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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: FintryGirl on Tuesday 22 June 10 01:24 BST (UK)

Title: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: FintryGirl on Tuesday 22 June 10 01:24 BST (UK)

My mother always used to say - please excuse the  spelling - Guid geer gaze inta wee book - Does anyone know where this saying came from and the proper spelling.

Thanks

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: sarnia23 on Tuesday 22 June 10 07:04 BST (UK)

Hi it means good gear goes into  a small book

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: FintryGirl on Tuesday 22 June 10 13:21 BST (UK)

Thanks, I did know the meaning because my Mum is a very small person, so she used to say that about herself.  I was looking for the correct spelling, because we want to use it in a tribute to her.

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: Viktoria on Tuesday 22 June 10 14:40 BST (UK)

How lovely--- I suppose we Sassenachs would say " Good things come in small packages"-or -"Quality not Quantity". Kind regards. Viktoria.

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: ostler on Tuesday 22 June 10 15:57 BST (UK)

I don't think there's such thing as 'correct' spelling when it comes to Scots, because it's a dialect rather than a written language. Having said that, I suppose really you'd be looking at 'Guid gear gaes intae a wee book!"

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: FintryGirl on Tuesday 22 June 10 16:02 BST (UK)

Thank you so much, that is more what I was looking for.

Regards
Rita

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: gaucho on Tuesday 22 June 10 21:51 BST (UK)

Dialect!  ???

Language- check this site for spelling
http://www.dsl.ac.uk/

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: aspin on Tuesday 22 June 10 21:56 BST (UK)

Or good things come in little bundles

Elizabeth

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: Blanched on Tuesday 22 June 10 22:33 BST (UK)

I think I would say "buik" meaning bulk, rather than book - "guid gear cams in sma' buik" was what my granny said.

Blanche

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: FintryGirl on Tuesday 22 June 10 22:51 BST (UK)

Thanks to all of you for getting involved in my quest.   This has become very interesting to me.  I wish my Mum could answer me to help out.  As of right now she is really failing and has lost conversation.  Probably it make sense that it is the last one posted by Blanched.

Thanks again

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: Hard_Yards on Wednesday 23 June 10 10:25 BST (UK)

Just my two cents worth - the 'transliteration' and spelling that makes most sense to me is Ostler's (argument about language and dialect notwithstanding), although I'd be taking "buik" before "book".


"Guid gear gaes intae a wee buik!" (or bouk).


FintryGirl - I dinnae ken the saying, but have a look at this link:

http://www.dsl.ac.uk/getent4.php?plen=1820&startset=3692074&query=BOUK&fhit=book&dregion=form&dtext=snd#fhit

and see the third reference:

 *Sc. 1896 A. Cheviot Proverbs 122:
    Gude gear gangs into little bouk.


This would be in keeping with Blanched's meaning - so not a book, but a quantity; which leads us to Viktoria's take: "good things come in small packages".

Finally then, I'd go with:  "Guid gear gaes intae a wee bouk!"

Use that in your tribute and you'll have others guessing for ages.

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: FintryGirl on Wednesday 23 June 10 12:23 BST (UK)

Thanks for your concern Hard_Yards I will use that, basically the meaning is just for us being it was something she used to say often and I was trying to get better spelling for it .  But I'm just remembering right after she used to say it, she would add "and so does poison".  But the first part is just her.

Thanks all

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: Lodger on Wednesday 23 June 10 19:44 BST (UK)

Bulk is the word! The saying was most often used (and still is) by shorter people. Anyone under 5' 4" at a guess.

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: rondem on Monday 02 August 10 13:03 BST (UK)

How about "Guid gear gaes intae a meikle buik"

as in "many a meikle makes a muckle"

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: Skoosh on Monday 02 August 10 15:08 BST (UK)

Lodger's right, bulk. Mony a meikle etc' sometimes puckle, save up the wee things and you'll end up with a lot! As for a dialect!  havers!     Skoosh.

Title: Re: Need help with Old Broad Scots Language
Post by: FintryGirl on Thursday 05 August 10 01:04 BST (UK)

Thank you all !!  for your input