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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

UNDERSTAND, v. Sc. forms: understan (ne.Sc. 1884 D. Grant Lays 83; Cai. 1891 D. Stephen Gleanings 86), -staun (Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo 222), wonderstand (Ayr. 1779 Rymour Club Misc. III. 168); oonderstand (m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 147; Ags. 1892 Brechin Advertiser (29 March) 3), -stan (wm.Sc. 1834 College Album 134), woonderstand (Ags. 1853 W. Blair Aberbrothock 3); unerstan (Abd. 1888 D. Grant Keckleton 42; Dmf. 1912 A. Anderson Later Poems 226; ne.Sc. 1917 D. G. Mitchell Clachan Kirk 42); unnerstan (Abd. 1888 D. Grant Keckleton 97; Uls. 1897 A. McIlroy When Lint was in the Bell v.), -staun (Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo 36; Lnk. 1923 G. Rae Lowland Hills 38; s.Sc. 1929 Sc. Readings (Paterson) 43); onerstand (Gall. 1928 Gallov. Annual 91), onnerstan (Gall. a.1897 R. Ringan's Plewman Cracks 31; Abd. 1916 A. Gibson Under the Cruisie 111), -staun (Sc. 1953 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 143); oonerstan (Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xviii., 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 31), -stand (Abd. 1909 G. Greig Mains's Wooin' 47); winnerstan (Abd. 1923 Swatches o' Hamespun 58, 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxi.). Pa.t. un(d)erstude, -stuid, -stood; ne.Sc. forms unersteid (Abd. c.1780 E.E.P. V. 775), -stede (Abd. 1897 G. MacDonald Salted with Fire vi.), unnersteed (Abd. 1928 Abd. Weekly Jnl. (18 Oct.) 6), oonersteed (Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Yonderton 41, 1926 Abd. Univ. Review (July) 222), winnersteed (Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vii.). See Stand, v., A. [′ʌndər′stɑnd; n. and wm.Sc. ʌnər′stɑn, -′stǫn; ne.Sc. + ‡unər, ‡wɪnnər-]wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 39:
Ah'll put furrit the date, gi'e him ma dochter's haun'
Ah'm all for Tartuffe, an' Ah'll mak' yiz unnerstaun - wm.Sc. 1987 Anna Blair Scottish Tales (1990) 66:
'No, no. You dinnae understaun'. It's to thank you for a noble service you done me and my only son that I make so bold.' Enoch Walter preened himself. Rnf. 1992 Herald 9 Jun 10:
Finally, switching to English, he asks: "Has the visit improved your English?"
"Oh, aye. Ah'm huvvin tae speak slower so the Germans can unnerstaun' me," says the boy, who is from Paisley. ne.Sc. 1993 Ronald W. McDonald in A. L. Kennedy and Hamish Whyte New Writing Scotland 11: The Ghost of Liberace 70:
Syne at last he oonersteed. Uls. 2001 Belfast Telegraph 2 Apr :
There is no question asking people if they "unnerstaun, spake or scrieve" Ulster-Scots. m.Sc. 2001 Daily Star 19 Jun 6:
They could even get a sponsor. I'd suggest the Famous Grouse, given that Rabbie was a bolshie bloke, aye girnin' aboot this yin and that yin in a language nae chiel nooadays kin unnerstaun. m.Sc. 2004 Sunday Herald 14 Mar 18:
The argument seems to be that this show is uniquely Scottish, and therefore unfit for wider consumption. Crivvens, naeb'dy wid unnerstaun whit thae twa auld dobbers wur goan oan aboot.