Are you ‘befuddled’?

Well, dinna fash! Let’s have a licht-heartit blether..

Burns Night is on 26th January, so now is a good time to explore a few Scots words & phrases and make them a little bit easier to understand, focusing mainly on the upcoming 2021 Burns Supper celebrations (most of which will, we imagine, be taking place ‘virtually’ or ‘at hame’).

Even in these difficult and trying times, you can still have lots of fun – dressing up, exploring some Scottish traditions with the kids, reciting some Burns poems, having a wee dram and, of course, enjoying some weel-kent Scottish scran – haggis, neeps an’ tatties……yum! (There are now plenty of vegetarian/vegan options around if you’re not keen on the traditional recipe).

How many did you get right?

‘Licht-heartit blether’……. light-hearted chat

‘Dinna fash’ …….. don’t worry

‘At hame’ ……. at home

‘Wee dram’ ….. small (-ish!) whisky

‘Weel-kent’ …… well-known

‘Scran’ ……. food

‘Neeps an’ tatties’ …… turnips and potatoes

Address to the Haggis

The first item on the agenda at a traditional Burns Supper is the ‘piping in’ of the Haggis, carried in on a silver platter, usually to the playing of bagpipes followed on by the speakers and led to the top table. Then comes the poem ‘Address to the Haggis’ – see the full version of the poem here – along with an excellent translation. Apparently Burns himself first recited the address at a dinner in favour of the more usual ‘Selkirk Grace’, hence the ‘Burns Supper’ connection:

Some hae meat an’ canna eat

And some wad eat that want it

But we hae meat an’ we can eat

Sae let the Lord be thankit

Translated ……..

Some have meat but can’t eat

Some have none that want it

But we have meat and we can eat

So let the Lord be thanked

‘Auld Lang Syne’ – meaning ‘for the sake of old times’

‘Auld Lang Syne’ is the song sung more than any other around the world. It is famously sung by revellers at the stroke of midnight on 31st December every year.

The tradition began in Scotland, where Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve) was celebrated by the singing of the song while singers join hands to form a large circle. The song is also often sung at Burns Night celebrations, Ceilidhs, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and for countless celebrations across the world.

Some of the verses aren’t so well known, but can be found in this 3 minute read