Did you know that Scotland has 3 official languages? English, Gaelic, and Scots. These languages (particularly Scots in the lowland region, aka where I’m located!) remain a valuable part of Scotland’s cultural identity, and appear in songs, poetry, literature, as well as in daily conversation.
When we first decided to move to Edinburgh, something I was most excited about was the fact that we would be back in an English speaking country. Living in a place where you don’t speak the language fluently is tough, and I was looking forward to that barrier lifting. And while understanding my friends and neighbours here is significantly easier than in Sweden, I definitely have had moments of confusion where I had no idea what was being said. Between the various accents, masks, and colourful lingo, it’s taken a while to get used to it all.
With over 27 words to describe the weather, Scottish people have a way of making even the most bland conversations interesting. (Though be warned – Scots swear a lot, and it still shocks my delicate American ears!) I could make an entire dictionary of Scottish words and phrases, but today I’ll just share a few of my faves.
Curious to enhance your Scottish vocabulary? Keep scrolling!