THE Scots Word of the Week (The Herald, June 27), "poor oot", an old Edinburgh expression for the throwing out of coins for children to catch prior to a wedding, reminded me that as youngster in Greenock during the war we had a different expression.

When the bridal car was about to leave our tenements the shout would go up: "Scrammy wedding' and we would gather to scramble for the coins that were thrown out to us.

My wife, from a different part of Greenock; commented that if no coins were thrown out to the children the shout would be: "Scabby wedding."

Bill Robertson,

Inbye, 117 Old Greenock Road, Bishopton.