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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COME ATHER, —'Awther, —Aither, —Aidder, v.imper. Sometimes written as one word: commaather, gomather. A call to a horse to turn to the left (Bnff.2, Ags.1 1937). Come ather is given in H. Stephens Bk. Farm (1844) I. 621. In gen. dial. use in Eng. (see E.D.D. s.v. come thither). [kə′mɑ:ðər, -e:ðər, -edər]Bch. 1925 (per Abd.15):
Old horsemen of 40 or 50 years ago used to turn their horses to the left with “Come aither” or “Come aidder.”
Ags. 1822 Caled. Mag. I. 399: 
The unintelligible jargon of-"Vish-Woa -Gomather!"
Mearns 1857 A. Taylor Lummie 5:
Commaather! weesh! there, there, ye jaud! He keepit cryin'.
Mearns 1899 A. C. Cameron Hist. of Fettercairn xxxvii.:
Then turning to his horse [he said] “Come 'awther, Duncan.”

[A corruption of Eng. come hither. The horseman, when leading his horse, walks on the left-hand side of it.]

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"Come Ather v. imper.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/come_ather>

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