ULSTER-SCOTS
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What influence has Scots speech in Belfast?

Scots speech is the single most defining characteristic of most Ulster accents - most Ulster people will confirm that elsewhere in the English-speaking world they are more commonly mistaken for Scottish than Irish.

In terms of grammar, Scots influences on the Belfast dialect include:
* The (in)famous 'so it is' tag: 'I've seen him here, so I have'
* The use of 'see' to introduce somebody/thing: 'See my brother? He's never home for his tea!'
* Use of 'The' in front of place names: 'The Shankill', 'The Falls', 'The Lisburn Road'.

It is not surprising, given that Belfast was once an entirely Ulster-Scots speaking city, that many of the words there have Scottish origins. Words likely to have come from Scotland include blether 'talk nonsense', crack 'gossip, lively chat', girn 'frown, complain', mind 'remember', sheuch 'ditch, gutter'.

Where is Ulster-Scots actually spoken?
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