# Do the Scottish really use "lad" as much as fantasy writers would have us believe? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 18, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657 "2006-12-18T17:35:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/21 "2006-12-19T20:06:05Z")
It never stops, **Dominic**. Our respective parents still refer to my wife and myself as “the kids,” despite the fact that we’re both 33 and expecting a baby of our own. But getting back to Scotland, what about “Ach!”? Any of you lads of Scottish descent ever catch yourself loosing a few of those at opportune moments? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/22 "2006-12-19T20:18:59Z")
[QUOTE=Max Torque] But getting back to Scotland, what about “Ach!”? Any of you lads of Scottish descent ever catch yourself loosing a few of those at opportune moments? [/QUOTE] “Ach”/“Och” - to my ear it’s a sound in between the two - are pretty common in some parts, aye. I’ll say something like “Ach, Ahm jist away oot” or “Och, a cannae be bothert”\*. I think that the word is used in most of the Scots dialects/accents, but the degree of Ach verses Och varies. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/23 "2006-12-19T20:41:01Z")
Dittoing on the north of England sounding ‘feller-me-lad’. Lad and Lass are terms which are used fairly commonly in parts of Scotland but it depends on the context. If a mate in Dundee refers to someone’s lad then I know it’s a boyfriend. If my cousin in Edinburgh talks about someone’s laddie then they are speaking about a child. That said, we speak English so some peeps may never use the word. I only use ‘Ach’ if I’m pissed off about something. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/24 "2006-12-19T21:00:15Z")
“Laddie” and “Lassie” are used commonly to refer to children, all over I think, often with “wee” added before. I don’t know about Dundonians though, they’re a strange lot - possibly the only people to eschew consonants atogether “I ate it all” becomimg “a e’ i a’”. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/25 "2006-12-19T21:17:00Z")
[QUOTE=Dominic Mulligan] It’s used pretty much all across the North of England. When I return home, I’m still a “lad” despite being in my twenties. Ottawa must have been populated by Northerners 😉 [/QUOTE] Early settlers in this area came mostly from Scotland, hence we have towns named Renfrew, Arnprior, Perth, Calabogie, etc. People in the Ottawa valley don’t have sons or daughters; they have “young lads” and “young ladies.” No kidding. People will say things like “I have to take my young lad to hockey tonight.” ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/26 "2006-12-20T03:38:07Z")
[QUOTE=zelie zelerton] Lad and Lass are terms which are used fairly commonly in parts of Scotland but it depends on the context. If a mate in Dundee refers to someone’s lad then I know it’s a boyfriend. If my cousin in Edinburgh talks about someone’s laddie then they are speaking about a child. That said, we speak English so some peeps may never use the word. [/QUOTE] My grandmother, a child of the north shore of Lake Eire and a descendant of the Highland Clearances, called a child “a wee braw laddie / lassie.” Her unfortunate grandson was called “the wee Jamie.” The old woman also always rememberer Queen Victoria’s birthday. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/27 "2006-12-20T11:18:19Z")
Scottish people still say “hoot mon” though, right? ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/28 "2006-12-20T13:30:04Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] “Laddie” and “Lassie” are used commonly to refer to children, all over I think, often with “wee” added before. I don’t know about Dundonians though, they’re a strange lot - possibly the only people to eschew consonants atogether “I ate it all” becomimg “a e’ i a’”. [/QUOTE] Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons must be Dumdonian then. Bart: “Where’s my dog?” GW: " I ate im." ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/29 "2006-12-20T13:56:58Z")
Pardon my spelling, Du **n** donian. How about “Dinna fash yourself”? I’m assuming it means don’t get your knickers in a twist. Do you hear/say it much? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/30 "2006-12-20T14:10:41Z")
[QUOTE=Emily Litella] How about “Dinna fash yourself”? I’m assuming it means don’t get your knickers in a twist. Do you hear/say it much? [/QUOTE] Yup that’s what it means (I think from the French _facher_). I don’t use it at all or hear it very often. Seems to be dying out. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/31 "2006-12-20T15:40:12Z")
Around here (southern Scotland) lads and lassies are wains. ---
**Author:** ![Zetetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/74df32/32.png) [@Zetetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zetetic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/32 "2006-12-20T17:34:32Z")
[QUOTE=Pjen] Around here (southern Scotland) lads and lassies are wains. [/QUOTE] If you’re referring to young children and not farm carts, it’s spelled _wean_, but the pronunciation is the same. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/33 "2006-12-20T18:05:16Z")
[QUOTE=mtk\_] If you’re referring to young children and not farm carts, it’s spelled _wean_, but the pronunciation is the same. [/QUOTE] Not according to my Scots Dictionary or local practice. Wain means to carry. A child can be a wean or a wain, both pronounced as wind VANE. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/34 "2006-12-20T18:16:35Z")
[QUOTE=Pjen] Not according to my Scots Dictionary or local practice. Wain means to carry. A child can be a wean or a wain, both pronounced as wind VANE. [/QUOTE] Whereabouts are you in the south are you **Pjen**? I lived for a few years near Newton Stewart, and it was always pronounced there as in John Wayne. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/35 "2006-12-20T18:19:00Z")
Don’t forget the wee bairns. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/36 "2006-12-20T18:21:32Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] Whereabouts are you in the south are you **Pjen**? I lived for a few years near Newton Stewart, and it was always pronounced there as in John Wayne. [/QUOTE] Dumfries. Sorry, I meant ryhmes with vane, not as wean. Sorry for the confusion. definitely spelt wain though. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/37 "2006-12-20T18:45:12Z")
And why do the British say “bloody” all the time in all the movies? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/38 "2006-12-20T18:49:38Z")
The SDSAB apparently [aren’t sure](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mbloody.html) . ---
**Author:** ![BunnyTVS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BunnyTVS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyTVS)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/39 "2006-12-20T22:45:52Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] And why do the British say “bloody” all the time in all the movies? [/QUOTE] It’s to let the audience know that the Aussie with the wierd accent is really playing a Brit. TBH the worst use of bloody was in an episode of B5 when Marcus the git, I mean ranger, came out with “that’s a bloody big lot of ships”. By Og I wished death on him and the writer of that line. 1 down 1 to go 😃 I mean any true Englishman would simply have said “Fuck ME!” ---
**Author:** ![Zetetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/74df32/32.png) [@Zetetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zetetic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657/40 "2006-12-20T23:15:35Z")
[QUOTE=Pjen] Not according to my Scots Dictionary or local practice. Wain means to carry. A child can be a wean or a wain, both pronounced as wind VANE. [/QUOTE] Hmm, interesting. I’ve never, ever seen it written as wain. My Chambers has it as wean, a contraction of ‘wee ane’ The wean wants a cradle, And the cradle wants a cod: I’ll no gang to my bed, Until I get a nod. Robert Burns-- _News, Lassies, News_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-scottish-really-use-lad-as-much-as-fantasy-writers-would-have-us-believe/384657.md?page=3)