Scots nature word of the week

These are drawn from Amanda Thomson’s book A Scots Dictionary of Nature (2018, Saraband: Glasgow).  Most of the words are still in current use since they are included in the Essential Scots-English Dictionary Online. Sometimes, however, I have identified words which appear no longer to be in current use but deserve to be revived because they are so evocative, poetic or amusing.  Some words are specific to one or more of the different dialects of Scots while others are General Scots words.  I have included an indication of usual pronunciation when this is necessary.

Word of the week: Monday 29 June 2026: birk – the birch tree (General Scots but also used in northern England).  Birch trees, with their beautiful, papery bark, are common throughout much of Scotland. From birk we get birks – a birch wood and siller birk – the silver birch tree. The best known use of birk is probably Robert Burns’ love poem The Birks of Aberfeldy