Hello everybody,
Could somebody tell me what a "wee girl" is ? Is there such a thing as as "wee boy"? Is this scottish english?
Could somebody tell me what a "wee girl" is ? Is there such a thing as as "wee boy"? Is this scottish english?
wee girl
- Thread starter tamanoir
- Start date
foxfirebrand
Senior Member
Southern AE greatly modified by a 1st-generation Scottish-American mother, and growing up abroad.
"Wee" is indeed a staple of the Scots dialect or variant of BE. It means "sma."
I don't know about "wee boy," but "wee bairn" sounds comfortably plausible to my ear. Or perhaps "lad." And you might consider "lass' instead of "girl" while you're at it. Not hat "wee girl" is out of the question.
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I don't know about "wee boy," but "wee bairn" sounds comfortably plausible to my ear. Or perhaps "lad." And you might consider "lass' instead of "girl" while you're at it. Not hat "wee girl" is out of the question.
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Hello,
I think that in most contexts 'wee' connotes being 'very little,' but perhaps someone who speaks BE can provide a little more insight.
I think that in most contexts 'wee' connotes being 'very little,' but perhaps someone who speaks BE can provide a little more insight.
I speak American English, and use "wee", "lad", and "lass" frequently.
I say: wee lad/lass for really young children.
I say: lad/lass for non-toddlers and adolescents.
I say: laddie/lassie for the same reason I use "wee lad/lass" though not as often.
This is probably far different from the Scotish way.
"Wee girl" sounds very strange to me though.
Jon
I say: wee lad/lass for really young children.
I say: lad/lass for non-toddlers and adolescents.
I say: laddie/lassie for the same reason I use "wee lad/lass" though not as often.
This is probably far different from the Scotish way.
"Wee girl" sounds very strange to me though.
Jon
Thank you all.
This is where I picked up this "wee girl"
Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein President
Guardian
Saturday June 9, 2001
"There was an epidemic of dogs in Ballymurphy at that time, and many of the men bred lurchers. The lurchers were used for hunting, and they weren't really street dogs at all. Every other dog was. Canines of all shapes and sizes, all colours and pedigrees, they roamed the place at will, usually with a gang of small boys somewhere in tow. They weren't really considered to be pets. They were much too equal for that status. They were part of the family. In fact, every dog had its full title, by right, to the family name. So we had Rory Adams, Spot Grogan, Lassie Magee, Snowy Gillen, Randy O'Toole and so on. Once, my brother's wee girl came into the house in tears with her terrier in her arms; "Mammy," she sobbed, "isn't our Tiny called Tiny Adams?" "Yes," her mother replied. "Well, will you come out and tell these wee boys. They say she is Jack Russell."
This is where I picked up this "wee girl"
"
'Wee' = 'little' and is totally correct and appropriate for 'boy' and 'girl'. Used in Scottish and Irish dialects often, less so in England.
You may also here 'wee'un' which means 'little one' (child)
You may also here 'wee'un' which means 'little one' (child)
It is clear from the wider context we have now been given that we are talking about a variety of English spoken in Ireland, not in Scotland. Since Scotland has been mentioned, may I dare to mention that some speakers in the north of Ireland speak a language or dialect that resembles Scots, to the extent that this language or dialect is often called 'Ulster Scots'. Wikipedia has an article on it and its speakers. A fascinating subject, but one to be discussed with great care if one is to avoid causing offence!
Like FFB I was initially surprised to see "wee" without "bairn" or "laddy". However, I wonder if that is just my preconceptions. All three words are well known as regionalisms. However, I suppose there is no reason that if you use one you have to use the other, apart from in the preconceptions of people not from the region I suppose!
tamanoir said:
Clearly there is such a thing as a wee boy, because 'wee boys' is used in your text.
"Wee boy" and "Wee girl" are widely used. I was brought up in Corby, Northants (known as Little Scotland) and can hear Wee gerrul very clearly. Also, as has been said, wee lad/lassie. And wee'un (pronounced something like wain).