Noun | Regional (Northern England / Scotland)
Encyclopedia of British Slang
BAIRN
Noun | Neutral | Regional (Northern England / Scotland)
BAIRN Pronunciation: /be?n/ Part of Speech: Noun Severity Level: Neutral Category: Regional (Northern England / Scotland)
Definition
Bairn means child.
Primarily used in Scotland and Northern England.
Origins
Derived from Old English bearn, meaning offspring.
It survived regionally while disappearing from standard southern usage.
Cultural Role
Bairn signals regional identity strongly.
Using it outside those regions may sound theatrical.
Example Sentences
Shes got three bairns. Poor bairn.
Assessment
Regionally rooted. Warm and domestic.
Alan Nafzger was born in Lubbock, Texas, the son Swiss immigrants. He grew up on a dairy in Windthorst, north central Texas. He earned degrees from Midwestern State University (B.A. 1985) and Texas State University (M.A. 1987). University College Dublin (Ph.D. 1991). Dr. Nafzger has entertained and educated young people in Texas colleges for 37 years. Nafzger is best known for his dark novels and experimental screenwriting. His best know scripts to date are Lenin’s Body, produced in Russia by A-Media and Sea and Sky produced in The Philippines in the Tagalog language. In 1986, Nafzger wrote the iconic feminist western novel, Gina of Quitaque. Contact: editor@prat.uk
