Sunday, 1 July 2018

‘Taps aff’: the native Glaswegians’ response to a heatwave

The removal of outer garments is de rigueur in the city during an unbroken spell of high temperatures

A distinctive temperature scale seems to have evolved in Glasgow caused by recent extreme UK weather patterns. In other parts of Britain abnormally high temperatures such as those recorded over the last week or so are referred as a heatwave. In Glasgow we now call this “taps aff” weather. When the taps aff point has been reached it is universally deemed appropriate for men of all ages and sizes to remove their tops.

West of Scotland climatologists have yet to pinpoint specifically at what point on the Celsius scale taps aff happens, but are believed to be carrying out tests. At the other end of the evolving Glasgow temperature scale is “bawbag” weather. Thus when the temperatures drop a Glaswegian might be heard to say to his chum: “I think we’re in for some real hurricane bawbag weather.” The term was coined in 2011 for the cyclone that Berlin scientologists had named Friedhelm. Bawbag was felt to be a more appropriate term in Glasgow because it conveyed a measure of defiance in the face of oncoming climactic adversity.

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from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2KmakT0

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