I See Scotland

I See Scotland
Originally uploaded by ganchingabz

When I was a child I would sometimes hear older girls say to each other, 'I see Scotland'. A girl thus addressed would usually shriek or blush and start tugging at her skirt. Eventually my mother explained to me what it meant.

I first came across "See You Next Tuesday" in a book and spent ages figuring it out. I guess in text language it would be easier -
C U nxt Tsdy.

The first time I heard 'Arsenal are playing at home' I understood immediately what was being referred to as I should have done living within a stone's throw of Highbury .

The use of euphemisms change as certain topics become less or more taboo. It is quite fun sometimes to watch people tie themselves into knots as they try to avoid using certain words.

"He's the tall boy, you know, the one one with black hair, brown eyes, you know, wearing a green shirt......" when the person they are describing is is the only black person in the room.

I don't know what euphemisms teenage girls use today but I'm sure if someone is accidentally showing their knicker there's no mention of Scotland......Brazil maybe, but definitely not Scotland.

Comments

[molly]

When I was growing up we had a chant that went "I see Paris I see France I see so-and-so's underpants!"

[ganching]

Yes I remember that as well. There was also something my father said which went something like this:

Julius Ceasar did a breezer
On the coast of France.
Napoleon tried to do the same
And did it in his pants!

[fifi]

I thought it was I see London, I see France....

The Australian version of the above:

Captain Cook
Chased a chook
All around Australia,
Did a dance
Wet his pants
and landed in Tasmania.

("map of Tassie" being the euphemism for what one might see sans knickers. Worse than seeing scotland really)

[Luton Diesel]

I actually did see Scotland the other day. From the Giants' Causeway (or is it Giant's?).

[ganching]

I think the locals refer to it as "The Giants Causeway". Are you sure it wasn't Rathlin Island you were looking at?