Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
‡VERSION, n. Sc. usage: a school exercise consisting in the translation of a passage of English prose into Latin, the passage so translated, a Latin prose (Abd. 1929), esp. associated with the bursary competition in Aberdeen University in the 18th and 19th cs. (ne.Sc., Ags., Lth. 1973).Abd. 1711 Burgh Rec. Abd. (B.R.S.) II. 345:
Ther proficiency in themms, versions, poeticall composurs, and ovations.Sc. 1795 in H. F. M. Simpson Bon-Record (1906) 178:
In Composing Versions from English into Latin.Sc. 1868 Report Schools Inquiry Commission VI. 77:
The characteristic feature of the Latin teaching is the “Versions” or translations from English into Latin prose [at Aberdeen Grammar School].Sc. 1894 G. G. Ramsay Lat. Prose Versions v.:
The spelling adopted in the Latin Versions contained in this volume.Abd. 1901 Weekly Free Press (18 May):
He had some practice in ‘versions' with Mr. Adam Mitchell, rector of the Old Aberdeen Grammar School, before essaying the Bursary Competition.Sc. 1937 St Andrews Cit. (30 Jan.) 10:
The prize-lists were settled by a succession of trial versions.
