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Scots English – Some General Pointers
1. The numeral one: ae/ane
Originally ane was used as the singular indefinite article as well for the numeral one, but the former is only retained in some dialects.
The changes in spelling (and pronunciation) depend on its position:
• ae man (one man)
but
• that ane (that one)
2. Pronouns
2.1 Subject pronons
Singular Plural 1 st^ : Ah / I we 2nd^ : ye, you ye, you, yous(e)
2.2. Possessive pronouns
Singular Plural 1 st^ : ma oor / wir 2nd^ : yer, your yer, your
3 rd^ : his, her, its thir / their
2.3. Reflexive pronouns
Singular Plural 1 st^ : masel oorsels / wirsels 2nd^ : yersel yersels
3 rd^ : hissel, hersel, itsel thirsels
2.4. Demonstrative pronouns
Singular Plural Proximal: this thir Distal: that thae
thon / yon thon / yon
6. Need as an auxiliary
As in some American dialects, need can be used with a past participle instead of a present participle:
Scots English Standard English My hair needs washed (^) My hair needs washing
7. Some distinctive verb forms
7.1. Present participle: –in, -ing, -an(d) Although Scots English uses the –ing ending, it is commonly shortened to –in and you will also find the Scots English variation –an(d) ending which dates back to an earlier usage.
- Ah’m screivan a letter (I’m writing a letter)
7.2. Past tense / participle: -it, -t Although you will find –ed and –d endings for verbs as in Standard English, Scots English more commonly uses –it and –t, regularising some verbs which are irregular in Standard English:
- I gathert ye wisna comin (I gathered you weren’t coming)
- Ah’ve keepit a seat fer ye (I kept a seat for you)
- He tellt ye tae be careful (He told you to be careful)
- Yon car needs sortit (The car over there needs to be repaired)
Some examples of commonly used verbs in Scots English:
Scots English Standard English gae – gaed – gane (^) go – went – gone hing – hang – hungin (^) hang – hung – hung
lauch – leuch – leuch (^) laugh – laughed – laughed gie - gied – gied (^) give – gave – given
tellt told
8. The particle no / nae
The Scots English equivalent of the negation of verbs (“not” in Standard English) has two forms: no and na/nae. This negation is added to the end of auxiliary verbs, but can appear separately when using “will” as seen in the following examples: na/nae
- He disna(e) understand (He doesn’t understand)
- I willna(e) do it (I won’t do it)
- I didna(e) do it, honest! (I didn’t do it, honest!)
- (^) He wisna(e) there (He wasn’t there)
- I canna(e) come the noo (I can’t come right now)
- He hisna(e) got a clue (He hasn’t got a clue)
Note the following variations of the above auxiliaries: disna / dinna; willna / winna; hisna / hinna
no:
- I'll no do it (I won’t do it)
- She’ll no come the morn (she won’t come tomorrow)
Children’s riddle So, can you understand this Scottish children's riddle?:
Question : What's the difference between Mickey Mouse and the man that invented him? Answer : Mickey Mouse got big ears and Walt Disney."
9. Contractions in general
There is a tendency not to contract the negative particle not in Scottish English, particularly in more formal speech:
Scots English Standard English Is he not going? (^) Isn't he going? Did you not see it? (^) Didn't you see it? Will you not do it? Won't you do it?
When a contraction is present, it is the auxiliary verb rather than the negative particle which tends to be contracted:
Scots English Standard English He'll not go He won't go. You've not won the lottery (^) You haven't won the lottery.
10. Determiners
The definite article is commonly used before times, places, institutions, jobs, games and diseases:
Scots English Standard English the morn (^) tomorrow the noo (^) just now
11. Miscellaneous
Other items peculiar to Scots English:
the back of three o'clock (soon after three o'clock), frae to introduced agent in passive expressions: we were petrified frae him (instead of "by him") – note that frae also means “for”.
See used as new topic marker This is commonly used in Glasgow e.g.:
False friends Some words exist in both Scots and Standard English but have different meanings:
Scots English Standard English mind (^) memory, recollection; to remember to travel (^) to go on foot gate (^) road bait packed lunch
