Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
WALCOME, n., adj. Also walcum (Sc. 1864 J. C. Shairp Kilmahoe 187); wylcome (Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (Maerch 5); wailcome (Slk. 1899 C. M. Thomson Drummeldale 79). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. welcome (m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning xxiii.; Ayr. 1873 D. Hogg Rev. J. Wightman 141; Abd. 1879 G. MacDonald Sir Gibbie xxxi.; Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xi.; Ags. 1901 W. J. Milne Reminisc. 291). Also as v. See P.L.D. § 56.Sc. 2003 Daily Mail 2 Sep 54:
'We walcome correspondence scrievit in onie language. We can ainly accep phone caws presently in English an Gaelic.' A parliament spokesman defended its policies, saying: ' Language can be a significant barrier, preventing people from exercising their basic democratic rights.' The promotion of Scots is now seen as a major aim of the parliament and the Scottish Executive.Sc. 2004 Herald 5 Oct 14:
The use of the Scots language along with English and Gaelic on the official website of the Scottish Parliament has not found universal favour. Phrases such as ''You are walcome tae visit the Pairlament tae hae a keek roon" and "Gin ye decide tae visit, please think on whit ye wid like tae see and dae, as the biggin is gey popular and can get gey thrang" seems to make some folk's toes curl.
Sc. comb. welcome-hame, ¶-haim, 1. a reception or party given for a bride on entering her new home (Sc. 1808 Jam.), a celebration attended by all the friends of a newly-married couple on the Monday after they have been kirked (Sc. 1825 Jam.). See Kirk, v.1, 1. (1); 2. a celebration held on the occasion of the coming of new ploughmen to a farm (see quot.).1. Sc. 1818 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 415:
On Monday evening, just about gloamin, the husbands and wives of the village assemble at the house of the newly-married couple, to celebrate the welcome-hame, by a good drink and funny crack.2. Knr. 1894 H. Haliburton Furth in Field 18:
‘The welcome hame' was usually given ‘an eight days' or so after the arrival of new ploughmen. As the name indicates, the expense of the welcome hame was borne, or supposed to be borne, by the ‘remaining' ploughmen — those, namely who took service on the same farm for another year; but as a matter of fact, each man at a welcome hame, new comer and old hand, bore his own share of the expense of the simple entertainment.
