( 1 ) Other obscure Scottish terms include stravaig, meaning to wander aimlessly; beflum, meaning to deceive, especially with cajoling language; and sleekit, meaning both smooth and glossy or sly and crafty, as in Robert Burns' poem, “To a Mouse”: “Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie.”
Word: TartleGet better at forgetting.
Word: TartleGet better at forgetting.
Etymology: An old Scots word dating back to at least the 16th century, meaning to struggle to recognize an object or person.
Definition: Everyone tartles from time to time. It could be a momentary hesitation, unnoticed or easily ignored, or the prelude to the most uncomfortable exchange of your life. Tartling is not so much a problem when it’s a one-to-one exchange: If someone greets you by name but you can’t remember who they are, it’s unlikely to arouse suspicion if you respond simply with, “Hi! Great to see you!” If your tartle persists beyond this point, however, you’ll have to embark on the tricky task of turning detective without the other person realizing they are being interrogated. Some questions are more effective than others. Asking, for example, with a hint of rueful nostalgia, “So, who do you still see from the old crowd?” is likely to yield some helpful clues, even if “the old crowd” turns out to be a grandiose way of describing your former colleagues at a temporary admin job—those crazy hellions!
Keep it generic and it is entirely possible that you could make small talk in this way indefinitely—until, inevitably, someone else wanders over, forcing you to introduce your anonymous acquaintance. It will likely be far too late at this point to admit that you have tartled and you’ll be left only with the choice between two different kinds of rudeness: 1) failing to introduce them at all or, 2) saying “and this is…,” in the hope that they’ll fill in the gap themselves. They probably will, but not before an excruciating pause in which the extent of your tartling is revealed. It might be preferable to fake a minor medical emergency.
Tartle is rarely used today, even in Scotland, but perhaps it should be.1 Having a poor memory is not a moral crime, and forgetting who someone is does not necessarily mean they are not worth remembering. Perhaps if we were to revive the word and be able to name this experience, we would rob it of its power to embarrass and insult: Instead of embarking upon an elaborate deception to cover our tracks, we can just breezily admit our tartle, apologize and move on.
