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Basic Scottish Terminology Trivia Quiz

To understand the Scots, one has to know a few 'Scotticisms' - terms used in Scotland and less frequently used in the other parts of the U.K. Check your Scottish proficiency.

A multiple-choice quiz by flem-ish. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
flem-ish

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
72,686

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1257

Last 3 plays: Guest 90 (9/10), MargW (7/10), Guest 96 (4/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What is a tea-jenny? Hint

a teashop

a teacup

a tea-pot

someone who drinks a lot of tea

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Question 2 of 10

2. What do Scots mean by a dominie? Hint

a schoolmaster

the landlord of a pub

a protestant minister

a feudal overlord

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Question 3 of 10

3. What are clans subdivided into? Hint

shenachies

skerries

shinties

septs

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Question 4 of 10

4. What is meant by "Cullen skink" in Scottish cookery? Hint

it refers to a kind of fish-soup

it means smoked haddock

it's Scottish for skunk

it refers to a type of soup made with shin of beef

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Question 5 of 10

5. The Beltane is an old Celtic fire festival. On which day of the year is it celebrated? Hint

1st or 3d of May

31st of December and 1st of January

2nd or 4th of February

Last of July and first of August

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Question 6 of 10

6. What are Munro-baggers? Hint

backpackers

it's a nickname for New Zealanders

airplane tourists

mountain-climbers

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of these names is the only one that implies a reference to Scotland and(or) the Highlands? Hint

Albion

Alba

Cymru

Hibernia

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which of these is the Scottish term for a round flat unsweetened cake made from oats and barley? Hint

bairn

brae

beltie

bannock

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Question 9 of 10

9. What does the name Auld Reekie refer to? Hint

a famous cigar-factory near Perth

Ben Nevis with its foggy head

nickname for Edinburgh

Aberdeen and its many smoked salmon factories

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Question 10 of 10

10. Who or what is Atholl Brose? Hint

famous nineteenth century Scottish politician

a mythic King of Scotland

a famous pudding or drink made with whisky and honey

a famous brand of Speyside whisky

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Most Recent Scores

May 12 2025 : Guest 90: 9/10
Apr 17 2025 : MargW: 7/10
Mar 31 2025 : Guest 96: 4/10
Mar 31 2025 : Guest 64: 2/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is a tea-jenny?

Answer: someone who drinks a lot of tea

Refers to tea-drinkers of either sex.

2. What do Scots mean by a dominie?

Answer: a schoolmaster

In Dutch dominee (from Latin dominus or Sir) is a protestant minister. In Scotland 'dominie' traditionally referred to another person of some importance: the schoolmaster whom you also address with 'Yes, sir' 'No, sir'.

3. What are clans subdivided into?

Answer: septs

Skerries are small rocky islands. Shinty is a game played between two opposing teams of twelve players. It has some common traits with hockey in that you don't 'kick, catch or throw the ball', but hit it with a stick called the 'caman'. Shenachies were those employed by the clan chiefs to record the history of the clan. Now the word refers to anyone with an extensive knowledge of Gaelic history and folktales.

4. What is meant by "Cullen skink" in Scottish cookery?

Answer: it refers to a kind of fish-soup

The soup is made from smoked haddock, potatoes, onion and milk. In this context the name skink means "watery soup" or "essence". Cullen is a fishing-village on the shores of the Moray Firth.
Skink is normally the Scottish word for shin of beef, related to "shank" and to Dutch "schenkel". In this context no such "skink" is used.

5. The Beltane is an old Celtic fire festival. On which day of the year is it celebrated?

Answer: 1st or 3d of May

31st of December is Hogmanay, the Scottish name for New Year's Eve. Lammas, one of the Scottish quarter- or termdays is celebrated on the 1st of August. Candlemas, another of the four quarterdays, is on 2nd of February. The other quarter-days are Whitsunday and Martinmas (11th of November). Note: these quarterdays are not specifically Scottish.

6. What are Munro-baggers?

Answer: mountain-climbers

Munro-baggers try to climb peaks of minimum 3000 feet. Corbett-baggers attack peaks of 2500-3000 feet. A Donald is a peak of minimum 2000 metres maximum 2500.

7. Which of these names is the only one that implies a reference to Scotland and(or) the Highlands?

Answer: Alba

Hibernia refers to Ireland. Cymru is Welsh for Wales, the Welsh being the Cymry. Albion is another name for England as seen from across the sea by Continentals : the island with the white cliffs of Dover. Alba is the Gaelic name for Scotland. Some Scottish motorists have Alba on their nationality-plates. Caledonia is a poetic name for Scotland or the Highlands but actually derives from the name given by the Romans to all of Northern Britain. Hibernian FC is the name of a football club in Scotland.

Their address is Easter Road, Edinburgh.

8. Which of these is the Scottish term for a round flat unsweetened cake made from oats and barley?

Answer: bannock

Bairn is Scottish for a child (cp.to bear, birth, born etc.) A beltie refers to the 'belted Galloway cattle'. A beltie is black at the front and rear, but has a white band around its middle. Brae = hill or hillside.

9. What does the name Auld Reekie refer to?

Answer: nickname for Edinburgh

Perth may be famous for its Lady of Perth, but not for its cigars. Aberdeen, the Granite City may smell of fish and North Sea oil, but is not called Auld Reekie. A famous 'Smokie' is Arbroath smokie which is smoked haddock. There is also the finnan haddie, also a smoked haddock.

Another famous 'auld' phrase is the Auld Alliance, which refers to Scotland and France teaming up vs. England - until the rise of protestantism changed the political chess game.

10. Who or what is Atholl Brose?

Answer: a famous pudding or drink made with whisky and honey

The other ingredients are oatmeal and water.

Source: Author flem-ish

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