Glasgow Patter: daily life
claim To claim a person is to accost him in one of various ways. It can mean to greet someone in a friendly manner: "I thought I wasn't going to know anybody at the party but Sheila claimed me as soon as I went to the door." It can involve a little less friendliness: "Here's Joey comin. Ah'm gauny claim him for that tenner he owes me." It can also be downright hostile, indeed a challenge to a fight: "Hey bawheid! You're claimed!" © Michael Munro	Words in The Patter are not all related to aspects of life specific to Glasgow or particularly relevant to local habits - there is no shortage of local terms for everyday things or activities that are universal.

Glasgow Patter: daily life

claim: To claim a person is to accost him in one of various ways. It can mean to greet someone in a friendly manner: "I thought I wasn't going to know anybody at the party but Sheila claimed me as soon as I went to the door." It can involve a little less friendliness: "Here's Joey comin. Ah'm gauny claim him for that tenner he owes me."
It can also be downright hostile, indeed a challenge to a fight: "Hey bawheid! You're claimed!"

Words in The Patter are not all related to aspects of life specific to Glasgow or particularly relevant to local habits - there is no shortage of local terms for everyday things or activities that are universal.

return to The Patter's introduction
other words