Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MY, poss.adj. Also mah, meh (Dundee). Also Sc. unstressed forms: ma (Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St Patrick I. v., Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch xvi., Rxb. c.1870 Jethart Worthies 58; Rnf. 1873 D. Gilmour Pen Folk 25; ne.Sc. 1887 G. Green Gordonhaven viii.). Gen.Sc.; me (Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 8, Sh. 1898 Shetland News (30 July), 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 9); mi (Sh. 1918 T. Manson Peat Comm. 68, 1928 Manson's Sh. Almanac 186); m'. [mɑe; unstressed mɑ, mə; I.Sc. mi, mɪ]

Sc. forms of Eng. my. Dundee 1989 W. N. Herbert in Joy Hendry Chapman 55-6 93:
Ur yi by meh side, daith?
Eh'm by yir left side as aye. Dundee 1990 Sheila Stephen in Joy Hendry Chapman 60 51:
" ... Yi ken how Eh like a smokie fir meh tea on a Thursday? ... "Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 9:
Weill said I (ablow mi breath)
that cows aa! fin yersel anither
gowk tae faither yer ferlies ... Sc. 1992 Herald 19 Mar 6:
"Aye," says he, "but whose money will she get? Your money! And mah money! Aye. Good day tae ye."Sc. 1994 Daily Record 30 Apr 2:
It isn't the accused who are in contempt of court. It's the Anglicised judges who are in contempt of Scots.
In both cases, the answer should have been: Awa' ye big sumph, mah lord.wm.Sc. 1998 Alan Warner The Sopranos (1999) 34:
I'm needing a helicopter ta winch me back ta mah seat.Sc. 1999 Scotsman 4 Nov 19:
Having taught in West Lothian myself, I can assure you that there are many unholy manifestations there. They usually sit back and fill the air with lamentations such as "A' we no gittin' a vidjo?" and "He's broke mah ruler".Dundee 2000 Herald 28 Aug 28:
Within a few days I expect him to be inundated with Dundee's finest Elvis doppelgangers - "meh wife sewed on a' they sequins thingies 'ersel' ken" - and any number of slightly off-the-wall citizens who feel they look like somebody famous.Dundee 2003 Aberdeen Evening Express 18 Sep 22:
"Eh ken you ... divin't eh?" As the TV man bristled in front of media colleagues at being recognised by a fan, thinking he really was Erchie, the peroxide one added: "Did you no' work beside meh man in the Timex?"Dundee 2004 Scotsman 31 Dec 29:
With Scotland being the Hogmanay capital of the universe, the enforced fun can sometimes overwhelm. If you favour a traditional (aka, maudlin) approach, borrow a response from Bill Duncan, author of The Wee Book of Calvin, to queries about your planned revels: "Eh'll be in ma bed wi meh fais turned tae the waa."

Sc. usages:

1. Used as in Eng. as an ejaculation of surprise. Sc. phr. my be here, dear me, good gracious.Sc. 1895 N. Roy Horseman's Word ix.:
My be here, life's but a glaik on the wa', we're auld afore we ken!

2. Comb.: my lord, milord, a Haggis, prob. a jocular reference to Burns's mode of address to the haggis: “great chieftain of the pudding race ” (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.).

3. Used in certain noun phrs. where idiomatic Eng. omits, as with bed, dinner. Gen.Sc. Cf. usages of The.Sc. 1787 J. Beattie Scoticisms 57:
I am going to my bed, my dinner. — Better — to bed, to dinner.Ayr. a.1796 Burns There's news, lasses ii.:
I'll no gang to my bed Until I get a man.Gsw. 1947 H. W. Pryde First Book of McFlannels 132:
What . . . have ye in the hoose that ye can gi'e me fur ma tea in a hurry?