"MacHamish" <russj41@concentric.net> wrote in message
news:1gmlvv41gnlhta1deuhkmkbq3s96it00vk@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 6 Jan 2004 09:40:22 -0500, "Helen Ramsay" <r@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> "Hen"? You calling me "hen"?
> >
> >It's a term of endearment. Rather like the French 'mon petit chou'. I've
> >been away from Scotland for so long that I get all warm and fuzzy when
> >someone calls me 'hen' :)
>
> I took it to be the Lallans way of saying "hon", short for "honey".

I imagine it is!  In north Northumberland they still commonly say 'hinnie'
but in Scotland it has
possibly become reduced to 'hin' then corrupted to 'hen'.  The usage
certainly differs.  I
get called hinnie from some older English ladies but this side of the border
'hen' is used exclusively as a term of endearment when addressing females.

cheers

Allan