Scots Wikipaedia

[macwilkin]

I'd have to agree. Writing "dialect" always slows down the narrative and takes away from the overall effect of the novel. Anything that "gets in the way of the reader" should be avoided, if at all possible.

Not necessarily, Scott. If you have read the late G.M. Fraser's Quartered Safe Out Here or any of the McAuslan stories, his use of the Glesca and Cumberland dialects is quite effective, and not too hard to follow.

T.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Not necessarily, Scott. If you have read the late G.M. Fraser's Quartered Safe Out Here or any of the McAuslan stories, his use of the Glesca and Cumberland dialects is quite effective, and not too hard to follow.

T.

Gosh, Todd, I think this may be a case where the exception proves the rule. Seems to me that GMcDF generally eschewed the use of written dialect in his Flashman novels, except for comic effect. I can't recall if there's much dialect in Pyrates (not my favorite), and I think he went on a bit about "dialect" in his Hollywood History of the World -- but since I can't immediately lay hands on the book (well recommended, though) I can't say so with certainty.

What I can say with certainly is that a skillful writer can make anything work on the page-- within limits. I think we'd both agree that GMcDF was nothing, if not skillful to the Nth degree.