104. Scotland
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104. Scotland
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About this listen
This episode marks St Andrew's Day by looking at the origins of terms linked to Scottish dialects. It begins with the etymologies of Scotland and other historical names for the region, including Caledonia and Alba. The episode also examines the various theories behind the word haggis, with explanations pointing to Old Norse and French roots. Wee, meaning little, is unmistakably Scottish, but other everyday English words such as glamour, numpty and eejit also have Scottish connections. Landscape terms including ben, brae, cairn and loch are explored, along with the origins of place names like Edinburgh, Falkirk and Dundee. Cullen skink, a soup of smoked haddock, has a name origin that is more meaty than fishy, and the word whisky translates to 'water of life', echoing similar meanings in other spirit terms such as eau de vie, akvavit and vodka.