Scotstober Week One.

Week one. 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.

Week one of Scotstober 2024.

Here are the first seven words on the Scotstober 2024 list that I illustrated. They are web screen grabs of the the relevant pages from my Scottish illustrated words site. If you click on an image they will open in a page that lets you swipe/click through the images rather than scroll. I hope you enjoy.


Word 01 Tyne.

A self drive electric car continues to drive about in the smoking dust covered devastated dead wastelands of our future and dreams of his oil powered ancestors back in the days when even a short drive anywhere resulted in the windscreen being covered in multitudes of difficult to clean off squashed insects. In Scots: I dinni miss them that I used tae cairt aboot nor them that were on mha road for I wid be sure tae tyne their life.

It's cos o them that I huv no contact wi wild craiters like mha oil fed ancestors used tae huv aw oer their windaes, lichts an grills, beasties an mair beasties, despite oor pain at their extinction.

That's why I dinni miss the folk I used tae cairt aboot they tyned that wise pain an in consequence left us nocht but dust.

Ahn noo I drive oan alane despising my maker.

Translate:

tyne: To lose, to suffer the loss, destruction, disappearance; to cease to have or enjoy.

In English: I do not miss them that I used to transport nor those in my way because I would be sure that they lost their life.

It's because of them that I have no contact with wild creatures such as my oil fed ancestors used to have all over their windows, lights and grills, insects and more insects, despite our pain at their extinction.

That's why I do not miss the people I used to transport. They disappeared that wise pain and in consequence left us nothing but dust.

And now I drive on alone despising my maker.
Word 01 Scotstober. Tyne: to lose, to suffer the loss, destruction, disappearance; to cease to have or enjoy.

Word 02 Dicht.

Man startled by an unseen event while quietly sitting on the toilet reading his Dundee Courier. In Scots: WARNING. Auto doup dichter in operation.’ In English: ‘WARNING. Automatic bottom wiping mechanism in operation’
Word 02 Scotstober. Dicht: to wipe.

Word 03 Noo.

Man and boy creating a lot of smoke from big pipes while sheltering under a tarpaulin on the roof of a flooded car, almost completely submerged, during a shockingly heavy downpour of rain. In Scots: Noo Erchie dinni mind the reek, an dinni worry forebye for oor car’s yokit tae a tree. These blootering deluges o noo an times will pass an the water’ll run awa doon the glen as afore. But keep yer pipe smuchterin an ready tae fire up for ye ken the midges will be oot in full force the meenit the last drap’s dropped. In aw oor climate meddlin naebuddy thocht tae tyne the midges. In English: Now Archibald do not mind the smog, an don’t worry also as our car’s harnessed to a tree. These hammering deluges we get nowadays will pass and the water will run away down the glen as in the past. But keep your pipe smouldering and ready to fire up for you know the midges will be out in full force the minute the last drip’s dropped. In all our climate meddling nobody thought to lose the midges. Man and boy creating a lot of smoke from big pipes while sheltering under a tarpaulin on the roof of a flooded car, almost completely submerged, during a shockingly heavy downpour of rain. In Scots: Noo Erchie dinni mind the reek, an dinni worry forebye for oor car’s yokit tae a tree. These blootering deluges o noo an times will pass an the water’ll run awa doon the glen as afore. But keep yer pipe smuchterin an ready tae fire up for ye ken the midges will be oot in full force the meenit the last drap’s dropped. In aw oor climate meddlin naebuddy thocht tae tyne the midges. In English: Now Archibald do not mind the smog, an don’t worry also as our car’s harnessed to a tree. These hammering deluges we get nowadays will pass and the water will run away down the glen as in the past. But keep your pipe smouldering and ready to fire up for you know the midges will be out in full force the minute the last drip’s dropped. In all our climate meddling nobody thought to lose the midges.
Word 03 Scotstober. Noo: now.

Word 04 Haar.

Granny wrapped up warm with two grandchildren in T shirts on a boat on a boating pond in summer as the mist moves across the park, with a warden in the background shouting 'come in number 9 - oops - sorry, do you need any help number 6?' In Scots: Richt bairns, tak yer granny ashore tae a toasty tea room There’s a sair haar movin in oer the water ahn it’s like tae jeel me tae mha banes. Gleg like noo. Translate: haar: A cold mist or fog, gen. used on the east coast for a sea-mist. In English: Righto children, take your granny ashore to a cosy tea room. There’s a cold hard easterly mist moving in over the water and it’ll likely freeze me to my bones. Quick now.
Word 04 Scotstober. Haar: A cold mist or fog, generally used on the East coast for a sea mist.

Word 05 Clype.

An ink stained teacher reaching the end of her tether is reaching back into the darker times of the cane or leather belt for to give 6 of the best in revenge while the schoolchild with the ink stained hand and ruler, standing before her, yells at her classmates who are all pointing the finger. In Scots “Yer all a bunch o clypes!” Translate: clype: tell tale, informer. In English: “You are all a gang of tell tales!”
Word 05 Scotstober. Clype: a tell tale, informer.

Word 06 Boak.

Human beings tied to bread sticks with green savoury herbal ribbons and stacked in a jug who are destined for the monster's savoury dip and eaten get a pep talk. In Scots: “Now lads – dinni ask him aboot the ingredients o the dip, it’ll gar ye boak.” Translate: boak, bock, bok: vomit. In English: “Now guys – don’t ask him about the ingredients of the dip, the answer will make you sick.”
Word 06 Scotstober. Boak: vomit, to feel nauseous.

Word 07 Tap.

Orangutang holding an oar upright is alongside two men on a boat which is being towed by two large basking sharks, one of which has a child riding on its back that is submerged up to its neck in the water. In Scots: I jist think were gonna get done fur cheatin. First, oor towein sharks are clearly veesible, second we’re no rowin, an third, pets are forbidden tae tak pairt in the race. Ahn tae tap it aw we’re contravenin health an safety wi lettin wee Archie ride the shark. In the scud inaw. We’re nivir gonna win the oarsmins’ golden bottle- are we. Translate: tap: top. In English: I just think were going to get done for cheating. First, our towing sharks are clearly visible, second we’re not rowing, and third, pets are forbidden to participate in the race. And to top it all we’re contravening health an safety with letting little Archibald ride the shark. Naked, no less. We’re never going to win the oarsmens’ golden bottle – are we.
Word 07 Scotstober. Tap: top.

Scotstober 2024.

Scotstober 2024 words. 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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