emma thompson | 80's Movie Guide

Proper glossary for Scottish words in Brave. A story set in Scotland would be jiggery pokery without its share of Scottish words and phrases. And crivens, "Brave" has plenty! But it would all be for naught unless accompanied by a proper glossary, so here goes... AUTOCHTHONOUS Indigenous, native --Taught to filmmakers by Emma Thompson (voice of Queen Elinor), who used it to describe "Brave's" Castle Dunbroch because it appears to have grown right out of the earth. BLUE WODE A blue dye extracted from a cabbage-type plant used by inhabitants of ancient Scotland to paint their bodies --Lord MacGuffin and Young MacGuffin paint their bodies in blue wode to proclaim that they are ready for battle at any moment. BRAE Hill BUNCH OF GALOOTS Many fools • galoot clumsy, oafish person CARNYX A Celtic trumpet with a bell shaped like a boar's head. Held vertically so it can be heard in large crowds, a carnyx was used during wartime to send troops into battle. --In "Brave," it signals the start of the Highland Games. CRIVENS, YOU'RE FIERCE Wow! You're cool or ferocious or tough! • crivens expression of surprise or shock DANCING TATTY BOGLE An expression that describes something outlandish or imaginary • tatty shabby, cheap • bogle, boggle or bogill ghost or folkloric being DORIC A dialect from the Aberdeenshire region in Scotland --Elgin native Kevin McKidd (voice of MacGuffin and Young MacGuffin), who learned Doric from his grandfather, proposed to filmmakers for Young MacGuffin to speak the incomprehensible dialect in "Brave." DREADFUL COLLYWOBBLES Unwanted stomachache or a bad case of the nerves • collywobbles upset stomach; intestinal disturbances or a feeling of apprehension FOR NAUGHT For no reason FINISH WHAT HE GUDDLED IN THE FIRST PLACE Fix, clean up or otherwise remedy something that's been horribly mishandled. • guddle make a mess of it GAMY SPELL An unfortunate bit of magic • gamy bad GLEN Small, narrow, secluded valley GOOGLY OLD HAG Outlandish, unattractive senior • googly strange, odd GIANT HAVING A JIGGER IN THE BLUEBELLS Similar to Dancing Tatty Bogle, something that's absurd or fantastical HAGGIS Though some will joke that a haggis is a small animal native to Scotland, it is actually a traditional Scottish pudding made with sheep's heart, liver and lungs, encased in a sheep's stomach and cooked for several hours. Often served with "neeps and tatties" (turnips and potatoes). HIGHLAND GAMES Festivals that celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Includes competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, archery, caber tossing, stone put and other Scottish athletics, plus entertainment and exhibits. JIGGERY POKERY Nonsense JINGS CRIVENS HELP MA BOAB Oh my! Exclamation of bewilderment or exasperation KILT A pleated and draped tartan fabric garment worn by Scottish men --During the production of "Brave" director Mark Andrews and several animators wore kilts to work on Fridays—dubbed Kilt Fridays—to get in the spirit of Scotland and the film's characters. LASS Girl LAD Boy LOCH Lake MANKY DOGS Unsavory person or being • manky dirty, worthless or in bad taste MICHTY ME Wow! Holy cow! An exclamation of surprise, shock or being overwhelmed NUMPTY Useless individual NUT ‘EM Head-butt ‘em SCAFFY WITCH A tricky or slick being with magical powers • scaffy trickster SCARED SIMPERIN' JACKANAPES Belittling description of a goofy and unworthy opponent • simpering silly smile • jackanape an insulting reference to a monkey or ape; a braggart; a mischievous child SCUTTLE THE VIKING LONGSHIPS Sink Viking ships by making holes in the bottom STUFF HER GOB Eat with abandon • gob mouth TARTAN A specially designed woven fabric that identifies a clan. April 6th is National Tartan Day in the United States. TOSSING CABERS A test of strength and skill seen in Highland Games in which the competitor raises a pole vertically with the small end down, and then throws it • Caber a long, tapered section of a tree trunk TUMSHIE Turnip… or foolish person. Or both. WEE Small WE'LL BILE YUR HEED WAE DUMPLIN' BREED; TAE MAKE AN URSINE STEW • bile yer heed (boil your head) don't be ridiculous. Also used as an exclamation if someone is doing something stupid and it's annoying --In "Brave" King Fergus sings what he'll do to the demon bear Mor'du when he catches him to avenge his lost leg. Not only will he boil his head, but he'll add dumplings to make a bear stew. WILL O' THE WISPS Ghostly lights or small blue spirits that lead the way to treasure or doom. --In "Brave," the will o' the wisps lead Merida to change her fate. Related Link: View the Full Production Notes for Brave

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Proper glossary for Scottish words in Brave

Brave: Merida to change her destiny