Scotstober Week Four.

Week Four. Each October a list, one for each day of 30 Scottish words, is published. Scotstober as an event is for fun, inviting anyone to have a go and publish the result on social media under the hashtag #Scotstober.

It can be a drawing, sculpture, poem, collage, blog entry, song, joke, story, comic, or whatever the day’s word inspires you to make. Do Scotstober every day of October or just the days that take your fancy. There are no rules.

Word 23: Gled.

Our super hero, Superhen is held in the claws of a giant hawk controlled by the evil villain. But unseen by him three bursting bags of the hawks favourite food have been launched over the battlements with the intent of neutralising his control of the bird and freeing our heroin.In Scots: Ha Ha yer in the gleds gruip noo Superchook, ah've had mha gled ee on yer pooers for years an ther's nocht ye kin do but snuil doon noo an gie them tae me. Mha Super Gled here will dae oniething for Dr Snoddy's patented bird food, it's her only weakness ha ha. An yer at her mercy cos there's neen tae be had but what I huv in mha haun. Translate: gled: common kite or hawks in general. In English: Ha Ha your in mortal danger now Superhen I've had my greedy eye on your powers for years and there's nothing you can do but cow down now and give them to me. My Super Hawk here will do anything for Dr Snoddy's patented bird food, it's her only weakness ha ha. And you're at her mercy because there's none to be had but what I have in my hand. — Word 23 Scotstober. Gled: common kite or hawks in general..

Word 24: Coo.

Cow comes flying over the crest of a hill and half buries itself into the ground, the referee writes into his clipboard declaring the throw void as the coo is dead and shouts that at the competitor who sticks his head up over the hill. (animated gif)In Scots: Ah’m scrievin doon here that yir throw’s void cos yir coo’s deid. (Coo hurlin’s no an Olympic Gemm nor a Hieland Gemm event, nivir was, and nivir will be). Translate: coo: cow. In English: I’m noting down that your throw is void because your cow is dead. (Cow lobbing is not an Olympic Games nor a Highland Games event, never was, and never will be). — Word 24 Scotstober. Coo: cow.

Word 25: Ben.

In Scots: Awa ben the hoose a start on yer homework, yer skoosh is on the table unner the monitor.I’ll bring through yer tea when it’s ready. It’s yer favourite. Chook an chips. Translate: chaw: chew. In English: Take yourself inward through the house and make a start on your homework, your fizzy drink is on the table under the monitor. I’ll bring through your dinner when it’s ready. It’s your favourite. Chicken and chips. — Word 25 Scotstober. Chaw: chew.

Word 26: Knap.

One stout muscly man in furs with a club in the foreground gingerly feels the red glowing bump developing on his forehead while a thinner slighter man in a loincloth waving his club gesticulates in the background.In Scots: Onie mair o yer snash an I'll gie ye anither knap or twa or three tae mind ye yer manners. Translate: knap: A lump, bump, any rounded knob; a knot or protuberance; to knock, strike sharply, rap. In English: Any more of your cheek and I'll give you another lump or two or three to remind you of your manners. — Word 26 Scotstober. Knap: A lump, bump, any rounded knob; a knot or protuberance; to knock, strike sharply, rap.

Word 27: Toon.

Two men contemplating the waves lapping at the edge of a massive sea wall of which the tops of the tallest buildings in the town peep up behind them. Including a silver X rocket and plumes of smoke from the abandoned buildings.In Scots: Nivir mind Musk old man, yer billions have saved this toon, it's a legacy o sorts. A shame we et the last o the last inhabitant last night. An used the last o the rocket fuel tae fire the oven too. Ach weel. Translate: toon: town. In English: Never mind Musk old man, your billions have saved this town, it is a legacy of sorts. A shame we ate the last of the last inhabitant last night. And used the last of the rocket fuel to fire the oven too. Oh dear. — Word 27 Scotstober. Toon: town.

