Concise Scots Dictionary And The First Global Conference On Slang

Dr Maggie Scott, a researcher in Scots and Scottish English at Salford University, said: “It’s difficult enough to decide if Scots is a dialect or a language. The fleeting nature of a word can determine if it’s slang or not. If it’s a word you can use with three different generations of your family, it’s more likely become part of the language."

Experts due to gather next year at the first-ever global conference on slang said it needs to be taken more seriously as words can become deep-seated in the language, rather than exist as just temporary local or regional terms.

Scots slang:

Corned beef - deaf
Cooncil juice - water
Shan - unfair
Dingie - to deliberately ignore smb.
Numpty - stupid person, idiot
Cooncil telly - freeview TV
Ginger - fizzy drink
Gadgie - bloke, man
Jakey - an alcoholic, tramp