#scottishwords

Definition: prelude to engaging in a stooshie that leads to a rammy. 

Or if you’re of certain age and persuasion living in the West of Scotland, a last-minute penalty for Rangers which leads to a 0 - 1 result against your team. The late great Arthur Montford, of STV football commentary fame, made the word his own by the dead-pan way he pronounced it. In his honour, no TV sports commentator has uttered it since he died.

However, corners in football are still the prelude to a stramash as players tug, pull, wrestle, shove and bite their opponents to ensure they don’t get a free header when the ball comes in. Hardly any penalties are awarded during a stramash, unless the Old Firm needs the points whence it can be found in the same sentence as ‘controversial’.

Pronunciation: Stramash. Stra-mash. Stram-ash. Strraaaammaaashh.

Usage: ‘We’re into injury time and there’s a stramash in the box ... McCoist goes down and it’s a controversial penalty for Rangers ... their sixth in six games.’

Definition: grumpy, irritable, snappy. Usually applied to Scottish women of a cretinous age ‘She’s a crabbit old witch.’ Another word that travels well (like dreich) it’s claim to fame was when Microsoft introduced the ‘Crabby Office Lady’ into Office 95 and subtly changed the ending ... like most things British taken over the Pond.

Pronunciation: as spelled ‘crab-bit’.

Definition: Gasping, breathing hard, out of breath. Not used too often now as it’s easier to say ‘gaspin’, although nobody would say ‘Ah’m pechin’ for a fag.’

Pronunciation: ‘ch’ is ‘loch’, not lock and not ‘chin’. Similar to Pecan (a nut).