With the AMOC becoming increasingly unstable and catastrophe probably at any time I wondered if I should have added icebergs because that looks like that may be what the future is for us in N. Europe. Hey Ho. At least there’s no safe place for billionaires either.

The AMOC (Atlantic meridional overturning circulation) is the current that circulates temperatures held in water in a cycle between the South and North of the globe. It’s visibly becoming unstable because increased rainfall and melting sea ice is affecting the salinity of the oceans.

One likely result of any failure of the AMOC is that the North will become much colder and the South hotter creating even more violent and unstable weather around the globe. Wickipedia 1 November 2024

Word 28: Poke.

Shop keeper in a white coat about to dish up some sweets from giant jars full of them into a small paper bag.In Scots: “Right son, hoo many grannie-sookers di ye want in yir poke?" Translate: poke: bag. In English: “All right young man, how many pan-drops (sweets grannies love to suck) do you want in your bag?" — Word 28 Scotstober. Poke: poke.

Word 29: Forret.

Mouse in fancy dress on a box holding out her bag for treats while the ogre, standing beside a hot pot bellied stove, prepares to clobber her with his frying pan unaware that there is a giant mouse in the dark behind him about to clobber him with a massive uprooted tree. In Scots: Yer surprisingly forret fur a wee moose guisin in the dark in this part o the wids. Whaur's aw yer pals? Ye'll be lookin for a sweet tae eat fur yer trouble ah suspect. But dae ye ken whit I like tae eat? It's no a sweet. It's a moose flattened on a pan, fried, an aw fancy dressed. Har har har. Translate: forrit, forret: forward, ahead, onward. In English: Your surprisingly forward for a small mouse trick or treating in the dark in this part of the woods. Where's all your pals? You'll be looking for a sweet to eat for your trouble I suspect. But do you know what I like to eat? It is not a sweet. It's a mouse flattened on a pan, fried, and all fancy dressed. Har har har. — Word 29 Scotstober. Forrit, forret: forward, ahead, onward.

Word 30: Smirr.

Old ladies with too much protective clothing for summer in the Highlands.In Scots: “Ach it's jist a smirr o rain Senga. Ah dinni think we'll bother uppin the brollies." Translate: smirr: soft rain, a misting of rain. In English: “My, it's just a very light soft shower of rain Senga. I don't think we will bother to deploy the umbrellas." — Word 30 Scotstober. Smirr: soft rain, a misting of rain.

Word 31: Baigie.

Three giant robots with dead persons now skeletons with wires once upon a time attached to the, no longer there, skin of the skull in their transparent head caps are discussing one's upgrade.In Scots: Mind, way back, hoo we cam tae feel gey dowf an athoot ettle efter thon cosmic radiation burst what killed aw the organic craiters hereaboots. Weel! I redded oot mha heid pan o them orra auld dry sticks an installed a baigie. An ahm tellin you, ah feel like mha auld self again. Buzzin! Translate: baigie: the purple-topped Swedish turnip. In English: Remember, way back, how we came to feel dull, hollow, dispirited and without purpose after that cosmic radiation burst that killed all the organic animals hereabouts. Well! I cleared out my head pan of those odd old dry sticks and installed a turnip. And I am telling you, I feel like my old self again. Buzzing. — Word 31 Scotstober. Heid: baigie: the purple-topped Swedish turnip.

Scotstober 2024.

Week one: 1 tyne, 2 dicht, 3 noo, 4 haar, 5 clype, 6 boak, 7 tap.
Week two: 8 lang, 9 haiver, 10 thole, 11 bile, 12 jouk, 13 cuddie, 14 gowster, 15 puddock.
Week three: 16 howff, 17 lum, 18 tuim, 19 squint, 20 heilan, 21 sook, 22 heid.
Week four: 23 gled, 24 coo, 25 ben, 26 knap, 27 toon, 28 poke, 29 forret, 30 smirr, 31 neep, tumshie, baigie.

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Stooryduster-Blog accompanying Scottish Words Illustrated.