England is not far down south but sometimes Scotland can seem like a different planet - as our colourful expressions and accents could leave any newcomer scratching their head.
Intriguingly, this isn’t just a case of ‘slang’ or Billy Connolly-esque accents as Scotland is considered a multilingual country. Native languages like Scots, Scottish Gaelic and of course English, all come together under an array of beautiful accents and dialects.
If you’re Scottish, or have lived here, then you’ll know well that we have developed our own style when it comes to using English – and so certain words don’t mean what the Collins Dictionary says they do in the context of Scotland.
To spare you asking for translations, here are 40 everyday English words and phrases with different meanings in Scotland.
5. Diddy
For many this word would conjure up imagery of the famous artist P Diddy, but when used in Scotland it may refer to a person's breasts or be used as a light way of calling someone silly. Photo: Shamsuddin Muhammad via WikiCommons
6. Burn
Referring to a burn means referring to someone who's had an unfortunate incident with fire more often than not (perhaps they got too merry on bonfire night) but in Scotland it may refer to a small stream. Photo: IoanT via Canva Pro
7. Baltic
This would technically refer to the arm of the Atlantic Ocean, the Baltic Sea, but in Scotland it's an expression to say that you're very cold. Photo: TobKatrina via Canva Pro
8. Roaster
As opposed to being the roaster of excellent coffee beans for your morning brew, a roaster is someone who is making a fool of themselves. Photo: ANTONI SHKRABA via CanvaPro