Greetings

I'm surprised Scottish Universities don't use this as propaganda:

COME TO AN INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED UNIVERSITY-  THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WILL IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH.

However, building on this idea of international relations, it will be no surprise to you that Scots are generally seen to dislike the English (historical fact) and the way in which Scottish slang or patter veers away from the English language is no exception to this. English is one of the hardest languages to learn but what about Scottish? Like most geographical areas within the UK, people in Scotland tend to skip the initial introductory 'Hello' by skipping to the 'how are you?' stage of a greeting conversation.

Let's begin at the top:

• Inverness & the Highlands: "What Like?"
                                               "Not Bad, Ursel?"

Although relatively simple to understand if you are out with the Highlands, 'What Like' is not used with regards to comparison, rather it is used to ask someone how they are doing. Also, 'Not Bad' in many ways means better than average and what is particularly noticeable with this, is the acceptance of mediocrity that is strictly in line with the attitude of Brits. I find it interesting that Inverness is the fastest growing City in the UK - people must have large ambitions to be 'Not Bad'

 

    As we venture down the East Coast:



Aberdeen City & Shire: "Fit Like?"
                                       "Nae Bad"
Here the 'What' changes to 'Fit' and we are presented with a question that is alien to others. Despite the dictionary defining 'Fit' as remaining healthy and doing exercise, Aberdonians use the word Fit in replace of What.
Here I have also neglected the use of the phrase 'Foos yer doos?' as I view that this, like many doric phrases, has unfortunately outdated. This does simply mean, however, how are your affairs?
 

 


Travelling South:

• Central Belt: "Awrite, hen?"
                       "Awrite, mate?"

A hen, for a reason unknown, is a female in Glasgow

Regardless of what follows the awrite (pal, buddy etc), this method of  greeting originated in Glasgow and the West Coast and has gradually spread throughout Scotland.
Note that as you travel North East, the 'aw' gradually becomes an 'ah' sound and it becomes 'ahright?'
Although relatively simple to grasp, the translations

of this conversation are comical. "Awrite?" translates to "Alright?" so clearly one individual asks the other if they are doing well. Nevertheless, in this case, the respondent typically responds with the same question so, in other words, the conversation follows this construct:

• "How are you?"
  "How are you?"
  I suppose this is similar to the French using "Ca,va?"

So I'll conclude with a particular mention to Edinburgh. The sophisticated Capital City that, in my little experience, remains closely tied with the Collins' as the South East is the most likely area in which "How are you?" may be used. Again, this is dependent on the context of the conversation.
This bears the question, am I not sophisticated enough (too much of a bam) to grasp the patter of the South East?

In the following posts, I intend to segment Scotland into the above geographical areas.
Keep Posted.