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Anyone familiar with Belfast dialect...

30 replies

Moddingcrowd · 24/10/2026 19:54

What does "well-got" mean? As in, "he was well-got in both Catholic and Protestant areas of the city"? From the context, I'm guessing it means well-respected, well-regarded, but I've never heard it before.

Thanks.

OP posts:
Mildmanneredonoccasion · 26/10/2026 00:17

Anarchy99 · 25/10/2026 22:39

Mystery solved with the help of a quick google…

In Irish and Hiberno-Scottish English, well-got (or well got) traditionally means coming from a respectable family, background, or social standing (often used negatively as "not well-got" to mean from a poor, rough, or unrespectable background).

Yes, that would be my understanding of well-got, though I don’t ever recall hearing the expression not well-got.

B9waiting · 26/10/2026 00:25

I’m from Belfast & never heard of any of these phrases!!

gullgal · 26/10/2026 04:00

Mildmanneredonoccasion · 26/10/2026 00:17

Yes, that would be my understanding of well-got, though I don’t ever recall hearing the expression not well-got.

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That's what I would think too

BrickMaker · Yesterday 05:52

I always thought well-got meant of good background 'a well got lad' type of thing also can mean well thought of, liked etc.

gullgal · Yesterday 21:10

Moddingcrowd · 24/10/2026 19:54

What does "well-got" mean? As in, "he was well-got in both Catholic and Protestant areas of the city"? From the context, I'm guessing it means well-respected, well-regarded, but I've never heard it before.

Thanks.

Thinking more about this, and I'm not from Northern Ireland, but as I think 'well got' means from a good or respected background, I find it hard to imagine being well got in both Catholic and Protestant communities. Surely you can only be 'well got' in one of these?

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