Here in Scotland, we have some amazing words and phrases you often hear on a night out.
Whether you're ordering a 'hawf n hawf', heading out for a wee 'swallie' with your mates, or getting a 'cairry oot', some will no doubt sound familiar. It's funny that we really do have a word for everything.
Whisky and beer have obviously played a major role in Scottish culture over the years. Going back centuries, countless Scots have shared a quaich — Scotland's cup of friendship — to either cement a partnership or end a rivalry.
When considering that, it's no shocker that we have more than a few terms for the act of drinking (responsibly of course). For fun, the Daily Record has rounded up some of the ones that you are most likely to hear when heading out.
Once you've mastered the lingo, don't forget to toast 'Slainte Mhath' when sharing a whisky with others. Pronounced 'slan-je vah', it is often shortened to 'Slainte', and means "good health" in Gaelic.
Whisky
Uisge Beatha (pronounced 'ooshka ba') — Meaning 'water of life' in Gaelic, this is a more formal way to refer to whisky
Cratur — The Scots word for 'creature', this is another word referring to whisky
Dram/Nip — Common terms for a measure of whisky
Hawf n Hawf — A term for a half-pint of beer alongside a measure of whisky
New Make spirit — Refers to newly distilled spirit that has not yet gone through the minimum maturation period of three years to legally become whisky
A pint of Heavy — Ales were traditionally brewed in Scotland to be 'Light' (around or under 3.5 per cent abv) or 'Heavy' (between 3.5 and 4 per cent abv)
60/70/80 Shilling — These are alternative versions of 'Light' and 'Heavy', named after the original tax charged for each
Drinking in general
Swallie/Bevvy/Tinky Link — Alternative words for drinks
Cairry-oot — The drink or food you buy from an off-licence
Birse Cup— When you add whisky to tea or coffee after dinner instead of milk
Wee Skoosh of... — A small amount of spirit, or more commonly mixer
Deoch an Doris — The drink for the road before heading out
Drooth/Drouth — Scots words that refer to a real thirst
Getting drunk
There are plenty of Scottish words and phrases that basically mean 'drunk'. Here are a few in a rough order of increasing drunkenness:
Awa wi it (Away with it)
Rubbered
Sloshed
Buckled
Steaming/Steamboats
Blootered
Oot the game/yer tree (Out the game/your tree)
Stocious (pronounced Stoh-shus)
Paralytic
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The phrase 'getting steaming' meaning 'getting drunk' is well-known in Scottish vernacular and dropped into hungover conversation the world over. But why is the word 'steaming' associated with being inebriated?
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' The subject of the song is the old phrase a deoch-an-doris which in modern usage would mean a drink at the door, that is to say on your way out to go home and it would involve the quaich, or a stirrup cup.
Take from this what you will, but 'dreich' has been voted the “most iconic” Scots word several times. In a sentence: “It's awfy dreich oot there the day.” In English: “It's awfully dreary outside today.”
Among those that Sully struggles with are 'tarantula', 'vocabulary', and 'barrel'. The social media star also struggles with the word 'burglary', saying "next" after he repeatedly fails to pronounce it correctly.
There are so different ways to say “cheers” in many countries all over the world, however, in Scotland, it's Slàinte Mhath! Irish or Scots Gaelic? The term Slàinte Mhath (Pronounced Slanj-a-va) is actually both Irish and Scots Gaelic.
Scottish drinking slang varies from place to place, with the North-east of Scotland providing plenty of Doric terms for those “awa' wi' it” or “stoatin' aboot”. Other popular terms from the area include “half-cut”, “bleezin”, to be “pie-eyed” or even to be “sloshed”.
The Scottish phrase “auld lang syne” directly translates to “old long since”, and is used to describe a feeling of nostalgia for the times that have already passed. This timeless quotation could remind us to keep kindness at the centre of our lives as the years go by.
'Braw' is another common Scottish saying. It means fantastic, great, brilliant… essentially all that's positive and wonderful. You might hear this on your travels. Scotland is definitely a braw destination!
Tags: alcohol, beermat, bottle, drinking, glass, thirst, yellow. “Nae much left sonny, an I've still a terrible drouth upon me.” Translate: Drooth, drouth: extreme need of a drink /dryness/drought. Not much left sonny, and I still have a terrible thirst upon me. The Scottish … Continue reading.
Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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