What are Scottish reduplicate words and why are they amazing?

THE Scottish language has a long list of words and expressions where the second part echoes the first.

The Scottish language has many amusing words, where the second element echoes the first

We take a look at 27 of the most entertaining - and uniquely Scottish - examples.



Catter-Batter - A quarrel or a dispute.

Clitter-Clatter - Particularly noisy and animated talk and chatter, a clattering noise, often confused and senseless conversation.

Feery-Farry is a Scottish word for a fight

Currie-Wurrie - A dispute which ends in violence.

Diddle-Daddle - To waste or take your time. A lot of faffing about with little to show for it.

Feery-Farry - a fight.

Fick-Facks - A fiddling, finicking or tedious piece of work, a fuss about nothing.

Clitter-Clatter means particularly noisy and animated chatter

Gilly-Gawkie - a foolish young person, usually referring to a female.

Haggerty-Taggerty - In a ragged state.

Glim-Glam - Another name for the childhood game Blind Man’s Buff.

Haggle-Baggle - A dispute over prolonged bargaining by someone having a hard time accepting the terms of a bargain.

Hickertie-Pickertie - Another phrase for Higgledy-Piggedly meaning confusion and disorder.

Feery-Farry is a Scottish word for a fight

Hiddie-Giddie - Topsy turvy.

Hingum-Tringum - To be in low spirits / worthless, a dodgy character.



Hinkie-Pinkie - a Scottish description of a weak beer.



Clitter-Clatter means particularly noisy and animated chatter

Hirrie-Harrie - An outcry after catching a thief. The Scottish equivalent of ‘Stop thief!’

Hish-Hash - Being in a mess or a muddle.



Hockerty-Cockerty - A phrase meaning to sit on another person’s shoulders.



Hodge-Podge - A very thick soup.

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Hudderie-Dudderie - To have a scruffy and unkempt appearance.



Hurry-Burry - To feel harassed, can also mean a dispute / rumpus.

Mixter-maxter - To be in a chaotic and jumbled up state.



Pitter-Patter - To recite words quickly without giving them the careful thought and time they deserve.

Snochter-Dichter - A Scottish phrase meaning handkerchief.

Tirr-Wirr - To speak in an angry fashion.



Too-Hoo - A useless person.



Trittle-Trattle - Rubbish.



Yiff-Yaff - A small, puny, insignificant creature given to idle chatter.