ULSTER-SCOTS |
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Has Scots got lots of different dialects? |
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One of the key arguments for Scots' language status is that it has its own, clearly identifiable dialects and dialect groups. The main dialects are 'Insular' (spoken in the Shetlands and Orkney - these have a case even to be considered a separate language from Scots), 'Doric' (NE Scotland), 'Lallans' (or 'Lowlands'; southern Scotland) and 'Ullans' (NE Ireland). These dialects can then be subdivided. 'Ullans' can be divided into Western (Co Donegal), Central or Northern (Co Antrim and Coleraine District) and Southern (Co Down). For example, the word abuin 'above' is pronounced 'abeen' in Co Donegal (i.e. almost to rhyme with Standard British English 'seen'), 'abin' in Co Down (like 'sin') and 'aboon' or 'abyoon' in the rest of Ulster (like 'soon'). Literary spellings sometimes reflect these differences. |
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What is the difference between 'Ullans' and 'Ulster-Scots'? |
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