Historical phonology of Scots

Abstract

Abstract This chapter considers the historical phonology of the Scots language as a system, relating it to specific and thoroughgoing changes, such as the Great Vowel Shit and the Scottish Vowel Length Rule. The concept of lexical sets is introduced and comparisons are made between the sets for (Scottish) Standard English, Received Pronunciation and Scots (the latter being taken in a broad sense, despite the very real distinctions between the different dialects. The advantages (and disadvantages) of both the Aitken and Johnson-Millar analyses are discussed, the compromise being a method which employs Johnson-Millar while cross-referencing to Aitken. Vowels are discussed according to lexical sets, while the rather less complex situation of the Scots consonants is described in a purely diachronic manner.