Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1830-1919, 1987-1998
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A, AH, AW, AA, A', I, 1st pers. pron. See also I. [ɑ:, ɑɪ (both emphatic), ə (unstressed), Sc.]Sh. 1914 Angus Gl. 9:
I wid a dun it if A could.Cai.(D) 1909 D. Houston 'E Silkie Man 3:
'Iss is 'e teel [tale] ''e silkie man' is A hed id oot o' Androo Corner's mooth.Mry.(D) 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sketches 48:
A wis yawfu' liftit [uplifted] wi' yon man.Ags. 1911 V. Jacob Flemington iii.:
"A've heard worse," replied the other calmly.m.Sc. 1987 Andrew Cowan in Iain Crichton Smith Scottish Short Stories 1987 99:
Jamie began to laugh. 'Nae difference! News to me, that! First ah've heard of it!' He laughed harshly, staring at Bernadette. 'Eh, Bernie!' m.Sc. 1994 Martin Bowman and Bill Findlay Forever Yours, Marie-Lou 4:
LEOPOLD Ach, jist forget it! Ah'll make it masel.
MARIE-LOUISE Ah kin make toast! Ah'm no a cripple! m.Sc. 1997 Liz Niven Past Presents 18:
Excuse the aggression, A've aye been like this
An A didnae take that fae the wind.
A bit o the auld Pict in me yet eh?
A'll away an get ma rollers oot
A've a feeling in ma bones
That somethin's roon the corner
Or am A jist kiddin masel again? wm.Sc. 1998 Alan Warner The Sopranos (1999) 12:
Aye, ah seen her in the Mantrap, she's really pretty ... says Fionnula.e.Per. 1894 I. Maclaren Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush 4:
Man, a've often thocht it was the prospeck o' the Schule Board.Per.(D) 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 91:
Dhaat's dhe maan ut Aa saw.Edb. 1895 J. Tweeddale Moff 208:
For efter a', a'll be the Leddy o' Preencod.Gsw. 1993 Margaret Sinclair Soor Plooms and Candy Balls 1:
Mrs, needin' any messages, that was wan o' ma tricks.
Wean, could ye get me fags, ah forgot ah hidnae any, ... Kcb. 1893 S. R. Crockett Stickit Minister xv. 164:
Aw was up at Allokirk the day, an' div ye ken what the craiturs war sayin'?Uls. 1897 A. M'Ilroy When Lint was in the Bell ii. 22:
Boys, will ye learn? What can a' dae tae coax ye tae pay attention?
Phrs.: (1) A say dee, used as an emphatic affirmative, yes, indeed, gen. in sea taboo usage (Sh. 1975); (2) Ah'm, abbrev. = I am; (3) Amna, Amnin; Imna, Immen, Imn't (Sh., Cai., Ags., m.Lth., Ayr., Kcb. 1958), abbrev. for am not; (4) Aw'd, abbrev. = I would; (5) Aw'll, abbrev. = I'll, I will; (6) Aw'm, abbrev. = I am; (7) Aw'se, abbrev. = I shall. (3) Sc. [1830] Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 328:
Mr North, amna I richt in the thocht, if no in the expression?Sh. 1919 T. Manson Peat Comm. II. 38:
Weel. Imna I a coamon crofter?Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xviii.:
But I doot I'm wan'erin' fae the pint immedantly oon'er consideration. Amnin aw, John?Fif. 1881 W. C. Honeyman Luckless Peter Pirlie 62:
So I am yer brither, imn't I?Gall. 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 359:
A'm a jolly-lookin falla noo, immen A?
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"A pron.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/a_pron>
