16. Introductory handsel
A Scots word and example sentence to learn:
Thrang [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]
Definition: Of persons, or a group of persons: Pressed closely against each other; crammed tightly together.
Example sentence: “The city streets wir far ower thrang wi fokk.”
English translation: “The city streets were far too full of people.”
Activity 2
Click to hear the sentence above read by a Scots speaker.
You can then make your own recording and play it back to check your pronunciation.
Transcript
Listen
The city streets wir far ower thrang wi fokk.
Model
The city streets wir far ower thrang wi fokk.
Go to the Dictionary of the Scots Language for a full definition of the word
Related word:
Definition: 1. intr. To roam, wander idly, gad about in an aimless casual manner
Example sentence: “Byde hame an clean yer room – nane ae this gaun stravaigin aboot toon…”
English translation: “Stay at home and tidy your room – none of this moseying around in town..”
Activity 3
Click to hear the sentence above read by a Scots speaker.
You can then make your own recording and play it back to check your pronunciation.
Transcript
Listen
Byde hame an clean yer room – nane ae this gaun stravaigin aboot toon…”
Model
Byde hame an clean yer room – nane ae this gaun stravaigin aboot toon…”
Go to the Dictionary of the Scots Language for a full definition of the word
Language Links
You might have come across the well-known Glasgow restaurant Stravaigin, wondered why the restaurant advertises international food nights as its specific feature and has the motto ‘Wandering since 1994’. Well, the restaurant’s name gives us a clue as it is related to the Old Scots verb vage – to wander, or roam.
You can find other forms of stravaig in stravag(e), stravague, -vaeg-, -vayg-, -veig, -vaug-; strayvagg-, streveg; stravog – all meaning to roam or wander idly, to traverse and importantly going beyond the usual bounds. Straviag is linked to the Latin language where you can find the noun vagary, which is much more recent and may be a reduced form of vaigabone – the noun we all know ‘vagabond’. And you will come across the word in the French language where it is vaguer, to wander.
Introduction