Denny’s Yard Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Gallus is a word I remember when I was young but have not heard in a long time. My recollection of it is to describe someone who is talented and confident. But I remember it more as a negative, which maybe fits with West of Scotland attitudes. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny’s Yard Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 The East Coast version might be ‘Kent his faither’. In Australia it is tall poppy syndrome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eisegerwind Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 (edited) Gallus, not used much anymore, pretty common 70's, absolutely no negative connotation, unless it meant a bit overconfident. Generally gallus-good. Edited April 5, 2020 by Eisegerwind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eisegerwind Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Can you change the thread title to Scottish words and we'll have some fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eisegerwind Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Caw it borley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnyTJS Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 (edited) Derives from 'gallows'. The noun had developed into an adjective meaning 'born to hang' by the 15th century (the earliest OED quote for the adjective is c. 1425: "This gallowus man toke him by the skyrtis of his palle or mantyl". It evolved from there to mean someone 'uppity', and then, for some, to the more neutral 'over-confident'. Edited April 5, 2020 by DonnyTJS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eisegerwind Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Just now, DonnyTJS said: Derives from 'gallows'. The noun had developed into an adjective meaning 'born to hang' by the 15th century (the earliest OED quote for the adjective is c. 1425: "This gallowus man toke him by the skyrtis of his palle or mantyl". It evolved from there to mean someone 'uppity', and then, for some, to the more neutral 'confident'. This is what we want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eisegerwind Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 (edited) Is the timekeeper back for good? Edited April 5, 2020 by Eisegerwind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnyTJS Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 3 minutes ago, Eisegerwind said: This is what we want. All in the wonderful OED. I no longer work for an organization where I can access the online version, but I recently acquired the print version (all twelve folio volumes) from a school library that was chucking them out - a library throwing out one of the greatest reference works in the language: just insane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnyTJS Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Eisegerwind said: Is the timekeeper back for good? I expect my appearances will be brief and infrequent. There's quite a lot going on ... [edit: maskless in Japan] Edited April 5, 2020 by DonnyTJS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eisegerwind Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 2 minutes ago, DonnyTJS said: All in the wonderful OED. I no longer work for an organization where I can access the online version, but I recently acquired the print version (all twelve folio volumes) from a school library that was chucking them out - a library throwing out one of the greatest reference works in the language: just insane. So, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDYER63 Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 8 hours ago, Eisegerwind said: Gallus, not used much anymore, pretty common 70's, absolutely no negative connotation, unless it meant a bit overconfident. Generally gallus-good. Thats how I remember it. Was used regularly in Paisley in the 70’s and always a positive reference. Was usually prefixed by the words ‘pure’. And ‘fucking‘. Not by me of course. I didn't swear in those days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weekevie04 Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 (edited) It's a great word, although I always thought it was more an endearing adjective than seemingly arrogant/tall poppy syndrome description here. As in he's a bit maverick, gives it a go, not afraid to try but in a good way. I like hearing Scots words and if anything noticed more people using them- which is great if natural - but it sounds fake when you've got the Glasgow uni/middle-class BBC Scotland type accents adding in a 'ye ken', 'aye/naw,' etc. I didn't realise even when speaking 'English' that a lot of Scottish people's sentence structure, words and syntax are really different from other English speaking nations - just like other countries, areas, etc are from ours. I almost never say ''haven't'' or ''have not'', I didn't even realise I did this til I spent some time outwith Scotland and don't think I've even got a strong accent - generic soft Dundee , but I'll say ''I've no yet,'' etc. There comes out as 'thur' ; 'send it to us', and often without thinking I think is ''ah hink'' and saying I is not the Angus/Dundee 'Eh' but more a mix of Weegie/Dundee 'Ah'll' and that's me basically speaking English. And many times I've mentioned Italy folk have thought I was meaning LA. Edited April 5, 2020 by weekevie04 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnyTJS Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 10 minutes ago, weekevie04 said: It's a great word, although I always thought it was more an endearing adjective than seemingly arrogant/tall poppy syndrome description here. As in he's a bit maverick, gives