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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

US, pers. pron. Also Sc. forms hooz; †ous (Fif. 1766 Session Papers, Ramsay v. Martin (25 Nov.) 119), †ows (Ayr. 1776 Session Papers, Petition T. Chalmers (19 Jan.) 4), oos (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 82); wis (Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Description 470, 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 20, 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 95), wiz (Sh. 1898 Shetland News (3 Sept.), 1918 T. Manson Peat Comm. 24, Sh. 1973), wus (Ork. 1885 Peace's Almanac 127); 'is (Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 88; Rxb. 1942 Zai), iz (Slk. 1899 C. M. Thomson Drummeldale 1, Cai. 1905 E.D.D.; Rxb. 1942 Zai), uz (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. and now freq. in m.Sc.); and in unstressed position 's (Per. 1891 H. Haliburton Ochil Idylls 24; Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 92; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.), 'z (s.Sc. 1873 D.S.C.S. 187; Cai. 1905 E.D.D., Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson, Rxb. 1942 Zai). Gen.Sc. For emphatic forms see Hiz. [ʌs, (ɪ)s, (ɪ)z; †us; Sh. + wɪz]

1. Sc. forms of Eng. us. Dmf. 1826 Thomas Carlyle, ed. C. E. Norton Two Note Books of Thomas Carlyle from 23rd March 1822 to 16th May 1832 (1972) 81:
Poetry would not be excluded ... but from all "Odes written at-" "Lines to-" "Verses on-" &c.&c. and the whole genus of "Songs by a Person of Quality", good Lord deliver hooz!

Sc. usages:

2. Comb. us-anes, -yins, we, those of our group or party, used as subj. or obj. (m.Sc. 1973).Gsw. 1950 H. W. Pryde McFlannel Family Affairs 27:
Wi' us-yins bidin' in the close Ah'm no yased wi' stairs.m.Sc. 1972:
You come wi us-yins, and us yins'll see you hame.

2. Used in apposition with a n. subj. = we. Also in colloq. Eng.Abd. 1930:
Us Varsity girls wid never dee a thing like that.Sh. 1962 New Shetlander No. 63. 4:
Wis grown-up lasses were aye anxious ta ken what wir future was gyaan ta be.

4. As in colloq. or dial. Eng. as an unemphatic substitute for me (Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson). Gen.Sc.Rxb. 1868 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. 12:
I tell'd him a lee, and he just felled iz like a herrin'.s.Sc. 1873 D.S.C.S. 188:
The true Objective Singular ma is now almost obsolete, exeept among old people, the plural us being regularly used instead.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 6:
If onybody hed eyed iz, hei'd heh thocht A was shuir ready for Bowden!wm.Sc. 1974 Roddy McMillan The Bevellers 13:
Jist pit some on when ye think it needs it. An' stop callin us Mr Darnley. Bob'll dae. Gsw. 1980 Alex Hamilton in Moira Burgess and Hamish Whyte Streets of Stone (1985) 44:
'Hm,' shi says, 'my my. Furss tapology Ah vivir hear yi makin tae us - dead gracius nAh muss say, thang kyou very much.' Edb. 1993 Irvine Welsh Trainspotting (1994) 31:
Sleazy fuckin queen...that reminds us, ah must buy some flunkies.... Edb. 1994 Gordon Legge I Love Me (Who Do You Love?) 17:
Recca never bothers us with hassles like that, anyway. Got a kind of open relationship, we have. em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 85:
'Gaunae let us go, pal?' the guy said. 'Otherwise, tell ye, I'm fucked, I'm finished. This is ma fuckin life.'