40 Best everyday words with totally different meanings in Scotland from 'Winch' to 'Poke'
If you live in Scotland or have Scottish friends then you probably know the alternative (and often colourful) meanings to these everyday English words.
England is not too far away down South yet to English people Scotland can seem like a whole new world as the colourful expressions and diversity of accents could leave any newcomer scratching their head.
Interestingly, this isn’t just a case of ‘slang’ or Billy Connolly-esque accents as Scotland can be considered a multilingual country as official languages include Scots, Scottish Gaelic and of course English – all brought together with an array of beautiful accents and dialects.
If you’re from Scotland, or have lived here for a while, then you’ll know well that we have (somehow) developed our own language when it comes to using English – and so certain words don’t mean what the Collins Dictionary told you so when you’re around here.
To spare you opening up that dusty old book or using a translator, here are 40 everyday words and phrases with totally different meanings in Scotland.
1. How
This usually means exactly what it says, how? But in Scotland (particularly in Glasgow) this acts as the question 'why?'
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2. Ned
Usually this is a shortened version of the name Edward, like Ned Flanders from The Simpsons, but in Scotland it's used more often to refer to a young troublemaker or foolish person.
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3. Greeting
Although the act of greeting would normally refer to how we greet one another with a "hello" or handshake, here this means to be crying (often from laughter!)
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4. Diddy
For many this word would conjure up imagery of the famous artist P Diddy, but when used in Scotland it may refer to a person's breasts or be used as a light way of calling someone silly.
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