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?

I have often seen it [b]outwith[/b] this thread

I thought those tags would make it bold.

I’m English and use it a lot, as does my Northern Irish partner. We both live in scotland but are convinced we used it before we moved here!

It’s a Scottish word that replaces the original meaning of without... (the green hill isn’t missing city walls, it’s outside them, ie outside the city)

At some point without changed to its modern usages and Scots (language) replaced it.

It did the same when you changed from a plural to a singular - which is why people say yous.

Basically Scots developed extra words that were useful when modern English dropped them.

I might have had several linguistic lectures on those very words, lol

I use outwith. It is a real word.

I've heard it, but only from Scottish people. I like it! A previous poster is right though, there's really no need for the 'of' after 'outside' - it doesn't add anything to the meaning. 'Email me outside working hours' means the same as 'Email me outside of working hours', but the former sounds better imo.

No! Outwith sounds much better. The “outside of” sounds much less fluent and is pretty clunky. Have never used it.

Sorry! Misread. Ignore my previous post.

Where do we stand on “Amn’t I?”

I still use "amn't I" - part of my heritage that, after 4 decades in England, I still haven't shed! I think it's a brilliant contraction, and far more grammatically correct than "aren't I".

Someone I knew worked for Hansard and had to have a vocabulary lesson when on a secondment to Holyrood. Outwith is pretty standard so w s covered but stushie confused her when used in the Chamber. 😁

I use it but English people don’t

don't like "amn't I?".. Just sounds plain wrong, and I don't like "youse" either.
But give me a dreich, or a shoogly, or a glaekit and I'm right on it!!

Outwith is normal in Scotland and a very good word.

I use 'Amn't I' all the time. 'Aren't I' makes me cringe.

Amn't I is way less wrong than aren't I!

In York, they say 'I aren't' !

I always wondered if outwith comes from a reversal of without? as in within/without.. the boundary?

I looked up ask vs aks once and read that 'aks' is how it used to be said in Old Enlgish before a reversal took place (which has a technical name that I forget), and that the pronunciation was preserved in places outwith England such as Jamaica but now sounds wrong to our modern ears. I think this is a true fact.

I might google it again to check. Love this stuff :)

I used it in a job interview. They thought it was a made up word and commented on the need to use standard English.

It is standard to me, and half my family. It’s a great word.

I'm from Northern Ireland but in Scotland for nearly 20 years, I remember doing a double take years ago at a sign in a primary school saying 'please do not uplift pupils from this car park outwith school hours' but now it makes perfect sense

I’ve never heard this word before this thread. It’s not used in the part of the UK I’m from and I’ve also spent 20 years in Ireland and never heard it there.

Never heard it before

I use it professionally, never in general conversation.

Amn't I, aren't you, isn't she. Makes much more sense grammatically.

Sorry I'm in London for context!

Amn't I. Yes!

Outwith. without doubt!

Hereamuh. sometimes!

People don't use 'timeous'? Well, blow me down. I thought it was standard use.