The word ‘outwith’

[HBStowe]

Trying to settle an argument with a colleague. He’s English and works in England, I’m Scottish and work in Scotland (in case it’s relevant).

So... do you use / regularly come across the word ‘outwith’? I.e. ‘If you are trying to email me outwith opening hours please use my personal address’.

My colleague says it’s not a real word. I say it definitely is and I encounter it all the time. Is this a thing? Is it a proper word? I notice it’s underlined in red on my phone which doesn’t bode well, but I am absolutely certain I’ve seen this word in use before in other places.

What’s the verdict MN?

Spunions is too much like bunions for me.

When did they start using salad onions?

When they could charge more ?

"Not a word. Sorry"

It is most definitely a word, @DarlingCoffee

dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/outwith

www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/outwith

en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/outwith

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outwith

www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/outwith

etc., etc., etc., ...

Common in Scotland.

I knew from the title you were Scottish! I've heard it loads but never from anyone raised outside Scotland.

We use outwith in Canada too but there are a LOT of people of Scottish descent here (especially east coast).

I'm glad to say that the spring onions I bought yesterday have a label saying 'spring onions' on them. I've never seen them called 'salad onions'.

I'm familiar with 'outwith', but don't use it myself. 'Minded' is very commonly used by civil servants and definitely predates John Major.

I’m northern Irish. had never heard “outwith” before I met my Scottish husband. Definitely a Scottish thing.

It is in the Oxford dictionary - and has English origin

I use it all the time! Never even realized it was contentious!

another word which confuses the English is "squint" meaning not straight ("you've hung that picture all squint"), I get lots of puzzled looks when I use it.

I use it in legal letters a lot. I'm a solicitor (not a Scottish one either)

Squint - as in the squinty bridge?

Outwith doesn't just mean "outside" though, you wouldn't say "I've been outwith today as it's been a lovely afternoon". It's more beyond the boundaries of, or beyond the scope of. It's definitely a very useful word.

It's not dialect either. Or "Scots", which I don't believe even exists in one cohesive form. Words we use in Glasgow don't exist in Edinburgh, and although everyone in Shetland knows what a "peerie lassie" is, it's not something anyone here would say. Outwith appears to have been used at one stage all over the UK and for whatever reason, is now confined to Scotland. Shame, because it's very useful!

This thread is a lesson a minute - who knew ‘squint’ was Scottish!

Squint is an English word, isn't it???

I wouldn't know, I'm English born and bred but grew up speaking Cumbrian, which has had some influence from Scots. It was a nasty shock when I moved.

If we're talking squint ought we to mention oh I dunno, bunker. Or doily?

Another word that I don't think was much heard in everyday conversation until it started to be bandied about by - iirc - Tony Blair is 'resile'. As in 'abandon a position or course of action'.

Then suddenly every politician started chucking it into their public utterances.

I’ve only heard ‘resile’ in the context of conveyancing, eg ‘resile from the missives’.

Then suddenly every politician started chucking it into their public utterances.

A bit like "conflate" in MN posts.

Squint definitely does exist in England but probably only in the context of your eyes - "Jane has a squint". English relatives would say "that picture is crooked" rather than squint. Sounds extremely odd to me.

However, I find it very twee and silly that they talk about "fizzy pop". No, it's fizzy juice.

Bunker is a great word. As is the lobby (which has the same use in parliament but doesn't seem to get used domestically).

Another of fashioned one is talking about the belt, the strap or the tawse.

I have one friend who uses it. She lived in Scotland for many years though, so must have picked it up there

Interestingly i received a draft proposal today from HQ (military) in London which talked about sonething being outwith the scope.. ..

I use it fairly regularly in the context of 'it is outwith legislation or policy'. i.e. in a semi-legal capacity. I also see it used in this way by colleagues, so not just me. Never seen it used in any other way.

In Ireland.

I use outwith all the time and only found out recently that non-Scots did not know what it meant when my boss told me.