Scottish words and sayings, combined with a world-famous accent, can easily make the English used here sound like a totally separate tongue. It aptly reflects the fact that Scotland historically never had one uniform language spoken by all its ancestors (and to this day we still have languages like Scots and Scottish Gaelic.)
In the Scottish Highlands you were more likely to encounter Gaelic once upon a time while in the lowlands Scots was preferred.
We asked our Scotsman readers what “their favourite Scottish saying is” and they offered spectacular answers from “yer lookin’ peely wally” (you look sick) to the classic “whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye” (what’s meant to be will be!)
These are forty of Scotland’s favourite Scottish sayings and phrases as voted by our Scotsman readers.
25. Geein me the boak
The "boak" is that feeling of disgust or being sick, so if something's "giving you the boak" then it's making you want to throw up. Photo: Capuski via Canva Pro
26. Gie it laldy
This is a saying used as a form of encouragement or motivation, if you "give it laldy" then you're doing something with vigour. Photo: max-kegfire via Canva Pro
27. Did ye, aye?
This is akin to saying "is that really true?" For example, if your friend claims that he got into a fight on a night out and beat up 10 guys all by himself then an apt response would be a sarcastic "did ye, aye?" Unless your friend is Batman. Photo: JoeDphoto via Canva Pro
28. Havnae a Scooby
This means "I haven't a Scooby" which is a colloquial way of saying "I haven't a clue" i.e., I don't know. Photo: Carminesalvatore via Canva Pro