England is not far down south but sometimes Scotland can seem like a different planet - as our colourful expressions and accents could leave any newcomer scratching their head.
Intriguingly, this isn’t just a case of ‘slang’ or Billy Connolly-esque accents as Scotland is considered a multilingual country. Native languages like Scots, Scottish Gaelic and of course English, all come together under an array of beautiful accents and dialects.
If you’re Scottish, or have lived here, then you’ll know well that we have developed our own style when it comes to using English – and so certain words don’t mean what the Collins Dictionary says they do in the context of Scotland.
To spare you asking for translations, here are 40 everyday English words and phrases with different meanings in Scotland.
25. Mink
In Scotland this is used to refer to a very dirty person but usually it refers to a Stoat-like animal. Photo: TrolleyTrackRoad via CanvaPro
26. Stoat
Again, we're not referring to a Weasel but rather the action of bouncing - if you stoat a ball against a wall you've bounced it against the wall. Photo: Seahorse Photo via CanvaPro
27. Warmer
Not a "bench warmer" in football or something used to add heat to your body, calling someone a "warmer" is like calling them a clueless idiot. Photo: matimix via CanvaPro
28. Wee
Yet another quintessential word of the Scottish lexicon, something being wee just means something being small, but it could be used to refer to the act of urination also. Photo: TriggerPhoto/ jopstock via Canva Pro