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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 1998-03 > 0890705752


From: George Ellis <>
Subject: Re: Scotch-Irish-D Digest V98 #283
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 12:15:52 +1000


RE: lang mae yer lum reek

It's an old Scots saying or blessing.

lums in Scotland are chimneys. Although since the 60's with the
concern regarding smog (smoke induced fog) which was causing great
damage to British health, the government brought in smokeless zones
and cleaned up the air pollution. Hence the saying is a bit dated to
those not old enough to remember the context of its meaning.

Now out of lums came smoke (reek), that is, if you were 'wealthy'
enough to have the fuel to get the smoke. Which in turn meant that you
had heat to cook and warm the body, the makings of a healthy
environment.

So the saying; lang[long] mae[may] yer[your] lum [chimney] reek
[smoke] simply translated means;

Long may you have good health.

Read Frank McCourt's very poignant and heartrending book 'Angela's
Ashes', set in Ireland pre-depression days to see what I mean about
the context.

In Australian terms it would equate with always having sunshine to do
the same job, but for free - a Scots dream!

Cheers from an expatriate Scot whose lum has been reeking very well
since coming to the land of sun.

George Ellis

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