Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BOOYANGS, n.pl. Also boy-yanks (s.Sc. 1937 Proc. Sc. Anthrop. Soc. II. ii. 22; Fif. 1957), bow yanks (e.Lth. 1953 Stat. Acc.3 266). “The straps buckled over trousers below the knees. Believed to have been introduced into the district by Ulster potato diggers” (Arg.1 1929). The form Bonanks is erron. Cf. Nickie-tam.
[The word appears to be of Australian (prob. gold-rush) orig., but is found in Linc. dial. in form bowy-yanks, leather gaiters. The second element may poss. represent colloq. yank, to jerk tightly.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Booyangs n. pl.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 25 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/booyangs>
