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?

From the OP
If you are trying to email me outwith opening hours please use my personal address

See if I'd read this, I would have to go through a process to work out what it meant.

Trying to email somebody without opening hours?
Why wouldn't someone have opening hours?

Trying to email me out, with opening hours?
Can't people find your opening hours on the website without emailing you personally?

Oh, outwith must mean outside of... Oops Not a word I usually come across.
Am a Londoner.

I used it once in an essay and got the comment that it sounded archaic. I'm in England though.

That's weird. I'd definitely use outwith, normally in a work context too.

Also in Scotland.

If it wasn’t a word, we’d need to invent it.

It's a perfectly lovely word but only ever heard used by the Scots.

Yep, proper Scottish word. There are lots of Scottish words, not used elsewhere. Particularly in property & legal documents.

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

This is also news to me.

Of course outwith is a word.

So is sassenach.

My aunt, who died in her 90's 20 years ago, used it regularly.

An english language graduate, born and bred in Barnsley, Yorkshire.
(She was what was then known as a blue stocking LOL)

It’s a word I use quite regularly at work. I am neither Scottish nor resident in Scotland.

I'm Scottish and 'outwith' is a word in my everyday vocabulary.

As it timeous.

Anyone who says otherwise is wrong.

😂

I would like to refer you to a thread I started about oftentimes.

I think sometimes people avoid using plain English in order to pomp themselves up.

In SE England and not Scottish. Use outwith fairly regularly.

I've only ever seen it used on here. I like it though. I'm in Ireland and I've never heard it here.

Oh, and I've only seen timeous used by people from South Africa (in a work context).

I think sometimes people avoid using plain English in order to pomp themselves up.

In this case seems like it’s good plain Scottish!

It’s a useful word. I think we should try and persuade our southern cousins to adopt it.

I’m Scottish and use this word all the time

English barrister here. Great word. I don't use it often but this thread has reminded me to use it more!

As it timeous

I use timeous too 😂

Elsie it is a perfectly ordinary word in every day use in Scotland. Nothing to do with pomping yourself up.

It never occurred to me that this was an unusual word. I live in London, but wrk a lot with Scottish companies. I’ll pay more attention to if it’s only Scottish people I hear it from now!

It had never occurred to me that outwith wasn't used much by the English, sadly English DH isn't here to check this with.
I use it in a work context, such as "this is outwith my area of expertise".
I am Scottish but have only worked in England.

Another English barrister here. It's the sort of word I'm more likely to hear in court than anywhere else. In England anyway.

Didn't know until this thread that it's more of an everyday word in Scotland.

My company merged with a big Scottish company several years ago and that was the first time I heard outwith. Almost exclusively used by Scottish people in my experience. First time someone said it on a conference call, everyone in the room I was in was looking at each other in confusion as none of us had heard it. I expect the Scottish end of the call we're confused as to why we were confused.

My brother is in the military and says he finds it reasonably widely used at work. Then again he does work a bit with lawyers, so maybe that accounts for it.

“I think sometimes people avoid using plain English in order to pomp themselves up.”

So... Scots is fancier than English?