Lothian Scots

Lothian Scots is a Central Scots dialect, spoken in the Lothians, this being the area that stretches southwards from the Firth of Forth to the Lammermuirs.
A particular characteristic of the sound of Lothian Scots vowels is the copious use of the sound “aw” where “ah” might be heard in other Scots dialects. For example, “The cawr broke doun so Aw haed tae gaun aw the wey fae Lawngniddry tae the Pawns on fit,” is said, rather than, “The car broke doun sae A haed tae gang aa the road fae Langniddry tae the Pans.”
A characteristic consonant in Lothian Scots is the “retroflex R” which is heard when “R” occurs after “TH”, “T” or “D”. The tongue is curled back so that the “R” sounds as a particularly tense, protracted sibilant. This results in “three” sounding somewhat like “shree”, “tree” like “tshree” and “dree” like “jree”.

These characteristics rarely show up in writing, as Scots is generally written in a fairly standard form, although many famous Scots writers were from the Lothians, including Allan Ramsay, Robert Fergusson, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. Irving Welsh wrote “Trainspotting” in a creole of urban Lothian Scots and English.
In the more south-easterly dialects some common words are pronounced as in the Scots of the Borders, for example “oo” (we), “twae”, “whae”, “awae” (two, who, away).

The following lists some words that are particular to Lothian Scots:
canny nanny: a wild, stingless bee
pickies: hopscotch
swee: swing

and here are some names from local geography:
Embrae: Edinburgh
Lithgae: Linlithgow
Heddinton: Haddington
The Pans: Prestonpans
Dumpender: Traprain Law
Ternent: Tranent (both from Brythonic “Tra-yr-Nant”)
Pethheid: Pathhead
The Paps o Fife: East and West Lomond, as viewed from the Lothians.

Author: Sandy Fleming, 2002

Sample
Author: Sandy Fleemin (Sandy Fleming); from the story “Big Schuil”, in Lallans Magazine, issue 57
Translator: Sandy Fleming

“Ar yous gaun ti the big schuil nou?”
Me an Peter leukit doun an saw wee Jeemie. “Ay,” A says, “what div ye ’hink oor waitin on the bus for?”
“Ar yes no feared?”
“What ar the ti be feared fae?”
“The big laddies.”
Peter lauched at him, “What, like you’r feared fae us?”
Wee Jeemie juist stuid leukin up, sae A says, “What cless ye in this year?”
“Primary shree.”
Peter leukit ower at iz. “Miss Shields?”
“Ay, Miss Shields,” A says ti Jeemie, “ye’ll like her, wulln’t ye, son?”
He never says onything but he wis as fair-heidit as Oor Wullie an his face gaed bricht pink, sae A says, “Bonny dous, haesn’t she?” Rid as a beet he went.

“Are you going to high school now?”
Peter and I looked down and saw little Jimmy. “Yes,” I said, “why do you think we’re waiting for the bus?”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“What is there to be afraid of?”
“The big boys.”
Peter laughed at him, “Why, like you’re afraid of us?”
Little Jimmy just stood looking up, so I said, “Which class are you in this year?”
“Primary three.”
Peter looked across at me. “Miss Shields?”
“Yes, Miss Shields,” I said to Jimmy, “you’ll like her, won’t you, sonny?”
He didn’t say anything but he was as blond as Oor Wullie and his face went bright pink, so I said, “Nice boobs, hasn’t she?” He went red as a beet.

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