Scottish word of the day: Sapsy

Published on 18/09/2012 18:48

THE adjective ‘sapsy’ has two meanings. To describe someone as sapsy is to say they are weak-willed and unable to stand up for themselves - “Stop being so sapsy and tell him to get lost” – or that someone or something is overly-sentimental: “They’re drunk and singing sapsy songs”.

The word has fallen out of everyday use but many children will know it from the Scots poem The Coming of the Wee Malkies, by Stephen Mulrine, which is still learned in schools as an example of poetry written in the Glasgow dialect.

Haw missis, whit’ll ye dae when the wee Malkies come,

If they dreep doon affy the wash-hoose dyke,

An pit the hems oan the sterrheid light,

An play wee heidies oan the clean close wa,

An bloter her windie in we da ba,

Missis, whit’ll ye dae?

Whit’ll ye dae when the wee Malkies come,

If they chap yir door an choke yir drains,

An caw the feet fae yir sapsy weans,

An tummle thur wulkies through yir sheets,

An tim thur ahes oot in the street,

Missis, whit’ll ye dae?

Whit’ll ye dae when the wee Malkies come,

If they chuck thur screwtaps doon the pan,

An stick the heid oan the sanitry man,

When ye hear thum shauchlin doon yir loaby,

Chanting, “Wee Malkies! The gemme’s a bogey!”

Haw, missis, whit’ll ye dae?