The Ulster-Scots Dialect Boundaries in the Province of Ulster*
Robert J. Gregg
The Phonological Questionnaire
An alternative questionnaire was then put into operation, based on some of the historical phonological differences that separate Scots from English dialects in general. These lists proved to be very successful, for it was quickly established that the typical Scottish phonological patterns had remained entrenched in the areas of intensive 17th century Scots settlement.
Far from encroaching on English-settled territory, however, these Scottish speech forms were now markedly recessive vis-à-vis the UHE dialects. In any case, the opposition between the Lowland Scots forms and those of English provenance provided almost everywhere a sharply-defined border.
As stated above, this phonological questionnaire was based on an analysis resulting from over thirty years of research on the US dialect of Glenoe in E Antrim. The starting point for this analysis was a detailed phonetic study, leading to a synchronic phonological description, upon which firm foundation was based a retrospective diachronic phonological analysis. The latter yielded lists of words whose phonology diverged from and contrasted with that of UHE in general.
In compiling the Questionnaire these words were grouped mostly on the basis of the identity of the stressed vowel reflexes in the present-day dialect. Thus, it was hoped incidentally to elicit a spread of words sufficient to exemplify for each informant his full range of vocalic phonemes along with important variants.
The questionnaire based on the Glenoe materials was first plied in the Laggan, but was progressively modified and reduced to its essential core. It was then adopted for the rest of the investigations and gave equally good results in NE Down, throughout county Antrim in NE Derry and once again during a final visit to Donegal (to follow the chronological sequence of the various aspects of the fieldwork).
The Final Phonological Questionnaire as used throughout the survey (33)
| List 1 | |||||
| 1. | BOUGHT | 18. | NIGHT | 34. | dight |
| 2. | BRIGHT | 19. | OUGHT (pronoun) | 35. | dreegh |
| 3. | BROUGHT | 20. | RIGHT | 36. | forfoghen |
| 4. | COUGH | 21. | ROUGH | 37. | greeshagh |
| 5. | DAUGHTER | 22. | SIGH | 38. | hough |
| 6. | DOUGH | 23. | SIGHT | 39. | laghter |
| 7. | DRAUGHT | 24. | SOUGH | 40. | laigh |
| 8. | EIGHT | 25. | STRAIGHT | 41. | paghle |
| 9. | ENOUGH | 25a. | THOUGHT | 42. | pegh |
| 10. | FIGHT | 26. | TIGHT | 42a. | scraigh |
| 11. | FOUGHT | 27. | TOUGH | 43. | sheugh |
| 12. | HEIGHT | 28. | TROUGH | 44. | spleughan |
| 13. | HIGH | 29. | WEIGHT | 45. | spraghle |
| 14. | LAUGH | 30. | WRIGHT | 46. | styaghie |
| 15. | LIGHT | 31. | WROUGHT | 47. | weght |
| 16. | MIGHT | 32. | baghle | ||
| 17. | NEIGH | 33. | brugh | ||
| List 2 | |||||
| 48. | ABOVE | 65. | groop | 81a. | SHOE (horse) |
| 49. | AFTERNOON | 66. | GUM | 82. | *SHOES |
| 50. | BEHOVE | 67. | HOOD | 83. | SHOOT |
| 51. | BLOOD | 68. | JUST (adv.) | 84. | SOON |
| 52. | BOARD | 69. | loof | 85. | SOOT |
| 53. | BOOT | 70. | MOON | 86. | SPOON |
| 54. | BROTHER | 71. | MOORS | 87. | STOOL |
| 55. | cloot | 72. | MOTHER | 88. | TO |
| 56. | COOL | 73. | MOVE | 89. | TOO |
| 57. | CUD | 74. | OTHER | 90. | TOOTH |
| 58. | DONE | 75. | POOR | 91. | ENOUGH |
| 59. | FLOOR | 76. | PUT | 92. | HOOK |
| 60. | (DOOR) | 77. | ROOD | 92a. | flyuggy |
| 61. | FOOL | 78. | ROOST | 93. | NOOK |
| 62. | FOOT | 79. | ROOTS | 94. | PLOUGH |
| 63. | GOOD | 80. | SCHOOL | 95. | sheugh |
| 64. | GOOSE | 81. | SHOE | 96. | TOUGH |
| List 3 | |||||
| 97. | BEHIND | 106. | STUBBLE | 115. | BUILD |
