Ulster-Scots Guide to help Open Visitors

19 July 2019

As play get under way at The Open at Royal Portrush, see below our guide to 50 useful Ulster-Scots words that visitors to the area might encounter when talking to locals.

1. Aye - yes
2. Birl - spin
3. Breeks - trousers 
4. Canny - careful 
5. Carfuffle - commotion 
6. Carnaptious - irritable 
7. Crabbit - grumpy 
8. Crack - banter, news
9. Cribpad - footpath 
10. Danner - stroll 
11. Footery - awkward to work at 
12. Forbye - as well 
13. Foundered - feeling very cold 
14. Farl - quarter round griddle scone, soda farl
15. Gulder - shout loudly 
16. Happed up - wrapped up warm
17. Hallion - a rascal
18. Heartsome - comforting 
19. Hoke - dig, root around
20. Houl - hold 
21. Houl yer wheest - keep quiet
22. Jeuk - avoid 
23. Lassie - girl 
24. Mind - remember 
25. Mingin - dirty and smelly 
26. Neb - nose 
27. Oul - old 
28. Oxter - armpit 
29. Poke - ice cream cone 
30. Pruck - stuff 
31. Quare - considerable 
32. Redd up - tidy up 
33. Scallion - spring onion 
34. Simmet - vest 
35. Scraigh o dawn - very early morning 
36. Scunnered - disgusted 
37. Shoogley - unsteady 
38. Skelf - splinter 
39. Skiff o rain - light shower 
40. Slabber - loudmouth or saliva 
41. Sleekit - sly 
42. Steamin - very drunk 
43. Stoor - dust 
44. Teemin - raining hard
45. Thole - endure 
46. Thon - that 
47. Thonder - there 
48. Thran - stubborn 
49. Wean - child 
50. Wee - small