Want to Learn Scottish Slang? 'Gaun Yersel!

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December 26, 2019
6
Intermediate

Language & Education

Exercise 1
Vocabulary
Teacher's note
Read each word and let the student repeat it.
have a hard time
Phrase
hæv ə hɑːrd taɪm
to have problems or difficulty with something
I'm having a hard time understanding this poem.
beverage
Noun
ˈbɛvərɪdʒ
any type of drink
No food or beverages are allowed in the classrooms.
mince
Verb
mɪns
to cut meat into very small pieces using a special machine
We'll need minced beef for this recipe.
shopping cart
Noun
ˈʃɒpɪŋ kɑːt
a large basket on wheels that is used to carry products around a shop
I think I'm going to need another shopping cart.
groceries
Noun
ˈɡrəʊsəriz
food, drinks, etc., that you buy in a store
I made a list of groceries to buy.
Exercise 2
Article
Teacher's note
Read each paragraph and let the student repeat it.
Want to Learn Scottish Slang? 'Gaun Yersel!'
For several hundred years, Scottish English has been changed by other languages, such as Scots,
which is spoken by about 30% of people in Scotland. For this reason, many people and even
computers have a hard time understanding Scottish English.

Scottish people pronounce many words in a different way than other English speakers. For example,
they say "hoose" instead of "house," "dug" instead of "dog," and "gunnae" instead of "going to."

Scottish speakers also make many words shorter. For example, "baccy" is short for "tobacco," "bevvy"
means "beverage," and "tatties" are "potatoes." In fact, one of the most popular Scottish foods is
"mince and tatties," or minced beef and potatoes.

To many English speakers, a "trolley" is an electric streetcar. But in Scotland and other parts of the
UK, a "trolley" is a shopping cart.

"Scran" is another word for "food." "Spondoolies" means "money," and "messages" is what Scottish
speakers call grocery shopping – because when you go shopping, you bring a list of items, or
"messages," with you. So if you're "getting the messages" in Scotland, you should bring some
"spondoolies" to pay for the "scran" in your "trol ley."
"Yuptae?" is a common greeting in Scotland. It means "W hat are you up to?" or "How are you
doing?" To tell someone "goodbye," you can say, "Guid cheerio the nou" or "See ye efter," which
means "See you later."

Finally, if you want to encourage someone, you can say "Gaun yersel," which means "You can do it,"
or "Whit's fur ye'll no go by ye," meaning "What's meant to happen will happen!"

Exercise 3
Discussion
Teacher's note
Have a discussion based on the following questions.
1.
Prior to reading this article, had you heard any of these expressions?
2.
Have you been to Scotland? If so, did you have any trouble understanding the locals? If not,
would you like to?
3.
Have you ever had a chance to try Scottish food? If so, did you like it? If not, do you t hink
you'd enjoy "mince and tatties"?
4.
What would you say is your favorite "scran" and "bevvy"?
5.
How often do you go grocery shopping? Do you usually bring a list of "messages" with you?
Exercise 4
Further Discussion
Teacher's note
Have a discussion based on the following questions.
1.
In your opinion, which English-speaking country has the best accent? Why do you think so?
2.
Which English-speaking country would you most like to visit? Why?
3.
Do people from different parts of your country speak differently?
4.
What words or sounds do you imagine people struggle to pronounce when learning your
native language?
5.
If you don't know how to pronounce a word, say it loud! - William Strunk Jr. Do you think this
is good advice? Why? Why not?