Talk:Teuchter

Etymology

The etymology suggested looks very doubtful. I can't find it by googling - mind you I can't find any alternative explanation. Exile 14:21, 7 Oct 2004 (UTC)

Agreed. In my experience it's used to refer disparagingly to anyone from the countryside -- not just Highlanders. -- Derek Ross | Talk 03:55, 2004 Oct 17 (UTC)

Well, I was told this origin by Professor Ruaraidh MacThomhais, head of Celtic at Glasgow University, no less. He seemed to think it was plausible. I've added another origin (Scots teuch). I don't think google not finding it proves anything, and the SND is unclear.

I have to say I've never heard anyone other than a Highlander called a teuchter, but I've never stayed in Arbroath :-;. Eoghan 00:30, 19 Oct 2004 (UTC)

I was always under the impressions that it quite simply meant 'islander' i.e. someone of from an island. Although used (incorrectly, but commonly) to mean pretty much all of the above definitions. 86.13.131.85 (talk) 18:51, 27 December 2009 (UTC)

People in Arbroath will generally refer to inhabitants of Forfar and Strathmore as teuchters but it's more widespread than that. I am fairly sure that Dundonians think of Fifers as teuchters, although I may be wrong. However I grew up in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and often heard the term used by Aberdonians referring to people from the farmland around the city, particularly in the areas around Ellon or Turriff, so I know for sure what Aberdonians mean by the term. The only place where I saw reference to Highland teuchters as opposed to the other teuchters that I knew about, was in the Angus Og strip which I occasionally read, so I would guess that the identification of teuchters with Highlanders is a Glasgow thing and related to Glasgow's northern rural hinterland being the South-western Highlands. -- Derek Ross | Talk 14:20, 2004 Oct 22 (UTC)

I severely doubt the dancing theory. People say "Heuch!" (more frequently, "Heeeeuch!"), not "Teuch!". I know because I use this myself :-) being from Skye but mostly growing up in Aberdeenshire. However, I've heard people refer to traditional Scottish fiddle and accordian music as "heuchter teuchter" music. Whether "teuchter" came about as rhyming slang based on "heuchter" (from "heuch"), I do not know, as it could equally just be that "heuch" was changed to "heuchter" in this saying to make it rhyme with "teuchter". Incidentally, I sometimes wonder if there is any connection between the Scottish "heuch" and the American "he-haw", particularly with Bluegrass and Country being descended from Celtic music. 209.130.177.141 (talk) 19:05, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Racist?

There was recently a letter in the Sunday Herald complaining about the use of the word by their diarist. I've never considered the word so, and I come from Plockton... Was there any basis to that claim, or was that guy just insane? Maccoinnich 23:30, Dec 20, 2004 (UTC)

Must be insanity. It's a rural/urban difference rather than a racist difference. Teuchters are generally indistinguishable from toonies until they start speaking. In Aberdeen even that may not be enough for an outsider to tell the difference. -- Derek Ross | Talk 22:37, 2005 Jan 28 (UTC)

Other/Wrong Spelling(s)

I've added a redirect page to here from Choochter (Redirect Page Choochter). I'm not sure if "Choochter" is a mispelling or alternative spelling, but for now I've redirected here as if "Teuchter" is the (only) correct spelling -- Kinger 17:50, 20 January 2007 (UTC)

Source?

This article seems highly POV in my opinion. There is not one source referred to in the ENTIRE article! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 2009 92.16.18.6 (talk • contribs) 04:18, 6 January

Pronunciation incorrect?

I think the pronunciation of /ˈtʃuːxtər/ should actually be /ˈtjuːxtər/. My reasoning:

1. The source given for the pronunciation is not a dictionary.
2. The entries on onelook.com for "teuchter" other than Wikipedia give /tj-/ rather than /tʃ-/ (I was not able to access Encarta to check their pronunciation).
3. The /tʃ-/ pronunciation is probably a result of yod-coalescence, which means it may be non-standard.

The pronunciation needs to be checked in a reputable dictionary such as the OED.

— Paul G (talk) 10:10, 10 May 2010 (UTC)

I've checked this in the OED (second edition), and it gives both pronunciations, although the /u/ is not lengthened. I'll make changes. — Paul G (talk) 09:10, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

Welsh

There is a Welsh word with a similar meaning but I can't remember how it is spelt. Does anyone know so it can be added to Wikipedia. jmb (talk) 18:35, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

Wider meaning

As previous comments in this talk page have mentioned, in north east Scotland "teuchter" refers to people who are from the countryside as opposed to from the town that the user of the term is from. E.g. Aberdonians talking about those from the shire, Arbroath folk talking about Forfarians, Forfarians talking about folk from the villages. My own father, not a Highlander, was called a teuchter often in his childhood for being from a north east village! I think it would be worth mentioning this in the article, if someone is willing to compile sources for it. Dictionary of the Scots language lists "country bumpkin" as an alternate definition to "Highlander", for instance. SaoiDunNeachdain (talk) 23:16, 1 December 2023 (UTC)