Haud Yer Wheesht!: Your Scottish Granny's Favorite Sayings [Paperback]

Allan Morrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1997

A frequently hilarious and often wise collection of Scots sayings which our Grannies always seemed to have to hand for all manner of situations and circumstances. They cover marriage, cooking, the home, money, sex, the Kirk, the future, health, happiness, poverty, travel, death, birth and a lot more. Each saying is accompanied by a straightforward English equivalent for ease of understanding by tourists and visitors from overseas. Over 50 cartoon illustrations by Rupert Besley accompany the text.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English

About the Author

Allan Morrison was the HR Director at IBM in Greenock, Scotland until he retired. He is Scotland's bestselling humour author and is also a popular after-dinner speaker. He lives on the shores of the Firth of Clyde.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Neil Wilson Publishing (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1897784600
• ISBN-13: 978-1897784600
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 4.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #804,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good overview of the shrewd Scottish outlook on life., February 9, 1999

By 

David J. Means (Tulsa, OK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haud Yer Wheesht!: Your Scottish Granny's Favorite Sayings (Paperback)

This is one of the smallest books I have ever read, and was amusingly illustrated by Rupert Besley, who has worked on several other Scottish humor books. The book has over 500 sayings in Lollands (Lowland Scots English -- Robert Burn's language) grouped into 34 categories such as Business, Death, Observations on Life, Love, Marriage, Money, and Work. A one-page glossary of a few of the Scots words is included, but readers unfamiliar with Scots English would be advised to also have Collins' "Scots Dictionary" handy for some of the other words not listed. Under each proverb is the author's interpretation of the meaning, usually based on the category it is filed under. I did not always agree with Mr. Morrison's "translation", as I felt many of the sayings had broader applications than he allowed, or the translations could have been phrased differently to better bring out the point of the proverb. But that is minor quibbling over personal taste. The real beauty of the book is that, here in one slim volume, are several generations worth of shrewd comments on life, as seen through the eyes of our Scottish ancestors. I found it interesting that many sayings I have seen elsewhere called "old English proverbs" had a close relative in Scots. It makes one wonder which actually came first, and whether the saying is actually English, or has been misattributed. All-in-all a fun little book, and a great "bathroom reader". If nothing else, it will help you practice sounding like a canny auld Scot! [This review appeared in somewhat different form in the March issue of "The Tartan Tattler", the newsletter of the Scottish Club Of Tulsa.]

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars nice giftie for your friend, April 14, 2005

By 

Deborah MacGillivray "Author," (US & UK) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Haud Yer Wheesht!: Your Scottish Granny's Favorite Sayings (Paperback)

More of a humorous look on Scotland and the oddball sayings you heard your Gran pronounce at every turn. Billed as "gannies' common sense", Scottish grannies are known for taking every thing in stride and always have a saying for each situation. The wee look into these staid philosophises that anchored a way of life is a delight. Accompanying the sayings are cute pen and ink cartoons.

This slim book has over 500 sayings and is a great present for that Yank with Scottish roots!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Wee Tome to Pick up the Lein, May 12, 2006

By 

Susanne Koenig "mynewwritinglife.blogspot.com" (Memphis, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Haud Yer Wheesht!: Your Scottish Granny's Favorite Sayings (Paperback)

I love Allan Morrison's wee little books with Scottish colloquialisms. This one is quite a little gem, especially if you're trying SASL. (Scots As a Second Language ;-)

It's neat, compact, cute, hilarious, easily fits in your pocket and comes complete with a glossary (something curiously lacking in some other Scottish tomes). I'd also like to add that learning even a handful of these little sayings to memory will endear you to any Scot. A couple of favorites:

"De ye think I'm up the Clyde on a bike?"
(Do you think I'm an idiot?)

"Sodgers wi' big guns beat sodgers wi' pretty dresses."
(Being practical is more important than being presentable)

"Som would flay a louse fer it's skin."
(Some people are so mean that they'd skin a flea for it's skin).

A true delight, well worth the money and easy to understand. A charming volume for anyone studying Scots.