Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HERE, adv. Sc. usages:

1. With ellipsis of the verb to be before a noun (Fif.¹ 1930; em.Sc.(a), wm.Sc. 1957). Obs. in Eng. since c.1460. Cf. There.Gsw. 1902 J. J. Bell Wee Macgregor i.:
Maw, here a sweetie shope.Edb. 1925 C. P. Slater Marget Pow. 152:
Here a perfeck pile.Gsw. 1988 Michael Munro The Patter Another Blast 32:
here...It is also found as a shortened version of here is, as in: 'Here a train comin noo.' 'Here wee Joey on the phone.'

2. In calling to a sheepdog: go to the right! (Abd., Knr. 1957).

3. Phrs.: (1) here's me ..., used to emphasise a person's physical or mental state or situation; (2) here's tae us; wha's like us? Damn few and they're aw deid, freq. used toast or expression of self-congratulation, often used ironically. See also wha's like us (s.v. Wha I. 4. Phr.). (1) Gsw. 1986 Michael Elder Take the High Road: The Man from France 29:
"... Even my meals aren't as good as they should be, and here's me in my state of health out doing all the hard, hard work, and never a thank you or a helping hand ..."wm.Sc. 1987 Anna Blair Scottish Tales (1990) 57:
'Here's me, that has a pride in my own good milling, that's just to tak' whatever scanty corn an ill-doing farmer harvests. And all the time I'm thinkin' I could be growin' ten times better a crop of my ain.'m.Sc. 1994 Peter McCarey in Daniel O'Rourke Dream State 29:
Every word in the language is laid out here with its meaning on a tag tied round its big toe. And here's me trying mouth to mouth.wm.Sc. 1998 Alan Warner The Sopranos (1999) 293:
Here's me pregnant. My wee world in tatters and I'm worried about smoking!(2) Sc. 1986 Times 28 Dec :
So, when the bells ring out, raise your glass high, and in a proud and happy voice, say: 'Here's tae us, Wha's like us, De'il the wan, an' they're a' deid. 'Sc. 1993 Sunday Times 17 Oct :
Stewart was an east coaster and his humour and music were rooted in the village ceilidhs of the north and east. I would certainly far rather see New Year in with him than Rab C Nesbitt.
Here's tae us, wha's like us, damn few an' they're a' deid.Sc. 1994 Daily Record 1 Nov 37:
It is unimaginable that any Scottish side could take on the tourists. The "here's tae us wha's like us" approach is horribly out of date.Sc. 1998 Edinburgh Evening News 22 Dec 11:
Here's tae us, whae's like us? Damn few, and they're a' deid - a sentiment that perfectly sums up what the Scots feel about themselves as a race.Sc. 1999 Mirror 23 Sep 7:
That high opinion of Scottishness, typified by the arrogant saying 'Wha's like us? Damn few - and they're a' deid,' is fairly common among us.
It is probably the reason that the first thing many emigrating Scots do on landing abroad is to join the local Caledonian Society.ne.Sc. 2000 Press and Journal 4 May 17:
And the meaning of phrases such as: "Here's tae us! Fa's like us - damn few and they're aa deid!" have been confusing schoolchildren for years. Sc. 2000 Edinburgh Evening News 28 Sep 30:
But it was Sir Walter who helped create the misty-eyed parody of the Scot, kilt abune his knee, with his "whae's like us, damn few and they're a' deid" belief worn like a team scarf round his neck.Sc. 2003 Sunday Times 15 Jun :
I can understand why the criticism is there, but one thing missed every time is that Berti [Vogts] had a lot of experience in Germany. One of our big problems is we're all Scots, the 'wha's like us, damn few and they're all deid' mentality; it's so inward-looking. Sc. 2004 Daily Mail 4 Feb 14:
It justifies the giving of honours as follows: 'The saying "Here's tae us, wha's like us? Damn few, and they're a' deid" represents the Scottish curse of denying or neglecting the great and gifted living among us.Sc. 2004 Daily Record 12 Mar 21:
But no one was too bothered because the Anglos had also lost.
Here's to us, wha's like us, damn few. Thank God.Sc. 2004 Sunday Express 23 May :
The truth is, Scots have always been prone to self-defensive self-glorification and beginning a new life in a new world doesn't erase our tartan spot. It was an American Scot, who had never even visited Scotland but proudly wore the kilt, who introduced me to the "Wha's like us...?" toast. You know the one - "Here's tae us, Wha's like us? Damn few - And they're a' deid".Sc. 2004 Scotsman 30 Dec 30:
And just where, on a positive-negative sliding scale, should we place that belligerent toast which will be so widely uttered tomorrow night, as we fluctuate between alcoholic epiphany and hitting the gutter: "Here's tae us; wha's like us? Gey few and they're aa deid"?