#6- We speak American, not English



Hairy Coo! - it took a lot of persuasion
 to get Andrew to pose for that picture



 Our weekend trip to "Loch" Ness

We found Nessie



Andrew and I have been enjoying fun new Scottish words. For example, glenn means valley, loch means lake, and Hairy coo is a Highlander cow.  Then there are old words which here have difference meanings: crisps are chips, chips are fries, and trolleys are shopping.  For the most part our learning of Scottish has gone relatively smoothly.  But every now and then I am a bit confused. For example, during my induction the secretary said she had a diary for me that I could use to keep notes about work, and I thought to myself “what an introspective place to work.” Then she handed me what I would refer to as a planner… that made more since. I am glad I learned then though, otherwise I would have been in church during announcements the next Sunday sharing my intimate writings with people sitting by me, as the person during announcements asked us to “get out our diaries because you will need them in a minute, and introduce yourself to the people sitting next to you”.  

Another example, in a later meeting I heard everyone around me talking about their students “vivas.” I kept thinking they were referring to some type of horrific disease, but in fact viva is the word Scotland (and the rest of the world) uses to refer to a dissertation defense (perhaps my earlier understanding of the word wasn’t too far off).  But I think my favorite are those times that people are using the exact same word to mean the exact same thing, but I just can’t understand through the Scottish accent. Or alternatively, they just can’t understand me through my American accent. I have gotten many a confused look from bus drivers, shop keepers, and colleagues as I ask them questions.  It makes each day an adventure!