Play@YSDC

For a general history of Scotland, both prior to and during the 20th century, there are as many books etc as you can shake a stick at. Some good, some not so good, and some bloody awful. So if you want detailed information please feel free to look it up.

The following is a lingo dictionary of Scottish, I have taken this from Stuart Boon’s ‘Shadows of Scotland’ from Cubicle Seven. He is from the land of the thistle, I am not, so if they’re not right the take it up with him.
Alba (noun) – Scotland (in Scots Gaelic)
Argie-bargie (noun) – Altercation or dispute
Atspish (slang) – “That’s not so good”
Auld (adjective) – Old
Aye-right (phrase, slang) – No, not likely or I don’t believe it/that
Baddy (noun) – Not a nice person
Bairn (noun) – Child
Barnie (noun) – Bit of a scuffle, argument, or trouble.
Ben (noun) – Mountain
Boak (verb, slang) – To vomit
Bob (noun) – Shilling (always singular; hence ‘a few bob’ rather than a few bobs.
Bog (noun.slang) – Toilet
Bogie (noun) – any manner of frightful thing (esp. used to frighten children)
Bonnet (noun) – Hat
Burn (noun) – Stream
Cannae (verb) – Cannot
Ceilidh (noun) – Dance, or traditional social gathering (pronounced Kay-lee)
Clan (noun) – Tribe or family
Clootie dumpling (noun) – A rich pudding, or desert made with dried fruit
Cludgie (Noun, slang) – Toilet
Coo (noun) – Cow
Cracking (adjective) – Very nice
Cranachan (noun) – Pudding, or desert made from oatmeal, crowdie (cream) cheese, and raspberries
Cullen Skink (noun) – Smoked Haddock and potato chowder
Deid (adjective) – Dead (pronounced ‘deed’)
Didnae (verb) – ‘Did not’
Dinnae (verb) – ‘Do not’
Dinnae ken (verb) – ‘Don’t know’ or ‘I don’t know’
Disnae (verb) – ‘Does not’
Dirk (noun) – Scottish long dagger
Doolally (adjective) – crazy
Dram (noun) – Small unit of volume (normally referring to whisky)
Dreich (noun) – Damp, dreary or overcast weather
Drookit (adjective) – Soaked to the skin
Edgy (adjective, slang) – Aware
Eejit (noun, slang) – Idiot
Fag (noun) – Cigarette
Fash (verb) – to upset oneself as in “Dinnae fash yourself, ya wee bairn”
Footer (verb) – To meddle or fidget
Gies (verb) – ‘Give us’ as in “Gies a pint”
Gliff (or Glif; noun) – Fright
Gob (noun, slang) – Mouth
Green (noun) – Park or expanse of grass
Haggis (noun) – Traditional Scottish dish made of mutton, oatmeal and spices
Howfin (or howlin; adjective, slang) – Bad smelling as in “Och, yur shoes are howfin!”
Hoy (verb) – To throw
Isnae (verb) – Is not
Jake (or Johnny Jump up; noun, slang) – Cheap, strong, alcoholic drink
Jammy (adjective) – Lucky
Ken (verb) – to know, or understand, as in “Do ya ken wa’m sayin?”
Kilt (noun) – Pleated tartan garment
Kirk (noun) – Church
Lad (noun) – Young man
Lass (noun) - Young woman
Lied up (adjective) – Drunk
Linn (noun) – Waterfall
Loch (noun) – Lake
Manky (adjective, slang) – Unclean
Mince (noun, slang) – Nonsense, as in “Him? He’s talkin’ mince”
Mingin’ (adjective, slang) – Unpleasant smelling
Neep (noun) – Turnip
Numpty (noun, slang) – Moron
Ootby (adjective) – Outdoors
Piece (noun) – Sandwich
Poke (noun) – Paper bag
Pollis (noun) – Police
Quaich (noun) – Traditional double-handled drinking cup
Quine (noun) – Girl or daughter
Reek (noun) – Chimney or industrial smoke
Saltire (noun) – Scottish flag
Sassanach (noun) – Englishman
Scran (noun) – Food
Scunner (verb, slang) – To bore or annoy, as in “Dinnae all this pointless talk scunner ye?”
Sgian Dubh (noun) – Small ceremonial dagger (worn with kilt; pronounced ‘skeen-doo’)
Shoogle (verb) – To shake
Silver (noun) – pocket change
Sleekit (adjective) – Sly
Sporran (noun) – Men’s purse (worn with kilt; pronounced ‘sporrun’)
Steamin’ (adjective, slang) – Drunk
Stovies (noun) – Hearty meal made with meat, potatoes and onions
Tartan (noun) – Colourful woven fabric that identifies clan or other affiliation
Tattie (noun) – Potato
Teuchter (noun, slang) Derogatory term for a Highlander. Using this term in conversation could get you into a fight
Totty (adjective) – Small
Wallies (noun, slang) – Teeth
Weegie (noun, slang) – A Glaswegian
Wheesht (expression) – ‘Be quiet’
Wisnae (verb) – ‘Was not’
Zoomer (noun, slang) – Highly erratic, or volatile person, as in “E’s a right Zoomer!”

There you go, don’t know how much use it will be, but you never know.

1920s currency (for all those of foreign extraction or those born after decimalization)
2 Farthings = 1 halfpenny or Ha’ppenny
2 Halfpence = 1 penny or 1d
2 pence or tuppence (2d)
3 pence or thruppence (also a ‘thrupenny bit’, coin 3d)
6 pence or ‘tanner’.
12 pence or 1 shilling (known as a bob)
2 shillings = 1 Florin ( also known as a ‘two bob bit’, coin 2s)
2 shillings and sixpence = Half crown, 2s/6d, ‘two and six’
5 shillings = Crown, 5s, ‘five bob’
10 shillings = Half Sovereign, ‘ten bob’ (ten bob note)
10 shillings and sixpence = Half Guinea or 10s/6d
20 shillings = 1 Soveriegn, 1 pound, £1/0s/0d
21 shillings = 1 Guinea, 1g

When written out, denominations were separated by either a slash (/) or a dash (-), such as £1/7s/6d or £1-7s-6d spoken as one pound seven and six.

Notes (in common circulation) were in the denomination of 10 shillings, 1 pound, 5 pounds and 10 pounds.

Price List
The following was sourced from the old ‘Green and Pleasant Land’ source book (Games Workshop 1987). It was taken from a 1929 Harrods catalogue, hardly shopping for the masses, but it gives a rough idea of the price of things. As with all shop goods through the ages, there are more expensive varieties and cheaper.
These are just a sample, set dressing, little more.

Pocket Compass - £2/5/0d
Film, developing and printing - 8d per picture
Ball of string - 5¬1/2¬d
Parker fountain pen - 21s
Battery operated Torch - 10/6d
Bottle of Aspirin (100) - 1/6d
Dunlop British Touring Atlas - 3s
The Daily Mail Newspaper - 1d
The Times Newspaper - 2d
Bottle Johnny Walker Red Label Whisky - 12/6d (although a fine single malt would be more expensive)
Pack of Twenty Cigarettes - 1s (Cheap Woodbines can be purchased in fives)
Pint of beer - 6d
¬1¬st Class rail fare, London – Southampton – 16/5d
Gallon of Petrol - 1/7d
4 mile bus fare - 4d
Luxury Hotel per night - 8/6d
Hotel breakfast - 2/6d
Hotel dinner - 5/6d