‘Outlander‘ fans are well aware of how Jamie Fraser always calls his wife Claire Randall Fraser “Sassenach”. But do you know what it really means and is it really a term of endearment? The term is Gaelic word with a lot of history behind it. Sassenach basically means “You’re not from around here”. It’s slang for an English person and not a very kind one.
The Highlanders use it to insult Claire, who is a time-traveling English nurse from the 20th century. Then why does Jamie call her that? He loves Claire for who she is, and he feels her being a Sassenach makes her even more special. He uses the word as a pet name, a compliment, and a sign of his devotion.
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The Meaning Of The Word
The Scots Gaelic word Sassenach literally means “Saxon”. The Highlanders use to refer to the English people, especially those who are lowlanders or from the south of Scotland. The word is used in a derogatory sense implying that the Saxons are foreigners, invaders or enemies. Jamie uses it as a pet name for Claire and he first calls her Sassenach when he rescues her from Black Jack Randall, a sadistic English officer and her nemesis.
Jamie uses Sassenach not just as a term of endearment but also to tease Claire and acknowledge their cultural differences. He knows that Claire is not used to Scottish customs, language, or landscape, and he enjoys watching her reactions and learning from her. He also does it to mark her as his own and to protect her from harm and uses it as a code word to signal that they are in trouble or need to escape.
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The Impact On The Fandom
Sassenach is a popular term among ‘Outlander‘ fans and it has become a way of identifying themselves as part of the fandom. It is also used as a compliment for each other or for their favorite actors. There is also merchandise such as T-shirts, mugs, or jewelry with the word Sassenach on it.
Sassenach is also the name of a perfume created by Sam Heughan, the actor who plays Jamie Fraser. He launched the fragrance in 2019 as part of his lifestyle brand Sassenach Spirits, which also produces whisky and gin. Sassenach is more than just a word in Outlander, it is a way of celebrating the bond between Jamie and Claire, and between the fans and the show.
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