The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has incorporated a new selection of Scottish terms, recognizing their cultural significance and prevalence. Among the additions are 'chippy sauce,' a popular condiment in Edinburgh's fish and chip shops, and 'rowie,' a distinctive bread roll favored in Aberdeenshire.
'Chippy sauce' is described as a mixture of brown sauce diluted with vinegar or water. The earliest recorded use of this term dates back to a 1999 novel by Laura Hird. Another notable inclusion is 'rowie,' a savory, flaky bread roll traditionally made with lard and butter. The name 'rowie' has a documented history dating back to 1898, with the word itself appearing as early as 1656 in a less common context.
The latest update to the OED also features 'crow road,' a phrase popularized by the late Scottish author Iain Banks in his 1992 novel of the same name. The expression 'to take the crow road' signifies dying or being close to death. The dictionary notes earlier uses of 'crow road' in southern Scotland and northern England, where it referred to the shortest distance between two places.
Other Scottish terms added to the dictionary include 'toorie,' a round woolen or cloth cap of Scottish origin, first recorded in 1874. 'Gowping,' referring to rapid or strong heartbeats, and 'stowed' or 'stowed out,' meaning crowded, have also been included.
'Gowping' describes the heart or blood beating intensely due to activity or emotion. The OED entry cites examples from a Scottish TV viewer's social media post and a 2011 novel by Gorden Ferris.
'Scaffie,' meaning shabby or scruffy, and 'scrunted,' used to describe stunted or shrivelled plants and short people, are also among the new additions. The word 'stowed' or 'stowed out' signifies a state of being crowded or packed to capacity.
Fiona McPherson, an Executive Editor at the OED and a native Scot, expressed particular enthusiasm for the inclusion of Scottish words. She highlighted 'chippy sauce' as a term that sparks considerable discussion among chip shop patrons across Scotland. McPherson also noted that while some words are new to the OED, they possess long and rich histories, with terms like 'loup' and 'gowp' appearing as early as the 16th and 18th centuries, respectively, in reference to the heart's beat.
The OED's latest update encompasses over 900 new words, phrases, and meanings, reflecting the evolving nature of language and the ongoing recognition of regional dialects and expressions.