Hen is definitely a term of endearment, obviously for a female. I always think of it as a particularly west of Scotland word although it is sometimes used in the east.
An English woman of my acquaintance once told me that she would never get used to being called ‘hen’, I don’t know why she found it so strange because it isn’t really any different from being called ‘duck’ which is very common in England.
Of course in France it’s common to call someone ‘my little cabbage’, which somehow just doesn’t do it for me.
In Germany it’s ‘Sneckerlie’, which means little snail, or is that only for babies?
I think hen is beginning to die out now and people seem to use words like ‘dear’ or ‘honey’. There should be a campaign to save the Scottish hen of endearment!
My dad often called me hen. Well it saved him from getting our names mixed up, I was the third daughter after all and the fifth child. Otherwise he would go through the whole family before getting to my name, which didn’t really bother me but I did object to being called Candy, which sometimes did happen.
Well, Candy was the family dog – a totally mad border collie.
Hen is also used in the north of England – though I have not heard it for a long time!
I just returned from a lovely stay in the Borders – Melrose and Skirling – just beautiful scenery. We then stayed 5 nights in Edinburgh – with a day trip to Glasgow to see the Mackintosh college of art. Did not see the pope but spent most of the day in the Botanical Gardens – would gladly set up camp in one of the hothouses! What a great place – and its free!
Hi, Michelle,
I hadn’t realised that they used hen in the north of England. I know they say bonnie and bairn in Newcastle. I’m wondering where you live now!
I’m jealous as it seems like ages since I’ve been to Glasgow. The Botanics is one of my favourite places there but there is so much more to see. Did you go to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery or the Hunterian? – both free. Loch Lomond is just 15 miles further north, as is Mackintosh’s Hill House in Helensburgh – sadly not free. As a Glaswegian I would have wanted 1 day in Edinburgh and 5 in Glasgow! You’ll have to come back some time. Thanks for the interesting comment.
Katrina.
We really needed more than one day in Glasgow – it just wetted my appetite! We did not get to Kelvingrove or Hill House (grrrr – we were limited by a return train journey) – they were on the list but will have to wait until next time – which will hopefully be soon, preferably before Christmas. I live in Durham – so not so far away, I’m looking forward to my return!!! I have quite a list of interesting places to visit!
Michelle,
Lucky you, living in Durham. I really liked it when we visited recently, even although it’s the east! I hope that you manage to get back to Glasgow. I’m going to have a think and I’ll e-mail you at some point with a list of interesting places to visit there, just in case you’re missing something good from your list.
I quite like being called Hen! It was better than being called Petal by my South Yorkshire boss, about 30 years ago.
Evee,
My dad always called me Hen and I really miss it. Being in the east of the country now, people don’t seem to use it as much. I don’t like Petal or Flower, very north England though.
Does anyone know how the endearment ‘hen’ originated. My sister calls me hen trying to keep the term alive!
June,
I think that ‘hen’ as a term of endearment is just a Scottish variation on ‘duck’, which is used in the north of England. Maybe it began when hens were raised by lots of householders, and no doubt people got fond of their hens. It’s quite fashionable to have hens nowadays and folks do love them.