it a go, not afraid to try but in a good way. I like hearing Scots words and if anything noticed more people using them- which is great if natural - but it sounds fake when you've got the Glasgow uni/middle-class BBC Scotland type accents adding in a 'ye ken', 'aye/naw,' etc. I didn't realise even when speaking 'English' that a lot of Scottish people's sentence structure, words and syntax are really different from other English speaking nations - just like other countries, areas, etc are from ours. I almost never say ''haven't'' or ''have not'', I didn't even realise I did this til I spent some time outwith Scotland and don't think I've even got a strong accent - generic soft Dundee , but I'll say ''I've no yet,'' etc. There comes out as 'thur' ; 'send it to us', and often without thinking I think is ''ah hink'' and saying I is not the Angus/Dundee 'Eh' but more a mix of Weegie/Dundee 'Ah'll' and that's me basically speaking English. And many times I've mentioned Italy folk have thought I was meaning LA. Many varieties of 'English' would be mutually unintelligible if we didn't have a standard writing system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan Blackheart Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 People that pronounce J as “jai” need to have a long, hard look at themselves. Other than Paw Broon, does anyone still say “braw”? This post has unintentionally turned into a wee bit of a go, although the second question is genuine. Just got the lockdown blues! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 1 hour ago, Duncan Blackheart said: People that pronounce J as “jai” need to have a long, hard look at themselves. Other than Paw Broon, does anyone still say “braw”? This post has unintentionally turned into a wee bit of a go, although the second question is genuine. Just got the lockdown blues! It's still used in Fife a lot. As in "Jaboysir that's a braw pair o galluses you've got oan." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farcity Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 3 hours ago, Duncan Blackheart said: People that pronounce J as “jai” need to have a long, hard look at themselves. Other than Paw Broon, does anyone still say “braw”? This post has unintentionally turned into a wee bit of a go, although the second question is genuine. Just got the lockdown blues! I say braw regularly each day. If someone passes me a brew I'd say braw, ta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny’s Yard Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 18 hours ago, Eisegerwind said: Can you change the thread title to Scottish words and we'll have some fun. I would but not sure how to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny’s Yard Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 Ginger, as in ‘a bottle of ginger’. Is that still used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny’s Yard Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 17 hours ago, DonnyTJS said: Derives from 'gallows'. The noun had developed into an adjective meaning 'born to hang' by the 15th century (the earliest OED quote for the adjective is c. 1425: "This gallowus man toke him by the skyrtis of his palle or mantyl". It evolved from there to mean someone 'uppity', and then, for some, to the more neutral 'over-confident'. Thanks for this. Palle or mantyl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auchinyell Sox Change Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Dezember ? always threw me that one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny’s Yard Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 I remember, when I was a kid, being at a caravan site in Portsoy or somewhere near. I was playing with another little boy and he asked me, ‘Where de ye bide, the noo like?’, meaning which caravan is yours. At the time I had no idea what he meant but it has stuck in my mind. I guess that would be a Fife accent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviebee Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 29 minutes ago, Denny’s Yard said: I remember, when I was a kid, being at a caravan site in Portsoy or somewhere near. I was playing with another little boy and he asked me, ‘Where de ye bide, the noo like?’, meaning which caravan is yours. At the time I had no idea what he meant but it has stuck in my mind. I guess that would be a Fife accent? Not sure it would be. Us Fifers would've probably said, "Whore d'ye stye the noo?" At least they would in my part of Fife which is the east. There's a difference between East Fifers and West Fifers. Starting every sentence with Hessir (Hey Sir) isn't as common in the east. Good thread. Words and accents are fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnyTJS Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 58 minutes ago, Denny’s Yard said: Palle or mantyl? Cloak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weekevie04 Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Just now, daviebee said: Not sure it would be. Us Fifers would've probably said, "Whore d'ye stye the noo?" At least they would in my part of Fife which is the east. There's a difference between East Fifers and West Fifers. Starting every sentence with Hessir (Hey Sir) isn't as common in the east. Good thread. Words and accents are fascinating. Agree, I'd say Denny's quote sounds more north Angus/Aberdeenshire than Fife. Angus is different too. Even Carnoustie to Arbroath can have a big difference. Or even 4-5 miles north of Monifieth/Carnoustie, it's almost Aberdeenshire sounding at times. Really interesting thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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