The Ulster-Scots Language Society, formed to promote the Ulster-Scots language, our own hamely tongue

A Test for Ulster-Scots

by Philip Robinson

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN ULLANS NUMMER 6, SPRING 1998

Ulster-Scots is often confused with Ulster 'dialect' for a very good reason: Ulster-English dialect contains many Scots words and pronunciations when compared to the English spoken in England or the south of Ireland. From outside, all Ulster speech can sound very Scottish, particularly the 'accent' in Antrim, Down, Londonderry and Donegal. Ulster-Scots, however, is more than Ulster dialect. It is a living version of the Lowland Scots language which has recognition as a traditional, regional language of Europe.

How then can we tell the difference between somebody who is talking Ulster-Scots and somebody who is using Ulster-English dialect? The easiest way to identify Ulster-Scots is by listening for a number of 'speech markers'. These are the most common words used by Ulster-Scots speakers and not by speakers of Ulster English. For example, the Scots words thon, dander and wee ('that', 'stroll', and 'little') are used every day by the great majority of folk throughout Ulster. Although they are Scots rather than English words, they have simply been borrowed into Ulster-English dialect.

On the other hand, words like nicht, cannae and gye ('night', 'can't' and 'very') are very common markers of Ulster-Scots speech. They are also markers of Ulster-Scots literature, if one wishes to distinguish this from Ulster-English 'dialect' writing.

It is important to remember that almost all Ulster-Scots speakers will use the markers only in each other's company. When speaking to an outsider, in public, or to a professional person such as a teacher, minister or doctor, Ulster-Scots speakers will switch to Standard English, or - more often - to Ulster-English dialect, which is regarded as more acceptable.

The following list of 67 everyday words shows how English, Ulster-English dialect and Ulster-Scots are different from each other. In particular, note how the first 22 are Scots words used in everyday speech throughout Ulster. The rest identify words used only in Ulster-Scots. These last 45 words can be used as markers of Ulster-Scots speech and literature. If, for example, you often hear (and sometimes use) less than 20 of this entire list, your experience of Ulster-Scots is very limited. If, however, you often hear and sometimes use more than half (33) of the words on this list, you are already part of the Ulster-Scots speaking community.

Test yourself against these scores:

0-11: Ye cud dae wi a bit mair lairnin!

12 - 22: Limited Ulster-Scots, mostly Ulster-English dialect

23 - 33: You can call yourself an Ulster-Scots speaker.

34 - 50: You are very familiar with current, everyday Ulster-Scots.

above 50: Ever thocht o a career in this Ulster-Scots business?

 

English

Ulster-English Dialect

Ulster-Scots

1

of

o

o

2

yes

ay

ay

3

no

na

na

4

remember

min(d)

min(d)

5

small

wee

wee

6

that

thon

thon

7

stroll

dander

danner

8

today

the day

the day

9

tomorrow

the morra

the morra

10

with

wi

wi

11

lane

loanen

loanen

12

path

pad

pad

13

yonder, over there

thonder

thonder

14

to

til

til

15

ditch

sheuch

sheuch

16

brat

skitter

skitter

17

shout

gulder

gulder

18

tip over

coup

coup

19

sly

sleekit

sleekit

20

than

nor

nor

21

endure

thole

thole

22

awkward

thran

thran

23

have

have

hae

24

give

give

gie

25

not

nat

no

26

from

from

frae, fae

27

any

any

onie

28

several

lock

wheen

29

stone

stone

stane

30

more

more

mair

31

most

most

maist

32

home

home

hame

33

sore

sore

sair

34

head

head

heid

35

round

roun'

roon

36

house

house

hoose

37

town

town

toon

38

foot

fut

fit

39

none

noan

nane

40

over

over

owre

41

couldn't

cud'n

cudnae

42

wouldn't

wud'n

wudnae

43

won't

won't

winnae

44

haven't

have'n

hinnae

45

can't

can't

cannae

46

one

wan

yin

47

two

two

twa

48

eight

eight

echt

49

bright

bright

bricht

50

light

light

licht

51

tonight

the night

the nicht

52

away

away

awa

53

always

aaways

aye

54

leave

lave

lee

55

sometimes

betimes

whiles

56

cow

cow

coo

57

cattle

kyattle

kye

58

very

very

gye

59

gave

give

gien

60

must

must

maun

61

mustn't

mustn't

maunnae

62

anything

anythin'

ocht

63

at all

at all

ava

64

eye

eye

ee

65

eyes

eyes

een

66

go

go

gan

67

wipe

skiff

dicht


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