Latin

The Sporran is a traditional part of Scottish Highland dress that essentially acts as a pocket when wearing a kilt. The word is rooted in the Gaelic “sporan” which means purse. Marine creatures like sharks and rays produce eggs which have a tough protective casing known as a mermaid’s purse as it can be written in Gaelic; sporan-bìgis.

Scottish Gaelic you already speak: 17 English words linked to Gaelic

Johannes Radebe in Freedom Unleashed PIC: Danny Kaan

Dance review: Johannes Radebe: Freedom Unleashed, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Do you know how Scotland's cities got their names?

How all 8 cities in Scotland got their names - from Inverness to Glasgow

Shakira diss track aimed at ex-partner Pique breaks YouTube record

How to get tickets to the Strictly Come Dancing tour

Advent calendars are now a traditional way to count down to Christmas.

Everything you need to know about Advent

Donald Trump will be reinstated to Twitter

Elon Musk reinstates Donald Trump’s Twitter account

Glenlivet Distillery manager Robert Arthur enjoys a little quality control - by tasting a dram of whisky.

22 pictures from the 1950s and 1960s of famous Scottish distilleries

Google Doodle is celebrating Tito Puente’s life

Google Doodle celebrates Tito Puente the 'King of Latin music'

King Charles III follows the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it travels inside Windsor Castle on September 19.

Buckingham Palace reveals King Charles III’s new cipher

Who wrote the card on Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin and what did it say?

The word 'disaster' stems from the Latin for star, with an unlucky alignment of the constellations blamed for some major misfortunes (Picture: Mariana Suarez/AFP via Getty Images)

Susie Dent: 'Fremescence' and 'thunderpeals' are rising in our anxious society

Shortly before resigning, Boris Johnson sacked Michael Gove from the Cabinet, with a No 10 insider referring to Gove as a 'snake' (Picture: Andrew Parsons Pool/Getty Images)

Susie Dent: Boris Johnson and the rich language of friendship and betrayal

People queue outside the flagship Scottish Primark store on Princes Street in Edinburgh after it reopened following the initial spring 2020 lockdown (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

Bricks as important as clicks in modern retail – Martyn McLaughlin

Agricultural carbon auditing is imprecise

Farming carbon auditing scheme is still a work in progress - Brian Henderson

Bishop's name found on rare rock crystal jar from Viking Age hoard

The House of Commons chamber: When former cabinet minister Owen Paterson was found to have broken lobbying rules and violated MPs’ rules of conduct, the term 'sleaze' was a linguistic slam-dunk for both the Opposition and the media, writes Susie Dent.

Words for the good politicians are hard to find in the Dictionary - Susie Dent

Carlos Santana PIC: Roberto Finizio

Album reviews: Santana | Primal Scream | Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga

Stargazers in the UK will be hoping to catch a glimpse of the Draconid Meteor Shower (image: Shutterstock)

Draconid Meteor Shower to peak this weekend - how to see it from the UK

The statistics when it comes to whisky production in Scotland are something to raise a toast to.

10 fascinating facts and figures about Scotland's national drink

The revamped museum about 19th-century Scottish missionary and explorer Dr David Livingstone is worth a visit (Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

‘Dr Livingstone, I presume?’: Let's rediscover a Scottish hero – Susan Morrison

This is the date summer officially starts in UK - and when the summer solstice i...

St Columba depicting coverting the Picts in a painting by William Brassey Hole. PIC: Creative Commons.

Celebrating St Columba, our grumpy but much-lauded saint, who was born 1,500 yea...

The Chronicle of Fortingall, written in 16th Century Perthshire and which features a mix of Scots, Latin and Gaelic, has been bought at auction for the national collection for £25,000. PIC: NMS.

16th Century 'treasure' text in Gaelic, Scots and Latin bought for the nation

The spring equinox officially marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere (Getty Images)

This is the date and time of the spring equinox in 2021

Charles Kennedy, pictured when he launched his campaign to become Liberal Democrat party leader, was an extraordinarily talented, but flawed, human being, says Kirsty Strickland (Picture: David Moir)

We must listen to the likes of Charles Kennedy again – Kirsty Strickland

Anthony Maxwell was dedicated to his art

Obituary: Anthony Maxwell, 21st-century heraldic designer

The sun rises over Stonehenge. (Pic: Getty Images)

When is the shortest day of the year 2020?

Edward Kane, Advocate in A Promise is a Promise

Edward Kane, Advocate in A Promise is a Promise: Chapter 10

Edinburgh Festival Fringe performers promote their show on the Royal Mile in happier times as Joe Goldblatt looks for a silver lining in their cloud

Edinburgh's festivals could have sabbatical every seven years – Joe Goldblatt

The 11th century Psalter, or Book of Psalms, in Latin probably produced in a monastery on the west coast of Scotland.

Scotland’s oldest book is now online for all to see

Europe’s golfers celebrate winning the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, one of a host of events held in Scotland in 2014 (Picture: Ian Rutherford)

A vital Scottish industry that is almost invisible needs help – Joe Goldblatt

Dundee managing director John Nelms. Picture: Paul Devlin/SNS

Contents of clubs’ WhatsApp group sheds new light on SPFL vote

This year the spring equinox occurs on Friday 20 March. It marks the moment when the sun crosses the earth’s equator, and day and night become equal lengths of time.

Spring equinox 2020: when is the Spring equinox this year and what does it mean

Students have been making huge progress by studying classical languages, writes ...

Opus Dei sues over card game

Scottish word of the day: Messages

Internet signs of the decline and fall of the Roman empire

Renovators uncover stained glass linked to Sir Patrick Geddes

Passport to a world of opportunity – now you're talking

Interview: Sue Perkins and Giles Coren - Gluttons for punishment

Introducing... Das Contras

Lola Shoneyin: Feeling the pain of racist abuse

Catholic leaders say Hokey Cokey is 'faith hate'

Edwin Morgan: A very modest magus

A little Madness is good for you

Nan Dunbar

Zoos have a big role to play in modern world

Annabel Karmel, bestselling author

Why Scotland is dumbing down

Why pig Latin simply doesn't translate

Archibald’s new boys share Latin rhythm at Dens Park

The Scotsman Top Stories

The NHS paid out more than £160m in compensation to patients between 2018 and 2022, figures show, with one case involving a baby who died after an improper examination. Pic: Jeff Moore/PA Wire

Millions paid out for botched NHS treatments, including ovary removal

The attack on the Capitol sparked the biggest police investigation in US history. Picture: Brent Stirton/Getty Images

Convicted US Capitol rioter set to arrive in Scotland later this year

Youssef Mikhaiel and his partner, Sarah Bradley, at Queen's Park Stadium in Glasgow, before his detention.

University graduate detained as number held in Dungavel soars threefold