Scotslanguage

Scots is a West Germanic language variety spoken in Scotland and parts of Ulster. It is closely related to English but distinct in its vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. For many linguists it is considered a separate language, while others view it as a strongly differentiated variety of English. Scots has a long written tradition dating back to the 14th century, with writers such as John Barbour, Robert Henryson, and William Dunbar contributing to early Scots literature. Over the centuries, dialects developed across Scotland, including Doric in the northeast and Orcadian and Shetland variants, as well as Ulster Scots in Northern Ireland.

Standardisation has been gradual. There is no single universally accepted orthography; several orthographies are used. The term Lallans is employed to describe a literary standard promoted by writers in the 20th century. In modern times Scots appears in literature, music, theatre, newspapers, and online, and is taught and promoted by cultural organizations such as the Scots Language Centre. It remains a common spoken language in many communities, often used in informal settings, and coexists with Scottish English.

Notable features of Scots include retention of some early medieval English traits in phonology and grammar, alongside a distinct Scottish vocabulary and idioms. It is distinct from Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic language spoken mainly in the Highlands and Islands. Scots continues to influence contemporary Scottish English, contributing to pronunciation, syntax, and lexicon in everyday speech and in regional media.