing too surprising here. Common language is always influenced by close neighbours and trade partners.

By: Caroline McDougall

Caroline McDougall — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:55:26 +0000

Fascinating! I was born in Ayr, and had a great aunt who used to call the sink a “jawbox” as in “jist pit every’hin’ in the jawbox” (just put everything in the sink). And “slitter” could be used as an noun: “Och, yer (you are) an awfy (awful) slitter”.

By: Maria C. Costa

Maria C. Costa — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:50:58 +0000

Dear Mairi Macdonald,

Thank you very much indeed for this interesting information on Scottish English or Scots (this latter reference it’s entirely new for me…). I’ve thought it could just be used for “people”, and not for the language.
When I visited your stunning country, in 2001, I enjoyed listening to some people at the Edinburgh Castle, and I took some notes on a few Scottish words.
I would very much appreciate your sincere opinion on some lines I’ve written about “Global English” at the Teaching English website/mceupc’s blog.
Looking forward to receiving your knowledgeable comment.
Best wishes,
Maria

By: AllaSobirova

AllaSobirova — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:02:14 +0000

Thank you a lot,that’s very interesting to me and new!!!I will be looking forward to reading new information!

By: Vikki

Vikki — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:55:38 +0000

I like slaister for dripping food down your front!

By: Tweets that mention Bunker and slitter -- Topsy.com

Tweets that mention Bunker and slitter -- Topsy.com — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:05:03 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Allen, Macmillan Dictionary. Macmillan Dictionary said: Bunkers and slitters? Learning Scots in #'Scottish-English' week: http://bit.ly/5ZB3Y7 [...]