Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
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.
Quotation dates: 1721, 1817-1835, 1898-2000
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WHY, adv., conj. Also whey. Sc. usages:
I. adv. Sc. form of Eng. why.Slg. 1990 Janet Paisley in Hamish Whyte and Janice Galloway New Writing Scotland 8: The Day I Met the Queen Mother 120:
Ah wantit tae sey 'Whey?' 'Whey ur ye daen this?' Bit ah kent whey.w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 6:
Whey let ithers rule oor lives
an devastate oor enterprise.
We've aa got it live.
Sc. comb. why for, -fore, why (Rxb. c.1930; I.Sc., Cai., Slg., Fif., Dmb., Lnk. 1974), and in form for why. Also in Eng. dial. Hence why for no, why not (Ib.). Also used as n. = reason, cause. Cf. what for s.v. What, pron., VI. 6.Dmf. 1817 W. Caesar Poems 100?:
Then whyfore should ye backward be?Fif. 1824 J. Bissett Poems 63:
Ilka ane should get a share And why for no?s.Sc. 1835 Wilson's Tales of the Borders I. 270:
If I may again hope! — and why for no?Sc. 1898 J. Sinclair Sc. Life and Humour 71:
Why no hae a “deid-chack?” Aye, why for no?Gall. 1902 A. E. Maxwell Lilts frae Border 14:
The why-for o' the greetin'.Uls. 1928 D. Byrne Power of Dog vii.:
Why for couldn't you have come yesterday?Ags. 1947 F. Urquhart Ploughing Match (1968) 10:
I dinna see for why they dinna get a nurse for ye.
II. conj. On condition that.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 224:
I wish you were able, why you never did it.
