�Dreich� tops poll as nation�s favourite Scots word - Poll January 2013

20th January 2014

As it is almost Burns Night again we are republishing this interesting item on popular words in Scotland including from Burn's works.

25/1/2013

Ahead of Burns Night on 25th January, a new poll has revealed �dreich� as Scotland�s favourite word in the Scots language.

The You Gov survey* asked adults across the country to select their number one Scots word from a list of options including some of Robert Burns� own favourites. With 23 per cent of the public vote, and perhaps proving Scotland's love for talking about the weather, the word �dreich� meaning �wet�, �cold� and �gloomy� trumped other classics such as �glaikit� (20%), �blether� (12%) and �crabbit� (11%).

�Sleekit� (6%), �beastie� (5%) and �braw� (6%) � just some of the words made famous by our national Bard�s iconic songs and poetry - also featured.

Lassies across the country also proved their love for gossip with 17% of female Scots voting �blether� as their number one word, while �glaikit� came up trumps with 35 to 44 year old respondents at 26%.

This poll follows the launch of an online interactive game, �Rhyme with Rabbie�, which allows Scots to follow in the steps of the great poet and pen their very own Scots masterpiece.

Speaking ahead of this year�s Burns Night celebrations, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said:

�Scots is intrinsic to our nation's culture, heritage, and identity. It is also one of our living languages which are as relevant today as they were in Robert Burns� time - many of the words highlighted in this survey have no direct English translation, demonstrating their enduring appeal. My own personal favourite word is 'b�rach', which means �a right mess�, and is from the Gaelic. There�s also a Scottish folk rock group called B�rach, and I think it�s a great name for a band.�

Burns Night is the culmination of Scotland�s Winter Festivals and celebratory events will be taking place across the country. Scotland�s friends the world over will also be joining in the fun with Burns Night celebrations happening across the globe from New York to Sydney and Toronto to Beijing.

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 392 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 14th � 17th January 2013. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Scottish adults (aged 18+). Respondents were asked to choose their favourite word in Scots language from a list of 8 options: Crabbit, Blether, Haiver, Beastie, Sleekit, Braw, Glaikit and Dreich.