More: Just as rammy is an unheard of word on this side of the pond (USA), rambunctious is a very common word to describe unruly, loud and noisy people, particularly children. I have no recollection of questioning the word or its use when I first came to the the USA. I just 'knew' what was meant within the context of what was being said. America seems to have retained some older words and phrases that are no longer used elsewhere, as well as lots and lots of made up ones as language continues to be fluid. (How I loathe tech words such as 'message me,' instead of 'send me a message'!) https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rambunctious (Informal - chiefly Canada and USA) Maisie -----Original Message----- From: Anne Burgess via Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 11:59 PM To: lanark@rootsweb.com ; Ken Mathieson Subject: Re: [Lanark] LANARK Digest, Vol 10, Issue 187 Just an afterthought - I would stick my neck out and say that 'rambunctious' is not in common usage in Scotland. Further, I have rarely heard it or read it and it's not a word I would ever use. Anne -------------------------------------------- On Sun, 29/11/15, Ken Mathieson via <lanark@rootsweb.com> wrote: Subject: Re: [Lanark] LANARK Digest, Vol 10, Issue 187 To: lanark@rootsweb.com Date: Sunday, 29 November, 2015, 17:21 Hi All, The Concise Scots Dictionary gives 'rammy' as being a 20th century word perhaps derived from 'rammle' and meaning 'scuffle, free-for-all, violent disturbance'. For 'rammle' it gives a primary meaning (verb) of 'to ramble' or 'wander aimlessly, esp under the influence of drink' and as a secondary meaning (noun) in South and Northeast Scotland from the 18th century onwards meaning 'noisy or riotous behaviour' or specifically 'a noisy drinking bout'. That confirms Anne's definition from the OED, with the added geographical spread across much of Scots-speaking (as distinct from Gaelic-speaking) Scotland, so it's more likely to have derived from earlier Teutonic sources than frm Gaelic. So, while 'rammy' is widely used in Glasgow and beyond, it isn't purely Glasgow vernacular. Ken On 29/11/2015 16:33, Anne Burgess via wrote: >> I note that "rammy" is considered Scots Gaelic. My >> (Irish and German) inlaws used that word a lot to describe >> kids' behavior, and I always assumed it was from >> "rambunctious". > According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the Scots word 'rammy', meaning 'A brawl, a fight, esp. between gangs; a quarrel; a scrimmage', was first recorded in 1935, and is thought to come from 'rammle', also Scots, meaning ' instance of riotous or disorderly behaviour', which is a variant of 'ramble'. This in turn is related to a mediaeval Germanic word. Nothing to do with Gaelic. > > 'Rambunctious' is of colloquial American origin, first recorded in 1830, believe it or not, a variant of rumbustious. No connection with 'rammy' as far as the OED is concerned, and who am I to argue with the experts? > > Anne > > > > >