Youse can (maybe) conquer the world – leader comment

The word “youse”, a plural form of you, is spreading out from Glasgow into other parts of Scotland. And who’s to say it might not go further?
"Youse looking at me?" as Travis Bickle didn't quite say in the Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver (Picture: Kobal Collection)"Youse looking at me?" as Travis Bickle didn't quite say in the Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver (Picture: Kobal Collection)
"Youse looking at me?" as Travis Bickle didn't quite say in the Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver (Picture: Kobal Collection)

Sometimes, you may be speaking Scots without even knowing it. For example, did you know that words like “swithering” and “outwith” are Scottish? We didn’t but, apparently, they are.

“Shoogly” is another one, but we sort of guessed that might be. However it can take a trip to other English-speaking parts of the world and enough confused looks, furrowed brows and people saying “whaaat?” to find out for sure.

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Map charts expressions and dialects across Scotland
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Now the new online Scots Syntax Atlas has been launched by Glasgow University, charting different expressions in dialects across Scotland. Excitingly the word “youse” appears to be on the move, spreading outwards from Glasgow into new parts of the country.

And just think, it might not stop there. Could youse conquer the world? It’s found in Australia, South Africa and parts of the US.

In the future, famous films may have to be dubbed so people can understand them.

We look forward to “Youse looking at me?” (Taxi Driver), “May the Force be with youse” (Star Wars) and “The first rule of Fight Club is: youse do not talk about Fight Club” (Fight Club).

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