Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1810, 1951
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†SPEY CODLIN, n.comb. In taboo usage: a salmon, the Spey being an important salmon river.Bnff. c.1810 W. Cramond Old Cullen (1882) 44:
The salmon was "the foul beast," or "the foul fish," or "the Spey codlin."ne.Sc. 1951 Abd. Press and Jnl. (26 Oct.):
To evade the evil spell inherent in the word "salmon" they referred to "Red-fish" or "Spey-codlings," while salmon fishers were talked of as Cauld Iron.
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"Spey Codlin n. comb.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/spey_codlin>
