Scots Wikipaedia

[Heming]

Firstly, Scots is not a form of English, its actually just as closely related to Scandianvian languages and Dutch, but has been under English influence for so long that you really have to look deep to see it. There's a really interesting article here: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/scots.htm

From my experience of being a foreigner in Scotland, I can only agree with Skauwt. My impression is that all over the lowlands, and on the islands, those not speaking Gaelic (which are only a few) speak scots most of the time. Apart from in the larger cities, that is. I have no difficulty believing that a third of the population speak Scots.

I think the situation is somewhat comparable to Norway before WW2 - everyone spoke Norwegian, apart from the aristocracy and the church officials, but everyone wrote Danish. Eventually the written language seeps over into the spoken, and you "water out" the spoken language.

OT:
Norway now has two written languages, one based on Danish and one based on spoken Norwegian. Only problem being that with over 200 quite distinct dialects, you get to the point where you have to choose which dialects not to include in the written. For instance, the simple word "I" can be very different from one area to the other (jeg, eg, ek, i, e, æh, je), and two have been chosen as written forms. Some linguists have argued that the differences between western Norwegian and northern Norwegian (dialects of same language) are greater than those between Bosnian and Croatian (separate languages).

BACK ON TRACK:
This is what happens to Scots now, hopefully they'll start teaching Scots in schools so that a proud people can reclaim their beautiful language.

[scottishcurryfan]

Scots is just english spoken in an old fashioned scottish dialect. Nobody talks like the broons in scotland anymore. It actually makes me kind of cringe. Differant cities in scotland have differant accents and dialects but you could not lump them all together and call it scots (nowdays anyway).

Half the words in that wikipedia page I have never heard anyone speak.

[thanmuwa]

Firstly, Scots is not a form of English, its actually just as closely related to Scandianvian languages and Dutch, but has been under English influence for so long that you really have to look deep to see it. There's a really interesting article here: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/scots.htm

Your article makes the point that it is an early offshoot (ie, it is a form of) of English. At the very least, English is by far its closest relative.
My personal opinion is that Scots is clung onto for use as an excuse for the utterly abysmal standard of spelling in this country (the list goes on and on and on!). The only place I have seen worse spelling on shop-signs and so on is on websites like this. The continued existence of the Scots language is convenient, it allows the lowland Scots to justifiably claim that English is a foreign language to them!

[scottishcurryfan]

Your article makes the point that it is an early offshoot (ie, it is a form of) of English. At the very least, English is by far its closest relative.
My personal opinion is that Scots is clung onto for use as an excuse for the utterly abysmal standard of spelling in this country (the list goes on and on and on!). The only place I have seen worse spelling on shop-signs and so on is on websites like this. The continued existence of the Scots language is convenient, it allows the lowland Scots to justifiably claim that English is a foreign language to them!

I agree entirely.

[skauwt]

Firstly, Scots is not a form of English, its actually just as closely related to Scandianvian languages and Dutch, but has been under English influence for so long that you really have to look deep to see it. There's a really interesting article here: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/scots.htm

From my experience of being a foreigner in Scotland, I can only agree with Skauwt. My impression is that all over the lowlands, and on the islands, those not speaking Gaelic (which are only a few) speak scots most of the time. Apart from in the larger cities, that is. I have no difficulty believing that a third of the population speak Scots.

I think the situation is somewhat comparable to Norway before WW2 - everyone spoke Norwegian, apart from the aristocracy and the church officials, but everyone wrote Danish. Eventually the written language seeps over into the spoken, and you "water out" the spoken language.

OT:
Norway now has two written languages, one based on Danish and one based on spoken Norwegian. Only problem being that with over 200 quite distinct dialects, you get to the point where you have to choose which dialects not to include in the written. For instance, the simple word "I" can be very different from one area to the other (jeg, eg, ek, i, e, æh, je), and two have been chosen as written forms. Some linguists have argued that the differences between western Norwegian and northern Norwegian (dialects of same language) are greater than those between Bosnian and Croatian (separate languages).

BACK ON TRACK:
This is what happens to Scots now, hopefully they'll start teaching Scots in schools so that a proud people can reclaim their beautiful language.

i think your spot on with saying that scots is more related to Scandinavian languages and Dutch than English when hearing Scandinavian or dutch speakers i find it rather easy to pick out words and sayings that are spoken here in the central belt its just with having to listen to English and read English it has watered Scots down ,

i don't know why those other two central belt folk mention the lowlands that area are miles from the central belt so lallans Scots isn't really spoken in this part of Scotland

Scots is dieing out mainly due to advances in modern technology id reckon with all the internet and tv it`ll be just a regional dialect of the UK if we are not careful
and no one talks like the broons cos its a cartoon created in 1936 made to be overly Scots for media readers
i`ll admit folk may not use half those words but i for one still speak scots some may say otherwise but they can say what they want.... anyone who denies that i speak scots well they are just numpties to be honest

[scottishcurryfan]

i think your spot on with saying that scots is more related to Scandinavian languages and Dutch than English when hearing Scandinavian or dutch speakers i find it rather easy to pick out words and sayings that are spoken here in the central belt its just with having to listen to English and read English it has watered Scots down ,

i don't know why those other two central belt folk mention the lowlands that area are miles from the central belt so lallans Scots isn't really spoken in this part of Scotland

Scots is dieing out mainly due to advances in modern technology id reckon with all the internet and tv it`ll be just a regional dialect of the UK if we are not careful
and no one talks like the broons cos its a cartoon created in 1936 made to be overly Scots for media readers
i`ll admit folk may not use half those words but i for one still speak scots some may say otherwise but they can say what they want.... anyone who denies that i speak scots well they are just numpties to be honest

I would say I speak english with a scottish accent. Just as scousers speak english with a liverpool accent. Some words might be a little differant however nearly all of it is derived from english.

I travel to the highlands regularly and I would not say they speak anything other than english or gaelic.

[thanmuwa]

i don't know why those other two central belt folk mention the lowlands that area are miles from the central belt so lallans Scots isn't really spoken in this part of Scotland

It is a simple binary thing. In my head, anything not the Highlands is the Lowlands. That includes the central belt, the borders etc.. Admittedly, it is a rough and fuzzy distinction, but I consider Glasgow to be Lowlands... (The lack of big pointy lumps of rock surrounding us was my first clue .)

[skauwt]

It is a simple binary thing. In my head, anything not the Highlands is the Lowlands. That includes the central belt, the borders etc.. Admittedly, it is a rough and fuzzy distinction, but I consider Glasgow to be Lowlands... (The lack of big pointy lumps of rock surrounding us was my first clue .)

perhaps it could be something to do with living in a large vally inbetween the highland and lowlands that stops you seeing those big lumpy things

[thanmuwa]

perhaps it could be something to do with living in a large vally inbetween the highland and lowlands that stops you seeing those big lumpy things

Can't get much lower than a valley! The Lowlands in my head is this.

[skauwt]

well if the "Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service" and Central Scotland Police force" say they are in the central belt then I'm sorry but thats alot better evidence than wikipedia for stating where i live


which is the central belt ......if you want think think you live in the lowlands fair doo`s thats your choice


http://www.centralscotland.police.uk/localpolicing/
http://www.centralscotlandfire.gov.uk/