290 Gleanings from the Vernacular. 



M'Taggart's Gallovidian Encyclopcedia. But that reached beyond 

 my immediate aim, which was the preservation of a lew curiosities 

 of our Scots dialect, which are in danger of early and irretrievable 

 extinction. In this connection I would take the liberty of sug- 

 gesting the preparation of lists of technical words used by 

 farmers and tradesmen, for comparison with similar lists which 

 might be prepared in other parts of the country. I believe some 

 interesting results would emerge. In Galloway farmers talk of 

 coles, stangcoles (? standing coles), grapes, wylies, forry, avval, 

 yell, etc., etc. What are the corresponding terms used in other 

 parts of the country ? 



Bach: cowbach, cowbat, cowplat = Cowdung as it lies in a piece 

 on the ground. 



With reference to this word, Mr Grant (Ashfield, Cults, 

 Aberdeen) writes me : — " Wright gives cows-bachrin as 

 a Gall jway word = dung dropped in the field. Also 

 bachram, as a probably obsolete word, for Dumfries = 

 an adhesive spot of filth, what has dropped from cattle 

 on hard ground. In English dialect duck-batches = 

 ground trodden by cattle in wet weather." 

 Bachlies = dried dung for fuel. " Bring in some bachlies." 

 Blinkit (winkit) = soured. "That milk (or buttermilk) is gey 



blinkit." 

 Bood = bent, roundabout. "The heich road's nae bood-gait." 

 " He ploughed a bood-gait," i.e., the up and down furs of the 

 plough. 

 Boon = bound or boundary. " Ayont the boons o' the fairm." 

 Boosse = to sulk. "What for are ye boossin' there?" 

 Broke, applied to one who is slovenly or untidy. " Ye 're a dirty 



broke." 

 Grossky = tough and voluminous; fat. "A grossky spit." 

 " Grossky grass." 



Mr Grant remarks: — "Wright has grosk cum and yks = 

 luxuriant, fat; Swedish dialect, groske, spring verdure. 

 This is a very interesting word. I wonder if it is of 

 recent introduction from Cumberland, or did it come 

 with the original Scandinavian trek from that district 

 into Dumfries?" 

 Horrid = very, specially, extra. " It's a horrid fine day. " "It's 

 horrid windy." 



