Mere pit doons

If ye thocht sumbodie wasnae up tae much. Ye cud say,

"I wudnae see them in mae road."
ir 
"Thon cretter cudnae ketch a coul in a bucket." 

Thanks tae Fiona fur tha last yin.

Tha pit doon

If thur's yin thing tha Ulster-Scots tongue is geared tae, it's tha pit doon. As a rule they hae niver suffered fools gladly nor ir they afeart o pokin fun at thursels.
I herd a guid yin years ago, whun an unfortunate cretter missed tha dart boord an hit tha waa insted. A voice behin mae said,

Thon cretter cudnae hit a barn dure wae a bakeboord.

Ir if thur's nae wean's aboot 
Ye cudnae hit a bull on the erse wae a bakeboord

Ulster-Scots appeal

If onniebodie iz oot thur who knows tha origins o this yin, please let mea know. Ither on Facebook oor at anaulhan@gmail.com

Thanks

I cudnae buy Robin's remarks

Mae thanks tae tha Newton Lass who micht hae cracked this yin. She believes that this (County Down) aul sayin micht hae its origins in  WG Lyttle's, Robin's Reading. 
I wud say thon's as guid a guess iz oany.
Thanks Fiona

Whun hardy cums tae hardy

Whun yer pit tae tha final test. Whun yer up agin it. Whun it cums richt doon tae it.

Whun hardy cums tae hardy

Nae Pith Left

A Facebook freen (an' eminent Ulster-Scot) sent mae a wheen o aul sayins twarthy days ago. Amang them wus tha phrase

He had nae pith left - He had no energy left.

Thanks Charlie



Interestingly this is another good example of our tongues linguistic roots as the the word pithy (which comes from the word pith) is a middle English (1300-50) word meaning 'expressive' or 'forceful'.


As another internet acquaintance of mine said, "Jist anither example of hoo tha Inglis borrowed thur wurds frae tha Scots."

On yer wae oot

Its no aftin I dae twa postins in tha yin day. But anither sowl fae near tha low country (yin wae a quare guid blog o her ain). Sent mae anither aul sayin that cums fae ploughing.
If a bodies on his last legs or (as we used tae say) at tha stage whur, "yin mere clean shirt wud dae him" then:

"he's puin tha heidrig."

Thanks Fiona

Anither yin fur tha aul farmers

A freen o mine wus haein a yarn wae a nighber of his yin nicth aboot a creeter they baith knew whose wife haed left him.

"Why'd she lee him?" he axt.
"Ach," sez the neighbour, "she wus wakin tha tap o tha drill"

What a great description of infidelity.


For those of you not of a farming persuasion. A good furrow horse walks neatly in the furrow so as not to damage the work done.