Scots | West Germanic language

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: November 13, 2022

Scots is a West Germanic language. It is sometimes called Lowland Scots or Lallans. It is not Scottish English but the two are similar. Scottish English is a dialect of English and Scots is a separate language. Ulster Scots is a form of Scots found in the north of Ireland. Scots is very different from the Scottish Gaelic language, which is a Celtic language.

There have been disagreements about the linguistic, historical and social status of Scots. Focused broad Scots is at one end of a scale, with Scottish Standard English at the other. Scots is generally regarded as one of the ancient varieties of English, and has its own distinct variants such as Doric.

Questions and Answers

Q: What is Scots?

A: Scots is a West Germanic language.

Q: Is Scots the same as Scottish English?

A: No, Scottish English is a dialect of English and Scots is a separate language.

Q: Is there another form of Scots found in Ireland?

A: Yes, Ulster Scots is a form of Scots found in the north of Ireland.

Q: How does it differ from Scottish Gaelic?

A: Scots is very different from the Scottish Gaelic language, which is a Celtic language.

Q: Has there been any disagreement about the status of Scots?

A: Yes, there have been disagreements about the linguistic, historical and social status of Scots.

Q: Are there any distinct variants within the language? A: Yes, focused broad Scots is at one end of a scale with Scottish Standard English at the other and it has its own distinct variants such as Doric.