10 words and phrases that will confuse anyone who didn't grow up in Scotland (2024)

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I was born and raised in Scotland, UK.

I was born in Scotland.

English is Scotland's first language, with 98.6% of the population being able to speak it well, according to a 2011 census. Other languages spoken in Scotland include Scots and Gaelic.

There are a wide range of Scottish words and phrases that are not known by the rest of the world. Here are some of my favorites.

If someone in Scotland says they're going out to do "the messages," that means they are going grocery shopping.

To most of the English-speaking world, a "message" could mean a text message or a written note. But in Scotland, when someone says they are "going for the messages" this means they are going shopping for groceries.

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In Scotland, many people refer to movie theaters as "the pictures."

If someone in Scotland says they are going to "the pictures," this means they are going to a cinema or movie theater.

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"Wee yin" is something most of us got called while growing up.

The word "wee" is one of the most used Scottish words that I heard while growing up. It means "small" or "little" and is commonly used in the west of Scotland.

The term "wee yin" — meaning "small one" — is commonly used to refer to a young child or a small person. At 5-foot-2, I still sometimes get referred to as "wee yin" by my family members.

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The word "steaming" means to get drunk.

The word "steaming" is used to refer to someone who is drunk. It is widely believed that the phrase originated from Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, in the mid-19th century, according to Historic UK.

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The word "ned" is often used as an insult.

To most of the world, "Ned" is a boy's name. But if you call someone this name in Scotland, it would seem like you were insulting them.

The word "ned" is an abbreviation of Non-Educated Delinquent, and is often used to describe young troublemakers or criminals. There was a Scottish film with the same name released in 2010.

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To "winch" is to kiss.

The word "winch" means to kiss or to make out with someone. The word is most commonly used in Glasgow, according to the Glasgow Times.

There is even a famous bronze sculpture in the city's Buchanan Bus Station of a man and woman kissing, named "Wincher's Stance."

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"Hen" is a pet name used to describe a woman or girl.

While the word "hen" is most commonly used to describe a female chicken, in Scotland it is an endearing term used to describe a woman or a girl.

The word dates back to the 1620s, according to the online Etymology Dictionary, and explains why bachelorette parties have been called "hen parties" in the UK since 1887.

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To "blether" means to chat.

The word "blether" dates back to the 15th century and is used to describe someone who is gossiping, chatting, or catching up with friends, according to The Scotsman.

If used in a sentence, someone might say: "Come over to my house for a wee blether."

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If someone describes you as "crabbit," you probably aren't in a very good mood.

The word "crabbit" is usually used to describe someone who is angry or in a bad mood.

The word is usually associated with the elderly, which could be due to the 1966 poem by Phyllis McCormack titled "Crabbit Old Woman," according to The Scotsman.

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And finally, the word "ginger" refers to soft drinks.

While the word "ginger" is often used to describe an orange hair color, in Scotland it also means soft drink.

One of Scotland's best-loved soft drinks, Irn Bru, is orange in color — however, the word "ginger" isn't only used only to describe that drink. It can be used in reference to all soft drinks, such as Coca-Cola.