Nac Mac Feegle Dictionary

[Beautiful Dirt]

A Feegle dictionary? Couple of pints puts me in the mindset and makes translating easier. Walking around in another person's shoes as it were

[deldaisy]

When I did the obligitory visit to Europe BC (before children) I went all around. NO idea of what French is about. I could speak some German and since I had a grounding in a little Latin I even found I could understand some of the Italians..... THEN I went to Scotland. I felt like I had stepped onto another planet. I spent the first two days staring blankly and saying "Wot?" over and over. So they would just speak LOUDER... the internationally recognised way to get anyone to make you understand. Now don't get me wrong. I have the BEST memories. Friendliest people I have EVER met. I was a lone young waif of a girl and when they couldn't get me to understand I was taken by the hand and TAKEN to where they were trying to guide me (often running into thier friends along the way who would join in the crowd). I went around some museums in a group of 10 to 20 locals who had just followed us there... and then (still not understanding ONE word) there would be a huge arguement and much pulling and grabbing of my backpack whereupon I would end up at two different houses for dinner and a bed for the night. I didn't so much as tour around Scotland as much as get SENT around. I would be issued out of one house with a firm "No heres the adress of my sisters son's family. They will be expecting you tomorrow at noon and don't be late or they will worry!" I once tried to sneak off to a "point of interest" in one town when a car pulled up and a big burly man leaned out "Arh you D'Lora? Jackie rang me to tell us to keep an eye out for you and I am to take you there now for lunch!" Oh yes! I know about the toe tapping and the folded arms!

No it didn't really shock me that much; its as much as my mother would have done as she would often drag home some poor young tourist to our house for the night and "feed them up" and the rest of the family would drop over to welcome them and the poor sods would be in a room of 20 people all arguing loudly about just where the poor German lad should head off to next. (Suddenly I understood the glazed over looks they had when they couldn't understand a word EITHER!). While we were debating if he should head north to the Reef and rainforest or out west to see the outback, HE most probably thought we were argueing if we should bury him in the front or BACK garden.

So end of the third day in Edinburgh, one lady (who had closed her shop to take me to her doctor as she thought I had a chesty cough that needed looking at) she was telling me about "The Royal Mall... sooo named cuz tis a mall from the castle ta the palace!" and suddenly it hit me. "Its a MILE! A MIIIIIIIILE!" She thought I was half-cut but suddenly the heavens opened up, sun shone on my face and as if by a miracle I could understand EVERYONE! There had been some sublte switch in my brain processing unit. Take a hard look at my Mr Bean avatar. Thats how I looked. I was almost dancing! She just thought I was delirious from my fever and since I collapsed a hundred yards later that confirmed it!

Like Tony I read the Mac Nac Freegles out loud to understand them. Then its easy.

[poohcarrot]

I know exactly what you mean. There's a word for it (something like ear-aclimitisation, or something). I generally don't speak to native English speakers. When I meet one it takes a short while for me to get accustomed to their accent. At the DW Con, at first I had trouble understanding what Dotsie and Sjoerd said (Jan, WWD and the Mad Collector were no problem). But by the end of the first day I could understand.

[deldaisy]

Tell me..... does this remind you of the Nac Mac Freegles or NOT?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3nhExnP ... re=related

[Thordoc]

Almost Deldaisy, almost.

I normally give them a bit more of a billy connolly accent.

mind you I love the feegles and generally don't have too many problems understanding them.

I'm very fond of the bit in the tiffany books with the translation by Miss Tick, and the Pished, I'm assured this means tired. that made me burst out with laughter on the train home. I received some very funny looks then.

My trip in july/august last year through england and scotland was great fun, again the scots were a lovely and welcoming but I had nary a problem understanding them. At the william wallace monument in stirling I was referred to as Edward 'Longshanks' but the demonstrator was just making a point about why he was called Longshanks. me been the tallest there at the gathering standing a 6'.

[deldaisy]

Nice to see you back here Thor

[Thordoc]

thanks Deldaisy

this is me been in lurker mode, I'll do nothing for ages then will post a couple of times.

btw did you walk the royal mile? I did very enjoyable walk

[Tonyblack]

The site is being over run with antipodeans!

[Thordoc]

The site is being over run with antipodeans!

"No worries, She'll be right"

[wicked woman]

The site is being over run with antipodeans!

"No worries, She'll be right"

Don't you mean over-run?

[poohcarrot]

The site is being over run with antipodeans!

Or if you put some punctuation in;

This site will be over! Run by antipodeans?

[Thordoc]

This site will be over! Run by antipodeans?

Isn't it fun the way we can abuse the english language? well abuse might be a bit hard, but stretch, pull and twist the english language?

[deldaisy]

thanks Deldaisy

this is me been in lurker mode, I'll do nothing for ages then will post a couple of times.

btw did you walk the royal mile? I did very enjoyable walk

I was very ill on the train ride to Edinborough. Coughing and stuff. A lovely Scottish girl asked if I wanted to lie down and offered me her sleeping berth (awwww). The conductor who was sort of lurking keeping an eye on me bringing me water said I could have a berth free.. but she still kept checking on me making sure I was okay. (awwww)

When we got to Edinborough she said she would love to show me around (I was feeling a bit better) and at 4am til after midday (when she had to finally had to catch the last bus to her town) she showed me around and told me allllll the stories up and down the Mile... and more besides.

The minute she stepped on the bus and I tried to unfold my map.... (read above)

She wrote when I got home and said she got into so much trouble for not bringing me home with her. (awwww) Then I lost her address. Her name was Jackie Brody or Brady. But she did give me an address of one of her other relatives and I got passed on.

[Thordoc]

Great to hear that they were as friendly then as they are now.

Edinburgh is one of those cities that feels alive...I know it's a bizarre way of thinking, but I'm just bizarre

Although I was on the receiving end of a Glaswegian Kiss, (in Glasgow surprise surprise) but they were all very surprised and respectful when I pulled myself back up and reciprocated.

Great times see I'm bizarre

[Broccolee]

I love reading or hearing"feeglish" or plain Scots.If I was a fish named Wanda,for me it´d be Scots...
My Dad was Scots,and I loved to hear him speak it,although he had,being born of an English mother in Edinburgh of 1930,and then being sent to an English school(ouch!),trained himself to speak Oxford English.
I always used to badger him to recite "Wally had a wee white dog".
I think its a very literal language,interestingly enough,as Gaelic is so formal,isnt it?
It must be fun to read it out loud in a train though.Next time I´m bored,I´ll try that one!
For the teasers in the books,try the Online Scots Dictionary.(www.scots-online.org/dictionary)
I think lots of Scots is actually made up,by the Scots themselves!
They enjoy puzzling Sassenachs,I guess....