Undiscovered Scotland

 

In September 2013, BBC Online News ran a story based on a report produced by linguists at Glasgow University. They had found that Glaswegian fans of the TV soap EastEnders were beginning to pick up Cockney, and as a result changes were taking place in the native dialect spoken in Glasgow, which many people refer to as "Weegie". Good thing or bad thing? Probably an inevitable development, but hardly a welcome one: though at least the changes were not as a result of watching "Neighbours"!

If ever an antidote were needed, then Ian Black's "Mair Weegie Wan-Liners" seems to fit the bill perfectly. Between the covers of this nice pocket sized volume is a fine collection of one liners that perfectly reflect the wit and repartee for which Glasgow has long been famous. This is a book for browsing rather than reading, and there is a gem on every page. A word of warning, though: this is not a Glaswegian phrase book. Whatever you do, don't be tempted to learn the contents off by heart, or repeat any part of them to the nice tattooed man, or lady, you find standing next to you at the bar in a Glasgow pub.

Glasgwegians are noted for their humour, but telling one that they're "a parasite for sore eyes", or they are "aw foam, nae beer", or they've "goat a face like they've been ram-raidin oan a scooter", is likely to bring to the fore another less positive characteristic for which Glaswegians are sometimes known. As the author says in his introduction, quoting Dixon of Dock Green, "mind how you go"; and as it says on the back cover, "always use these words with care!"