Page 3 of 3
 Ulster-Scots today
History of Ulster-Scots
Get to grips with Ulster-Scots
Get to grips with Ulster-Scots
Contemporary Ulster-Scots may be described as a blend of its dominant Scots core, dialectical influences from other areas, loan-words from local Irish speech and locally-coloured Standard English. Examples of these different influences include:
Gar, meaning 'force to', which is gar in Scots and gera in Old Norse Aizle, meaning 'a cinder', which is aizle in Scots, isyel in Middle English and ysel in Old English. Boass, meaning 'hollow' (Scots) Dull, meaning 'noose' or 'snare', which is similar to the Irish word dul. Other etymological connections can be made to German, Dutch and the Scandinavian languages of different periods and levels; and there are many 'pure' words of unknown origin, e.g. 'grunt' (the stone loach); 'eelyatter' (the hairworm) and 'dyach' (a brat).
Some words used in Ulster-Scots have both conventional standard and local meanings, even though some retain their original standard form. ...an aye gin dailygan the enless bizzin o thon wee burd amang the seggans an queelrods, the yin ye hard but niver sa. For example, the word 'alloo' means allow, but also can be taken in certain contexts to mean remark, suggest, concede, reckon or intend. The word 'answer' means to fit or to suit and lucky means 'rather more than'.
Try your hand at reading Ulster Scots
Here is a paragraph of Ulster Scots from James Fenton's book The Hamely Tongue: a lovely passage about the flora and fauna found in a peat-bog! How much of it can you understand?Sae weel ye mine it: the whaps an the peeweeps an their lachters jookin, the crakin frae the yella star on the heecher grun, the tittle foriver efter the cryin gowk, an whutrets keekin an wheekin ooty the staks o owl peats; an aye gin dailygan the enless bizzin o thon wee burd amang the seggans an queelrods, the yin ye hard but niver sa. And here's an English translation:So well you remember it: the curlews and the lapwings and their broods dodging warily, the 'crekking' [of the corncrake] from the yellow bog-grass on the higher ground, the Meadow Pippet forever chasing the crying/calling cuckoo, and stoats peeping and darting out of the stacks of old peats; and always by dusk the continuous buzzing call of yon little bird [the grasshopper-warbler] among the wild irises and reeds, the one you heard but never saw. Find out more
Find out more about the history of Ulster-Scots on BBC Northern Ireland's A State Apart website.
The Ulster Scots Agency promotes the development and usage of Ulster-Scots. Their website includes Ulster-Scots poetry and information about history, courses and events.
Listen to a group of Ulster-Scots speakers talk about the hamely tongue as part of BBC Northern Ireland Voices.
|
