goan yersel

[Mac_Glasson]

goan yersel ...what does it mean? Thanks.

[Another Dave]

Have you been reading Roddy Doyle? It's 'go on yourself' only spelled phonetically. Usually used to express mild disbelief.

[BenDToy]

Dave - you are correct with what it says, however I always took it to mean something like "Go For It" as an encouragement to somebody to do something. Originally I think it developed in football, telling a player to make the play on his own. Billy Connolly used it in his act, as in "Goan yersel Big Man" to cover any sort of verbal persuasion, from encouraging someone to sing a song, to asking a girl for a dance. Hope this helps.

[RevShirls]

I agree totally with BenDToy. I've heard it regularly and said it at times too. They are words of encouragement and are used in exactly the way that BenDToy says. I have never heard it used as an expression of mild disbelief. The words "Go on" are used by the Irish to express mild disbelief (such as in Father Ted). But "goan yersel" is Scottish.

[kalise25]

I'm Irish living in Scotland, and I've only heard it used (and only used it ) in the sense of encouragement as well. "Goan yersel" is the more common Scottish use and "Gawan ye good ting" a la Roddy Doyle would be the Irish version. The continuous "Go on, go on, go on....ye will, ye will, ye will...etc" is the one you'll hear in Father Ted and it's more a persuasive type of thing - trying to badger someone into doing something (in the nicest way possible of course!)taking a slice of cake, singing a song in public, doing someone a favour... Hope I haven't confused you further!

[enigma]

I am a Scottish woman and I hear this phrase used a lot - especially in Glasgow and in the sentence "Goan yersel' big man". It is exactly that , used as a form of encouragement or to show admiration in what the person has done. Pronounced more like gone yersel , rather than go on yersel (Yourself). Just another way of saying well done really.