What does barren mean in Scottish?

The word ‘ barren is often used to describe an area without much vegetation growth, but in Scotland it has a specific meaning in the context of marriage. In the days before the invention of artificial contraception, an infertile woman was required to demonstrate she was a virgin before she could be married. If she was unable to bear a child, she was said to be barren.

What does barren mean in Ireland?

barren means free from any vegetation growing naturally in that area. In Scotland, barren refers to an area of low-lying marshy grassland. There are no trees and few plants growing there. This is because little water flows through these areas. In Ireland, barren means a low-lying wetland. These wetlands are often boglands.

What does it mean to be barren in Scottish?

Barren refers to a woman who has not given birth. In Scotland, barrenness has historically been a cause for shame and difficulty with marriage. If a woman was barren, she was often treated as a social outcast and denied the right to speak in public. A woman who could not bear children was referred to as “hetless” or “barren.”

What does barren mean in English?

In Scottish, barren often refers to an empty space or a field. This use of the word dates back to the days when people made their own fertilizers from manure. If a field had no crop in it, it was said to be barren. This use of the word also applies to an area of forest that will not produce any trees.

What does barren mean in Scots?

A barren woman was a woman who had no husband or children living with her. She was an old Scottish woman who had no male family members living with her. The term was often used to describe a woman whose widower had remarried.