Scots not English
Many visitors to Powdermills Bed and Breakfast in Argyll, Scotland, particularly from overseas, struggle to understand the English that we speak!
Of course, we speak English but its more Scottish standard English. What you will hear however, is many words interspersed with English that you have never heard of before. These words and phrases come from the ‘Scots’. Its spoken and understood widely throughout Scotland.
Scots is the name for the language of lowland Scotland. It is a Germanic language, closely related to English. It developed from the northern Old English (or Old Northumbrian) that was introduced into south-east Scotland (south of the Forth) from the 7th century AD onwards, as the kingdom of Northumbria expanded northwards. It was reinforced later by northern English that had been exposed to strong Norse influence after the Norse (Danes and Norwegians) occupied what is now Yorkshire and Cumbria. It started to be more widely spoken in eastern Scotland, north of the Forth, in the 12th century; by the early 15th century it was well established as the language of the Scottish court and parliament; and by the end of the middle ages (that is by about 1500) it had superseded Gaelic in almost all the southern and eastern lowlands. It was introduced into the Northern Isles (Orkney and Shetland) in the later middle ages, and by the 18th century it had superseded the local Norse language (Norn), which, however, has left its strong mark on the Scots spoken in those islands. When it was first introduced into Scotland north of the Forth the language now known as Scots was described as ‘Inglis’, and it did not start being described as ‘Scottis’ until the late middle ages.
So how is it different? Below is some examples.
Of course, it is through our famous Scottish bard Robert Burns that many become acquainted with the Scots language. Understanding his poetry often requires an English translation for us Scots!
In the first verse of ‘To a Mouse’ you have to imagine a famer, perhaps Burns himself, ploughing his field with horses when he spies a little mouse disturbed by the plough.
To a Mouse
Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie,
Small, crafty, cowering, timorous little beast,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Oh, what a panic is in your breast!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty
You need not start away so hasty
Wi bickering brattle!
With your hurrying scamper
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee,
I would be loath to run and chase you,
Wi’ murd’ring pattle!
With murdering plough-staff.
So some advice to visitors – if you don’t understand – just ask us to slow down and speak in English!