Scots

Germanic

FamilyGermanic Speakers~1.5M ScriptLatin CountriesUK (Scotland Lowlands, Ulster — Ulster Scots) Official inUK (recognized as regional/minority language under European Charter) Vitalitysafe ISO 639-3sco

Scots (Lallans) is a West Germanic language with ~1.5M speakers in Lowland Scotland and Northern Ireland (Ulster Scots). Sister to English (both descended from Anglian Old English) — diverged after the 12th c.; Robert Burns 18th-c. literary canon. Recognized under the European Charter for Regional/Minority Languages 2001. Distinct from Scottish Gaelic (Celtic).

Where it is spoken

31 core words in Scots

Water

watter

/wɑtəɹ/

Fire

fire

/fəiɹ/

Sun

sun

/sʌn/

Moon

muin

/mɪn/

Star

starn

/stɑrn/

Mother

mither

/mɪðəɹ/

Father

faither

/feðəɹ/

I

A

/ə/

You

ye

/ji/

Name

name

/neːm/

Eye

ee

/iː/

Hand

haund

/hɑːnd/

Heart

hert

/hɛɹt/

Love

luve

/lʌv/

Tree

tree

/triː/

House

hoose

/huːs/

Dog

dug

/dʌɡ/

Cat

cat

/kat/

Eat

eat

/iːt/

Drink

drink

/drɪŋk/

One

ane

/en/

Two

twa

/twɑː/

Hello

hullo

/hʌlo/

Thank you

thanks

/θaŋks/

Good

guid

/ɡɪd/

Cuckoo

gowk

/ɡʌuk/

Woof

wowff

/wʌuf/

Computer

computer

/kəmˈpjutər/

Sources

Words compared

Compared with related Germanic languages

Meaning ScotsEnglish (Scottish)English (Irish)English (Geordie)English (AAVE)English (West Country)English (Welsh)
Water watter /wɑtəɹ/ water /ˈwɔːtəɹ/ water /ˈwɑːtəɹ/ water /ˈwɔːtɐ/ water /ˈwɑːɾɚ/ water /ˈwɔːtɚ/ water /ˈwɔːtə/
Fire fire /fəiɹ/ fire /faɪɹ/ fire /fɑɪəɹ/ fire /faɪə/ fire /faːɚ/ fire /faɪɚ/ fire /faɪə/
Sun sun /sʌn/ sun /sʌn/ sun /sʊn/ sun /sʊn/ sun /sʌn/ sun /sʌn/ sun /sʌn/
Moon muin /mɪn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/
Star starn /stɑrn/ star /staɾ/ star /stɑːɹ/ star /staː/ star /stɑː/ star /stɑːɹ/ star /staː/
Mother mither /mɪðəɹ/ mother /ˈmʌðəɹ/ mother /ˈmʊðəɹ/ mother /ˈmʊðɐ/ mama /ˈmɑːmə/ mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ mother /ˈmʌðə/
Father faither /feðəɹ/ father /ˈfɑːðəɹ/ father /ˈfɑːðəɹ/ father /ˈfaːðɐ/ daddy /ˈdæɾi/ father /ˈvɑːðɚ/ father /ˈfɑːðə/
I A /ə/ I /ʌi/ I /ɑɪ/ I /aɪ/ I /aɪ/ I /aɪ/ I /aɪ/
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Word order compared

Compare with major world languages

I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
Ich möchte einen Anzug anprobieren den ich in einem Geschäft gegenüber vom Hotel gesehen habe
Scots
I want tae try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across frae the hotel
أنا أريد أن أجرب بدلة رأيتها في محل مقابل الفندق
试穿 酒店 对面的 商店 看到的 那套西装
मैं होटल के सामने एक दुकान में देखा सूट को पहनकर देखना चाहता हूँ
私は ホテルの 向かいの お店 見た スーツを 試着 したいです
Я хочу примерить костюм который я увидел в магазине напротив отеля

Compare with closely-related languages

Ek wil 'n pak aanpas wat ek gesien het ‌in 'n winkel oorkant die hotel
Jeg vil prøve et jakkesæt som jeg i en butik overfor hotellet
Ik wil een pak passen dat ik zag ‌in een winkel tegenover het hotel
I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
Scots
I want tae try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across frae the hotel

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