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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

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. 5.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.