SUSAN TIPPETT BRAITHWAITE

Today’s word is stramash, and it’s a beauty! Stramash uproar, commotion; crash, accident, argument, rage, fury, shatter (and so many more words, if you’d like to check them out yourself, head on over to https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/stramash.

A Wee Explainer Before Diving In

When translating Scots into English, I’ve found—especially in this piece—that one word in Scots equals a string of two or more words in English to attain the same meaning. 

Here’s a couple of examples of what I mean (note that these words have way more meanings than I share here, the definitions below relate to how I’ve used them in the text below):

Hap(pit) means to cover over in order to conceal.

Clap(t) means to pet/caress affectionately. He clapit her shouder means he affectionately caressed her shoulder.

Diving In

Here’s my response to today’s prompt (another wee snippet taken from Running The Asset):

Dekker happit Rosa wae the duvet. Aw Elle cuid think wis thit Rosa wuidnae be caul onymair. But for the fit powkin oot.

“A need tae ca iss in.” Dekker clapt Elle’s shouders, than birled hir awa fae the bouk. “Cruik yer hochs in the living room, ye dinnae need tae be seein hir lik is.”

Elle hoverit. Puir Rosa. Will she no git affa caul wae hir fit powkin oot fae unner the duvet? She dooblet back an coort Rosa’s fit.

Dekker wis in the door-cheek, speakin oan the phone, waukin Elle lik she wis gonnae stramash it ony mament. 

And now in English.

Dekker covered over Rosa with the duvet. All Elle could think was that Rosa wouldn’t be cold anymore. Except for the foot poking out.

“I need to call this in.” Dekker affectionately patted Elle’s shoulders, then turned her away from the body. “Sit down in the living room. You shouldn’t see her like this.”

Elle hesitated. Poor Rosa. Won’t she get cold with her foot poking out from under the duvet? She doubled back and covered Rosa’s foot.

Dekker was in the doorway, talking on the phone, keeping an eye on Elle like she was going to shatter at any moment.