Continuing on from my previous posting; having a shower just now, a word came to me, one I use all the time. I'm sure a lot of people here use the same word without ever thinking that it is Ulster Scots.

The expression is "keeping in to' with someone". (pronounced 'toe'). "keeping in touch". Haven't time for any more at present, but will keep thinking during the day and be aware of my everyday language. Surprising how much of it will be Ulster Scots. "a half'un", meaning a half measure of whiskey. Is that Ulster Scots? I don't know, but sounds like it. I'm awa' to get dressed.k "A hundred pipers and a' and a'". (all and all). D'ye ken?

Ann
my gran always said "keepin in with"! She had an expression " Always keep in with bad body as a good body would do you no harm"!
donald

donald,
theres a similar expression, can't remember who said it, states, keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer.

And to many of these the reply would have been: Away an' boil yer head!

That last one of mine should have been my last on the subject, but it's hard to make a fool keep his mouth shut, so - I wrote a piece in school about a parable in which someone was punished by a crowd, and was criticized by my teacher for using the expression 'sticks and stones and all'.
I was using everyday speech.

Dabbler, "sticks & stones an a' an' a'. That doesn't look right.I remembered another one this morning but it's gone now. Dabbler,, I see the weather around your area is to be very good over Easter. 20 degrees. It's well for ya.

O, I remember now. "Away oor that". That is a common expression still used here, meaning, "I don't believe you".

Keep them coming.

Ann; beautiful weather here. I have been 'instructed' to stay out of the sun, as my head looks like a beetroot after twenty minutes.
some of the sayings quoted are very Scottish. an a', for example I said, and still say, my l's and r's very distinctly.
'Away out of that', said as you wrote, yes, that was common.

Dabbler, this isn't Ulster Scots, but I'll tell you anyhow. I had to smile to myself the other morning while in the Post Office. The elderly woman in front of me was watching a child who was in a pram. The child was pointing its wee finger over to the sweets. The woman said to the child's mother, "Your wee girl takes me to the fair" the way she's pointing at those sweets.

I wonder how "takes me to the fair" came about. I have used that expression myself.

Any ideas?

I never heard that one Ann, but guees it means 'amuses me enormosuly'; says he with plum in mouth.

Yer heads a marley

'e's not as green as 'e's cabbage lukkin'.

"Stickin' out". I made a guest laugh out loud when I said this at a recent party. She had lived in England for a long time so probably hadn't heard it for years.

Another one is "he/she's as thick as potato bread".

My mother, referring to two people who were very similar in ways, would say, "they could lick thumbs to the elbow". I'm sure that came from some occupation or other years ago, but I haven't a clue as to which one.