GLASGOW
TRANSLATED
In Glasgow, you will hear a wide variety of accents and dialects clashing in the streets of the city. In the spirit of comedian Stanley Baxter, here are some of the words and phrases you may encounter, along with their proper English translations
Awayyego
Literally, away you go, meaning, “I do not believe you.”
Awrite?
How are you doing? Alright? Not to be confused with, “Awww, right,” meaning, “I now understand what you meant.”
Baltic
Very, very cold – “It’s Baltic out.”
Bampot
Idiot (a derogatory term).
See also: Eejit, Heid Case, Nugget, Spanner.
Banter
Humourous conversation between friends and strangers alike.
Bawbag
A man’s scrotum, or ball sack. Can be used as both a term of affection among friends (e.g., “Awrite ya bawbag”) as well as an insult (e.g., “Whit you sayin’ ya bawbag?”).
Baws
Balls, as in a male scrotum (See also: Bawbag).
Usually used as a negative denouncement of a situation e.g., “This is baws.”
Beamer
Not a BMW, but rather, a blushing red face caused by embarrassment e.g., “He’s taking a beamer!”
Belter
Used as an exclamation of joy or positive result e.g., “Ya belter!” or “Ya dancer!”
See also: Dancer.
Big Man / Wee Man
Literally a large man or a small man, but commonly used as a friendly term regardless of the size of the subject e.g., “Awrite Big Man,” or “How’s it goin’ Wee Man?”
Boggin'
Disgusting, dirty, filthy or foul e.g., “That’s boggin’”
See also: Clatty, Mauchit, Manky, Mingin’.
Braw
Meaning good or pleasant, derived from the Old Scot’s word for “Brave.”
Buckfast
A caffinated tonic wine made by monks in Devon, popular among Neds. Has to be tasted to be believed.
See also: Boggin’.
Bytheway
By the way, usually used to introduce a new topic of conversation, or at the end of a sentence to emphasise a point, e.g., “This beer is phenomenal bytheway!”
Coupon
Not a voucher, but rather a slang term for someone’s face e.g., “Wipe that smile from yer coupon.”
Crabbit
Foul-tempered
See also: Dour.
Dis / Dis'nae
Does / Does not (not be confused with the animation company Disney).
Dobber
A penis. Again, it can be used as both a term of affection among friends (e.g., “Awrite ya dobber”) as well as an insult (e.g., “Whit you sayin’ ya dobber?”).
See also: Walopper.
Fae
Slang word for “from” e.g., “Where ye fae?”.
Feart
Afraid.
Gallus
Amazing or self-confident e.g., “He thinks he’s pure gallus!”
Gaun Yersel
Translated as “Go on yourself,” a motivational cry to go it alone, normally heard at football matches when the striker has the ball and space to move forward.
Geesa
An amalgamation of “Give me a…” e.g., “Geesa kiss.”
Not to be confused with the similarly sounding London cockney word “geezer.”
Gibbering
Talking nonsense.
Ginger
Fizzy juice e.g., “A bottle of ginger”.
Glasgow Kiss
Affectionate name for a head-butt.
Greet
To cry.
Hackit
Ugly.
See also: Mingin’.
Hee-haw
Nothing e.g., “I won hee-haw last night.”
Honkin'
Smelly.
See also: Reekin’.
Jake
Jimmy Riddle
Rhyming slang for “piddle,” meaning to urinate.
See also: Slash.
Lash
To go on a drinking binge e.g., “We were out on the lash.”
See also: Randan, Raz
Lorne sausage
Also known as square sausage.
Lose the rag
To lose one’s temper.
Mince
A negative term, usually to describe someone’s level of skill e.g., “He was mince,” meaning, “His performance was poor.”
Ned
Acronym for Non-Educated Delinquent. These troubled youths are often flocking around the streets in packs wearing baseballs caps and sickly bright tracksuits. The Scottish equivalent of the English Chav.
Peely-wally
A pale skin colour, which, given the lack of sun, is what half of Glasgow’s population have. The other half have what is known as “tango-skin,” as like the drink, they are bright orange for having spent too much time in one of the city’s numerous tanning salons.
Pished
Just as the Inuit Eskimos have 97 words for snow, Glaswegians have many different words being intoxicated with alcohol.
See also: Bevvied Up, Blazin, Blootered, Blotto, Burst, Charred, Dunted, Gassed, Heavy Bongoed, Mad Wae It, Mingin’, Moolured, Pished, Reekin’, Rubbered, Steamboats, Steamin’.
Pure dead brilliant!
While it may seem a contradiction in terms, “pure” and “dead” are used in tandem to emphasise the word “brilliant” in a positive manner.
Scoffed
To eat, usually quickly e.g., “He scoffed it down.”
See also: Wolfed.
Scooby
Rhyming slang referring to Scooby-Doo (clue) e.g., “I don’t have a scooby.”
Skelp
To slap or hit.
Slabber
To salivate over something.
See also: Slaverin’.
Smidge / Smidgeon
A small measurement or piece of something.
Square go
An evenly matched fight or duel, sometimes posed as a question e.g., “Square go, pal?”
Tan
To smash something or to drink very quickly e.g., “I tanned that pint.”
Teuchter
(chook-ter)
Someone from Scotland but out with Glasgow, commonly used a derogatory term.
Um / Ur / Ur'nae
Am / Are / Are not.
Wean
Small child.
Wis / Wis'nae
Was / Was not.
Weegie
Short for Glaswegian, a native of Glasgow.