To love the word outwith

[en0la]

I think it's a great word which is grossly underused outside its native Scotland.

In fact I could say I've gotten rather fond of it.

The gotten thread made me think of outwith. In my work we use that word a lot to customers and some people just don't get it. Im in Scotland.

Nothing like gotten! It's a very real word in Scotland and one that I would use in an academic essay. I use it in a different context to that in which I'd use 'outside'.

What does it mean?? Is it like "Put the bins outwith?"

I personally like the word "Greensward" which is very ancient and which my Nan from Essex (rural) always used in the 70s when I was a child walking up the lane with her. "Keep to the greensward"

Pronounced Grinsad...

Can we have examples of how to use "outwith" please?

It’s outwith my understanding what people say when they don’t know the word outwith!

I've only encountered the word on Mumsnet and am not a fan because it seems unnecessary to me.

My favourite Scottish words are wee and midden. I also like, 'poor wee scone' (but can't pull it off myself) and some of the Northern England/Scotland words- bairn, lass etc.

I use outwith a lot! I'm a Scot and had no idea that it's Scottish. Are we sure it's Scottish??
I love abroad and now people I know here have incorporated into their English.

Outwith is such a useful word! There really isn’t another English word that captures the same thing. I didn’t realise for ages that it was only really used in Scotland. I use it a lot, often in academic contexts. Have to be careful though - autocorrect always tries to change it to outwit.

I’m a fan! (Scottish though). I write a lot of reports and it’s a very useful rather than saying “is not in alignment with”. I guess “outside” is a proxy but not quite right and much less satisfying!

Their actions were outwith the terms of the contact.

@Lockdownennui

Outwith is such a useful word! There really isn’t another English word that captures the same thing. I didn’t realise for ages that it was only really used in Scotland. I use it a lot, often in academic contexts. Have to be careful though - autocorrect always tries to change it to outwit.

Isn't there?

It’s outwith my understanding what people say when they don’t know the word outwith!

Could begin, 'It's outside my understanding...,' 'It's beyond my understanding...' or even, 'I don't understand...'

I love outwith, didn’t realise it was a Scottish word (I’m not Scottish). I don’t use it nearly enough.
I assumed gotten was an Americanism.

I’m a lawyer in England. It’s used a bit in court - comes and goes in popularity. Sometimes it is the perfect word when dealing with legal submissions with judge/expert witness type examinations. Used far less in jury scenarios. Not sure I’ve ever heard it in front of a jury. Certainly I’ve never used it outwith a legal submission. Actually think I’ve mostly used it in Court of Appeal - deep legal arguments.

Could begin, 'It's outside my understanding...,' 'It's beyond my understanding...' or even, 'I don't understand...'
It’s not beyond though, it’s outwith

Interesting that it also has a contextual use in English.

@WineInTheWillows
aren't so many words unnecessary?
What about brilliant, amazing, wonderful. fabulous, great?
But isn't that one of the things that makes English such a subtle and flexible language.?

Are synonyms generally objectionable? Or only synonyms used in Scotland (And the English legal system) ?

@Veterinari So I'm now anti-Scottish because I don't particularly enjoy one of the words used in that country?

Synonyms are used for a number of reasons. There are shades of meaning, but also they're used to avoid repetition of the same adjective, e.g. 'The park was amazing and I had an amazing time on the amazingly tall slide.'

I live in West Coast Scotland and its a normal, everyday word to use here.

@FortunesFave

What does it mean?? Is it like "Put the bins outwith?"

I personally like the word "Greensward" which is very ancient and which my Nan from Essex (rural) always used in the 70s when I was a child walking up the lane with her. "Keep to the greensward"

Pronounced Grinsad...

There's a wonderful little book by Robert McParland on words which are disappearing from our everyday language simply due to societal change, many of them related to nature and the countryside. I think greensward might be one of them. When I listened to it on Audible I realised how many of them I'd not heard since my grandparents used them, all long gone this last 30 years.

The Lost Words by Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris, who illustrated it? That is a great book.

I find ‘outwith’ a bit pompous, I’m afraid. Maybe because I’m in England and only hear it in pompous contexts.

Oh it’s a lovely word, I use it all the time. I was so surprised when I learned it’s not common in England. You ought to adopt it!

@Iamthewombat

The Lost Words by Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris, who illustrated it? That is a great book.

I find ‘outwith’ a bit pompous, I’m afraid. Maybe because I’m in England and only hear it in pompous contexts.

McFarlane! That's him! I knew there was "lost" in the title somewhere, but couldn't remember. It was such a soothing listen on Audible.

I use it regularly, had no idea it wasn't universally used!

@FortunesFave

Can we have examples of how to use "outwith" please?

It’s ‘not within’. I think. So outwith the scope of this project etc.

I agree OP. Outwith is a great word. I'm married to a Scot & lived in Scotland for a while so probably picked it up from one or the other. I use it regularly.
We also use 'snib' in our house and thats another Scottish word I really like.

@FortunesFave

Can we have examples of how to use "outwith" please?

Our work answer phone message for an example. Please call xxxx outwith our normal hours.