SCOTTISH ENGLISH

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NOT TO BE CONFUSED

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WHAT IS SCOTTISH ENGLISH?

All the varieties of English spoken in Scotland:

• Standard Scottish English

• Highland English

Distinct pronunciation, grammar, expressions

and vocabulary.

Scottish Standard English:

Formal Variety – The characteristic speech of the

professional class and the accepted norm in schools.

Influenced by Scots.

Highland English:

Spoken in Scottish Highlands and the Hebrides

Influenced by Gaelic

In Canada: Bungi Creole:

Spoken in Manitoba, Canada by Scottish immigrants

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SCOTTISH ENGLISH DIALECTS

Scottish Standard English:

• Formal Variety – The characteristic speech of the professional class

and the accepted norm in schools.

• Influenced by Scots.

Highland English:

• Spoken in Scottish Highlands and the Hebrides

• Influenced by Gaelic

In Canada: Bungi Creole:

• Spoken in Manitoba, Canada by Scottish immigrants

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SCOTTISH ENGLISH PHONOLOGY

Scottish English is a rhotic accent, meaning the /r/ is pronounced.

• While other dialects have merged /e/, /ɪ/, /ʌ/ before /r/, Scottish English makes a distinction between the vowels

in herd, bird, and curd.

• EARTH (RP) (SE)

• Many varieties contrast /o/ and /ɔ/ before /r/ so that hoarse and horse are pronounced differently.

• CORN (RP) (SE)

• “or” and “ur” are contrasted so that shore and sure are pronounced differently, as are pour and poor.

• SORE

• /r/ before /l/,/m/ and /n/ is strong. As well as /r/ between /l/ and /m/.

Lack of the wine–whine merger. This means that Scottish English speakers differentiate between voiceless /hw/

and voiced /w/.

• WASH (RP) (SE)

• WHAT (RP) (SE)

The phoneme /x/ is common and it is often taught to incomers, particularly for "ch" in loch or Pitlochry.

• FOUR

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SCOTTISH ENGLISH PHONOLOGY

/l/ is usually velarized

• LONG (RP) (SE)

/p/, /t/ and /k/ are not aspirated.

Certain vowels (such as /i/, /u/, and /æ/) are generally long but are

shortened before nasals and voiced plosives.

• MOON

• NEEDLE

Scottish English has no /ʊ/, instead transferring Scots /u/

• GOOD

• GOOSE

There is no /æ/-/ɑː/ distinction; therefore, bath, ash, and lamb have

the same vowel.

• LAMB

• ASH

• BATH

The Y sound is most commonly /e/ (as in face), but may also be /ɪ/

(as in kit) or /i/ (as in fleece)

• HOLY (RP) (SE)

/θs/ is often used in plural nouns where southern English has /ðz/

(baths, youths,etc.)

They “drop the –g” in the suffix –ing

• THING

/ɪ/ may be have different realizations such as [ë̞], [ɛ], [ɪ], [ə] or [ʌ]

after /w/ and /hw/

• IN (RP) (SSE) (EDIMBURGH) (ATRIM)

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HIGHLAND ENGLISH PHONOLOGY

Voiceless stops /p t k/ are preaspirated.

• They become /hp/ /ht/ /hk/ or /hx/

Voiced consonants tend to be de-voiced.

• Whatever: [whateffer]

• Just: [chust]

English /z/ may be realised as [s]

• Jesus: [chisas]

“SH” sound in English “rst” clusters

• Firts: [firsht]

Realisation of /w/ as /u/

• Swansea: [suansi]

Use of Gaelic ‘helping vowel’

• Film: [fillum]

The Gaelic Gasp

H-dropping

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SCOTTISH INTONATION

http://www.fonetiks.org/engsou7sc.html

http://www.fonetiks.org/engsou6sc.html

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Scotticisms are idioms or expressions that are characteristics of Scots, especially when used in English.

SCOTTICISMS

“Oh yes, just now”

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SCOTTISH ENGLISH VOCABULARY

Wee: small

Bairn: child

Bonnie: pretty, attractive

Braw: fine, brilliant

Muckle: big

Pinkie: little finger

Kirk: church

-ie to indicate smallness: laddie or lassie

How?: Why?

• How no?: Why not?

SCOTTISH SLANG

This is a video recorded by a Scottish girl. She talksabout the most common words among Scottish youngpeople.

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RIVER CITY

It is a TV show based in Glasgow and intendedfor Scottish audiences.

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PRINCE CHARLES delivers BBC Scotland weather forecast

This is an example of

Scottish Standard

English, as used by His

Highness Prince

Charles of Wales

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SINGERS

Annie Lennox Lulu

Susan Boyle Lacey Chabert Rod Stewart

Amy Mcdonald

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POLITICIANS, PHILOSOPHERS & OTHERS

Gordon BrownTony Blair

Henry Bell Alexander Graham-Bell

David HumeAdam Smith

Alexander Fleming

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ACTORS

Ewan McGregor Sean Connery Gerard Butler Heath Ledger Tilda Swinton

Mike Myers Kyle MacLachlan John Barrowman

John HannahKelly McdonaldRobert CarlyleMeghan OryTom Selleck

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WRITER

Irvine Welsh

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