
Doric is the slang language spoken in Aberdeen by the natives who grew up here. I call it slang as that’s what it was called the whole time I grew up. It certainly wasn’t mentioned as speaking Doric. Nobody bothered to tell me that it has a fancy name and is called the “Doric” back then. All I remember are teachers and parents doing their best to stop us “spikkin” slang.
The t’s tend not to often not be sounded in the middle of a word and mostly have a harsh glottal stop on them. (Buh er) instead of butter. (Waah er) for Water.
It was a bit of a revelation to me to have the modern view that “intellectuals” think we need to preserve this way of speaking when I spent the first thirty years of my life being ashamed of saying the most slight Doricy pronunciation.
Even now, I give my children into trouble for using slang *cough Doric.* In the last few years, I’ve learned that I had to embrace the worst of the local language that existed in the homeland and try to give it a chance as a heritage from my home, no matter how it still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
I’ve written Doric poems and sold a few of them too, so people must like them.
I’ve put the picture of the foghorn at the Bay of Nigg in Torry as I spotted it and it has fond memories for me of my youth, cycling, adventure and good friends. I’ve heard it’s being sold, that’s a shame.
It does make this a slightly controversial post for me. I like writing the poems and I like that people ask me for them, but I still find myself blushing with shame if I launch into a Doric sentence out and about. That ingrained indoctrination as a child has stayed with my brain.
Here are a few classics. Would you know them all?
“Fit like?” – how are you?
“Far ye gaun?” – where are you going?
“Foo auld r ye.” – how old are you
“Loons an quines.” – boys and girls
” Haud yer wissht!” – shut up
“It’s a sair fecht for a half loaf.” – hard to make the money cover everything.
“Like a skint rubbit.” – someone far too skinny.
“Ony mair o yer lip an ah’ll skelp yer backside.” – any more cheek and you’ll get a smacked rear end.
“Ye mak a better door than a windae.” – I can’t see past you.
“Ken fit a mean.” – do you know what I mean?
“Gie it a birl.” – give it a try, or a whirl.
“A bosie.” – a cuddle.
“Claik or crack.” – gossip
“Clype.” – tell-tale, usually kids telling on other kids. Kids can have reputations damaged with each other by being accused of one small word.
Oh wow. Amazing how sayings travelled, even decades ago.
Mine were about 13/14 when I took them. When we were there, there were a fair few kids around their…
This is a good recipe, I swap oil for lard however as fat retains moisture better making the bread softer.