DORIC COLUMN ROBBIE SHEPHERD

To contact Robbie, email yourlife@ajl.co.uk and mark your message FAO Robbie Shepherd

Fit’s linguistics onyroad? Satty bree or brine! Spurgies cheep, and lammies baa, My spik’s mine!

MITHER TONGUE – SHEENA BLACKHALL

At hinmaist three wirds o the quote the day, teen fae her beuk “Nor’ East Neuk” said it aa for me in lippenin tae the poems o Sheena in the early eichties an bi coincidence, I hid a programme on BBC Radio Aiberdeen at the time ca’d North East Neuk. A common bond wis struck an sae it his been tae es day. We baith ca a spad a spad an a fork a graip, baith on a mission tae preserve the mither tongue an fair teen on wi the eident darg ongyan the day in haudin on till’t.

My spik’s mine bit the day I han ower tae some o ye at hae gotten back till’s in like mainner on the latest wirds for the wikkeyn. It dis the aul hairt gweed tae get the real Doric, haet an rikkin, nae only in vreetin bit fyles ower the phone sae lat’s yoke wi the bonedavie at hid me winnerin foo it got’s name. Maist o ye like Bill Smith hid the simple answer – it’s caa’d a bone-davie cis it spread bone meal.

I hae es picter o a lang box on wheels spreadin fertiliser efter the days o the han happer an here’s Allan Thomson wi his ain sair memories,

“Aboot 75 eer seen, ma fadder wis saain manure wi a horse yokit till a bonedavie on parks at Slains Lodge fairm near Cruden Bay. I wis aboot three eer aal an wis watchin. Fu o curiosity an despite bein tellt nae till, I powket ma fingers intae the workins o the bonedavie an got a gie sair dirl that gart me greet.”

Ye got aff lucky Allan, bit meevin on tae anither ferlie, I left ye tae ponder ower “Glesga Jock”. Here I tak ye tae a phone call fae Denis Bowie o Portsoy fa his twa spleet new roll’t up bunnels o Glesga Jock in’s laft. Denis pit’s me richt at it’s a kyn o wrappin – a coir o yarn – tae haud doon rucks. He tells me he’s pairt o the Portsoy Threshin Mull Squad fa aften stage a thrashin at Keith Show, yet anither fine example o haudin on tae a prood tradition.

Fin I suggestit gin it wis tae dee wi a button for a pair o dungers, I hid Margaret Godsman fae Steenhive at the back o ma myn fae anither query bit I wis hyne aff the mark ere, an I wis fair trickit tae be pitten richt bi the lady ersel as the button turn’t oot tae be the “Sweet Orr”.

“The ‘Glesga Jock’ and the ‘Sweet Orr’ button frae the dungarees have nae connection tae ane anither at a… The Sweet Orr featured in your column aboot Granny’s Button Box. The roond metal button was used on the bib and brace dungarees. It wasn’t stitched on to the garment, as there was a prong on the back of the button which went through a small hole in the fabric, then a round metal wire was fed into the prong at the back to secure the button.”

Thanks, Margaret, at column gings back a fylie an sincere thanks tee tae aa for keepin the antrin wordies tae the fore.

See ye neist wikkeyn.