This book provides a thorough yet approachable history of the Scots language, a close relative of Standard English. Robert McColl Millar explores both sociolinguistic and structural developments in the history of Scots, bringing together these two threads of analysis to offer a better understanding of linguistic change.
Robert McColl Millar examines how language has been used in Scotland since the earliest times. While primarily focusing on the histories of the speakers of Scots and Gaelic, and their competition with the encroaching use of (Scottish) Standard English, he also traces the decline and eventual 'death' of Pictish, British and Norn.
Allows students to develop a deeper understanding of both sociolinguistics and historical linguistics. This textbook discusses both the central variationist tendencies present in language change and the macrosociolinguistic forces which act upon all speakers and their language.
The textbook explores the interaction between different languages and their mutual influences in both modern and historical contexts. Each theme is accompanied by detailed case studies that provide real-world examples, while key concepts are clearly defined for better understanding. Additionally, end-of-chapter exercises and research tasks are designed to promote independent learning, making it a comprehensive resource for those interested in language contact and its implications.
This textbook overview of Modern Scots provides a description and analysis of the language covering lexical, phonological and structural patterns. It presents evidence for the diversity of the language through illustrations from newly collected fieldwork material.