whan

Whan is a Scots word meaning "when." It functions primarily as a subordinating conjunction in the Scots language and in some varieties of Scottish English. In standard Modern English, the form "when" is used, but whan remains common in historical texts, poetry, and dialect writing to reflect Scots pronunciation and syntax.

Etymology and cognates: Whan derives from the Old English hwænn(e), a term used to ask or indicate time (“at what time”). It is cognate with German wann and Dutch wanneer. The spelling whan reflects Scots orthography, which often preserves older pronunciations and ligatures found in medieval and early modern texts.

usage and examples: In Scots, whan is used in the same way as when. It appears in literature, folklore, and everyday speech within communities that identify with Scots language traditions. A typical illustrative sentence might be: Whan the clock struck ten, the street grew quiet. In modern writing, whan is usually confined to dialogue, poetry, or works aiming to evoke Scots heritage, and is generally not used in formal contemporary prose.

Historical and cultural context: Whan is part of the broader Scots language, which includes distinct vocabulary, grammar, and spelling separate from Standard English. It coexists with Middle and Early Modern English spellings found in older Scottish manuscripts and ballads. Today, whan is most often encountered in literary contexts, dialect writing, or linguistic studies that explore regional varieties of English.

See also: Scots language, Old English, Germanic language family, linguistics of Scots dialects.