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Scots Word for September

Hairst

hairst wheat sheafs; image courtesty of Learning and Teaching Scotland
Hairst, like many other Scots words, differs from its English counterpart by the loss of 'v' (doo and dove, give and gie, etc.). For some Scots speakers, this gives two words for the price of one; an informant (1955) told us, 'Here in Crieff "hairst" is used for the grain harvest. "Hervest" is used for fruit harvest. People say "you have a grand apple hervest this year".' Do you make this distinction yourself or know of anyone who does? If so, we would very much like to hear from you.

Unlike 1557, recorded in the Black Book of Taymouth as a 'deyr, ewil hayrst' (a dire evil harvest), it's been a good year for the hairst so far. There is something about seeing cut fields that makes one feel that the year has passed its zenith and nostalgia creeps in. Not that one would want to swap combines for reapers and binders and see stooks standing in pools of water with stack yard not half full and the days described by G. P. Dunbar in A guff o Peat Reek (1920): 'When first I teen the wide hairst rig wi' ither sturdy men, The scythe wis a' the gear we hed, an' hard wrocht oors we'd spen'.'

Hairst is rich in associations, some culinary like hairst broth, hairst baps and hairst scones. Some are cultural, like takkin clyack, or cutting the last sheaf of corn, often by the youngest person on the farm. The clyack was dressed to represent a maiden, or decorated with ribbons and carried home in triumph. On Christmas Eve it was given to the oldest or the best animal on the farm, or to a mare in foal.

And, as H. Ainslie in A Pilgrimage to the Land of Burns (1892) asks, 'Are there touslins on the hairst rig?' when the days work was done? Well, we all know what Burns got up to 'amang the riggs wi Annie.'

The Scots column is written by Christine Robinson. You can contact her with any questions.