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New words- Times crossword

(16 Posts)
nanna8 Sun 19-Jan-25 03:35:20

I’d never heard of ‘Scran’ for food and came across it in today’s quick crossword. I have come to the conclusion we have many different words here! I have come across several unfamiliar words and phrases that belong to the UK. Same with the American word games- they seem to keep quite a few very,very old English words I remember from studying Shakespeare. Fascinating. I have lived here in Australia most of my life so I am sure I just take a lot of our words for granted,too. What I love about the UK are the many different accents and words for the same thing - very diverse.

notnecessarilywiser Sun 19-Jan-25 08:43:20

I remember my father (b1923) using it occasionally, but seldom hear it used these days, so I think it's an old word on its way out rather than a new one!

YorkLady Sun 19-Jan-25 08:46:46

I think it must be quite common in Liverpool. I can remember Paul O’Grady using it a lot.

nanna8 Sun 19-Jan-25 09:12:37

Thanks for that- I did wonder where it came from. Thought it might have been Scottish.

Witzend Sun 19-Jan-25 09:25:35

I don’t think I’ve ever heard it spoken (scran) but I think I’ve read it in a novel - I have a feeling it’s Scottish, so maybe it was an Ian Rankin?

J52 Sun 19-Jan-25 09:27:42

It is Scottish spelt Skran for food, but the use of the ‘c’ is more common . It probably travelled around the port cities as sailors used it.
Around Scotland there are restaurants with Sc(k)ran in their titles.
A recent one I know of is called Swally ‘n Scran. Swally means an alcoholic drink.

Grannynannywanny Sun 19-Jan-25 09:43:53

I was in Cumbria recently and noticed a cafe named Scran .

Jaxjacky Sun 19-Jan-25 10:23:52

Our friend uses it, he’s from Coventry.

ViceVersa Sun 19-Jan-25 10:28:44

Scran is quite commonly used for food around this part of Scotland. At one end of the scale, well-known chef Tom Kitchin had a restaurant in Edinburgh called the Scran and Scallie, while at the other end of the scale, near to us, there is a food van called the Scran Van.

MrsQuigley Sun 19-Jan-25 10:33:06

First came across the word scran when in the WRENS in the very early 70s. In common usage there meaning food, also as in scran bag, a scruffy or untidy person.

Parsley3 Sun 19-Jan-25 10:33:12

There are two restaurants near me in central Scotland called Scran and one is at the University. It is an old word for food but I rarely hear it spoken.

JackyB Sun 19-Jan-25 10:48:44

I play "C!assic Words" on line, which was recommended here on GN. The "droid" has recently started using almost exclusively words I've never heard. There must be an old dictionary which has gone online which these games are finding to include in their puzzles. (Although I realise that the Times crossword is devised by a real human being)

Allira Sun 19-Jan-25 11:28:30

Typed a post then Aw Snap!

A scran bag is a Naval term (RN and RAN). If items eg clothing are left lying around in the Mess then they are collected and put in the scran bag and the owner has to pay a fine to get the item back again.

Allira Sun 19-Jan-25 11:31:03

Scran is also RN term for food, so I've just been informed by he who knows!
As he wandered off with some scran ( coffee and a piece of Christmas cake)

nanna8 Sun 19-Jan-25 11:33:36

Ohh - stop it Allira- you just made me go and get a piece of Christmas cake by power of suggestion 😀😀

Allira Sun 19-Jan-25 11:36:22

nanna8

Ohh - stop it Allira- you just made me go and get a piece of Christmas cake by power of suggestion 😀😀

😁

He has now shown me a book called called Jack Speak to prove the points. This could go on for some time, it's quite a thick book.