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The Doric Trivia Quiz

The dialect spoken in the North East and mid-North of Scotland is known as the Doric. It varies quite substantially from more common forms of English. This is an attempt to introduce quizzers to this historical and literary form.

A multiple-choice quiz by TarquinsDad. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
TarquinsDad

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
389,021

Updated
Feb 18 25

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
113

Last 3 plays: Mrs_Anderson2U (6/10), Edzell_Blue (9/10), haydenspapa (2/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. If someone were to say to you (whilst conversing in the Doric parlance of the North East of Scotland), "Fou's yer neeps min?" how would you politely respond? Hint

Knapdarloch

Howkit

Futtret

Foggy bummer

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. In the North East of Scotland "Fit like quine?" means Hint

My, you are in fine form

How are you young lady?

That sweater is rather tight

What a quiz

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Question 3 of 10

3. Were someone to say to you whilst in the country outside Aberdeen, "A ken ah ken im, but a da ken far a ken im fae," what would be an appropriate answer? Hint

I have a really bad stutter.

That's an Egyptian deity I think.

Ken oh Ken, where are you?

Oh yes, he's the boy who works in the chip shop.

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Question 4 of 10

4. Allie has a bidie in. Why might that be a problem for his Mum? Hint

A bidie in is an old lady cleaner

A bidie in is an infectious disease.

A bidie in is a live-in girlfriend.

A bidie in is a pet budgie.

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Question 5 of 10

5. Whils out in Aberdeen, you hear someone ask, "Fit fit fits fit fit?" How would you respond to this Doric speaker? Hint

The stutterer strikes again.

It's better than swearing.

Machine gun impression gone wrong.

The left goes into the left shoe and the right, the right.

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Question 6 of 10

6. Whilst walking past a family gathering you hear a phrase in the Doric dialect of the North East of Scotland and wonder to yourself, 'Who's going to get a skelped dock?' Hint

Someone captured by the apache of old

Someone unloading freight from a ship

Someone with nettle rash

A naughty boy

7. In the Doric dialect used in the North East of Scotland, language can be significantly different from standard English. For example, if someone suggests that they got drookit earlier might be for which of these reasons? Hint

It was Tuesday.

They had too much to drink.

It was raining.

It was early.

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Question 8 of 10

8. Whilst walking down the street in the Doric speaking region of the North East of Scotland you hear, "Hing on a minty". What should you do in response to this? Hint

Listen to the bells

Pass over a chewy sweet

Wait a moment

Look at the the coin production factory

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Question 9 of 10

9. A Doric speaker tells you, "Dinna fash yersel!" How might this be expressed in standard English? Hint

Don't worry about it!

She's a fashion icon!

I's almost teatime!

That's quite the pimple!

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Question 10 of 10

10. Whilst in a Doric-speaking area, where would you find an oxter? Hint

In a soup; it's the tail of a cow.

Under your arm; it's an armpit.

It's the bend in a stream.

It's the passenger seat in a car.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. If someone were to say to you (whilst conversing in the Doric parlance of the North East of Scotland), "Fou's yer neeps min?" how would you politely respond?

Answer: Howkit

Fou's yer neeps literally means "How are your turnips" but is intended to ask after someone's welfare. Howkit implies that all is well, literally that the turnips have now been dug up.

Knapdarloch actually refers to the collection of faeces around a sheep's bottom, and so would not be a good state to be in.
A futtret is a weasel or ferret.
Foggy bummer is a bumble bee.

2. In the North East of Scotland "Fit like quine?" means

Answer: How are you young lady?

A quine is a girl and a loon a boy. It's all quite polite, if informal. Whilst quine may well derive from queen, loon is somewhat more difficult to link.

3. Were someone to say to you whilst in the country outside Aberdeen, "A ken ah ken im, but a da ken far a ken im fae," what would be an appropriate answer?

Answer: Oh yes, he's the boy who works in the chip shop.

'I know that I know him, but I don't know where I know him from', is the statement, so there can only really be one relevant response.
To ken is to know.
Da is the short form for dinna, or don't.
Far, in this context means where.
Fae means from.

4. Allie has a bidie in. Why might that be a problem for his Mum?

Answer: A bidie in is a live-in girlfriend.

Whilst many couples do not get married nowadays, at least not straight away, it may still be an issue for a parent who would prefer that her son gets married rather than have a live-in partner.

5. Whils out in Aberdeen, you hear someone ask, "Fit fit fits fit fit?" How would you respond to this Doric speaker?

Answer: The left goes into the left shoe and the right, the right.

"Which foot fits which shoe?" would be the literal translation into English, but is a well-used example of the Doric taken to a ridiculous degree.

Fit means which, but also means foot, in this case linked to the standard meaning of fit for comic effect.

6. Whilst walking past a family gathering you hear a phrase in the Doric dialect of the North East of Scotland and wonder to yourself, 'Who's going to get a skelped dock?'

Answer: A naughty boy

A smacked bum would be the most obvious translation from Doric to English.

Answer: It was raining.

Drookit is well and truly drenched, not damp, not wet, but soaked. The other options may also have been true, but unrelated to their sodden condition.

8. Whilst walking down the street in the Doric speaking region of the North East of Scotland you hear, "Hing on a minty". What should you do in response to this?

Answer: Wait a moment

Wait for me, or slow down, there are lots of meanings for the same phrase when translated into English from the Doric.

9. A Doric speaker tells you, "Dinna fash yersel!" How might this be expressed in standard English?

Answer: Don't worry about it!

This covers a wide range of issues and is quite a handy phrase to have in your quiver of phrases should you ever feel the need to communicate in the Doric.

10. Whilst in a Doric-speaking area, where would you find an oxter?

Answer: Under your arm; it's an armpit.

"Av minky oxters, it's affie hate" could be translated as, "I have quite stinky armpits, it's really rather warm".

Source: Author TarquinsDad

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
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