| 98. | BLIND | 107. | SUMMER | 116. | BRIDGE |
| 99. | CLIMB | 108. | SUN | 117. | RIDGE TILES |
| 100. | FIND | 109. | TUP (ram) | 118. | trig (neat) |
| 101. | BULL | 110. | ASUNDER | 119. | CHEST |
| 102. | DOZEN | 111. | TRUNDLE | 120. | RED |
| 103. | DUN (colour) | 112. | RUN | 121. | TOGETHER |
| 104. | NUT | 113. | *SUCH a | 122. | TREMBLE |
| 105. | SON | 114. | BRIDGE | 123. | VETCH |
| List 4 | |||||
| 124. | AFTER | 144. | JACKDAW | 162. | HARM |
| 125. | AFTERGRASS | 144a. | LADDER | 163. | HARVEST |
| 126. | APPLE | 145. | MAGPIE | 164. | MARBLES |
| 127. | AXLE | 146. | MANNER | 165. | MARCH (DYKE) |
| 128. | BLADDER | 147. | MASTER | 166. | * MARRIED TO |
| 129. | BLADE | 148. | MATTER | 167. | NARROW |
| 130. | BRASS | 149. | PANE | 168. | PART |
| 131. | CRADLE | 150. | PLASTER | 169. | PARTRIDGE |
| 132. | FAMILY | 151. | RATHER | 170. | SHARP |
| 133. | FATHER | 152. | SACK | 171. | STARVING |
| 134. | FLAT | 153. | SATURDAY | 172. | TART (adj.) |
| 135. | GANDER | 154. | SHAFT | 173. | YARD |
| 136. | GATHER | 155. | TRAVEL | 174. | BRANCH |
| 137. | GLAD | 156. | WASH | 175. | HAUNCH |
| 138. | GLASS | 157. | ARM | 176. | STANCHION |
| 139. | GRASS | 158. | CARRY | 177. | DINNER |
| 140. | HALTER | 159. | CART | 178. | KINDLING |
| 141. | HAMMER | 160. | FARM | 179. | EITHER |
| 142. | HAMES | 161. | GARDEN | 180. | NEITHER |
| 143. | HASP | ||||
| List 5 | |||||
| 181. | ALLOW | 208. | COARSE | 234a. | OUT |
| 182. | BOW (v.) | 209. | COUNCIL | 235. | OWL |
| 183. | BROW | 210. | COUNT | 236. | PLUM |
| 184. | (RIVERBANK) | 211. | COUNTY | 237. | POACHER |
| 185. | COW | 212. | COURSE | 238. | POISON |
| 186. | *COWS | 213. | COURT | 239. | POUCH |
| 187. | FLOUR | 214. | CROWN | 241. | POUR |
| 188. | FLOWER | 215. | DISCOURSE | 242. | POWDER |
| 189. | HOUR | 216. | DOUBT | 243. | PROUD |
| 190. | HOW | 217. | DOWN | 244. | ROUND |
| 191. | NOW | 218. | DROUGHT | 245. | RUST |
| 192. | POWER | 219. | DROWN | 246. | SCOWL |
| 193. | SHOWER | 220. | drook | 247. | SHROUD |
| 194. | SOUR | 221. | DUCK1 (dodge) | 248. | SNOUT |
| 195. | SOW (n.) | 222. | DUCK2 (drench) | 249. | SOUND (n.) |
| 196. | THOUSAND | 223. | DUCK (n.) | 249a. | SORREL |
| 197. | BLUE | 224. | foisonless | 250. | SOUTH |
| 198. | LUKEWARM | 225. | footer | 251. | SPOUT |
| 199. | PLOUGH | 226. | GOWN | 252. | SPROUT |
| 200. | FULL | 227. | HOUSE | 253. | stoon |
| 201. | PULL | 228. | *HOUSES | 254. | STOUT |
| 202. | COULTER | 229. | LOUD | 255. | SUCK |
| 203. | SHOULDER | 230. | LOUSE | 256. | SUPPLE |
| 204. | (POWDER) | 231. | MOUSE | 257. | TOWN |
| 205. | ABOUT | 232. | MOUTH | 258. | THUMB |
| 206. | ACCOUNT | 233. | OUR (stressed) | 259. | TROUT |
| 207. | BROWN | 234. | OUR (weak) | 260. | GOLD |
| List 6 | |||||
| 261. | QUILT | 277. | WILL | 292. | (ANY) |
| 262. | SWITCH | 278. | WIND | 293. | burn (stream) |
| 263. | SWITHER | 279. | WINDOW | 294. | FOUND |
| 264. | TWENTY | 280. | WINNOW | 295. | GROUND |
| 265. | TWINS | 281. | WINTER | 296. | MOUNTAIN |
| 266. | TWISTER | 282. | WISH | 297. | MOURN |
| 267. | WHIN | 283. | WISP | 298. | POUND (stg.) |
| 268. | SHIP | 284. | WIT | 299. | POUND (lb.) |
| 269. | WHISKEY | 285. | WITCH | 299a. | POUND (animal) |
| 270. | WHISKERS | 286. | WITHER | 300. | BRITTLE |
| 271. | WHISPER | 287. | WITHY | 301. | chullers |
| 272. | WHISTLE | 288. | WIZARD | 302. | CINDERS |
| 273. | WHITLOW | 289. | WRINKLE | 303. | lum |
| 274. | WHITTLE | 290. | WRIST | 304. | STEADY |
| 275. | whittret (stoat) | 291. | MANY | 305. | STITHY |
| 276. | WILDERNESS | ||||
| List 7 | |||||
| 306. | attercap | 325. | KNOB | 344. | TONGS |
| 307. | caup | 326. | LOBSTER | 345. | WRONG |
| 308. | CHOP | 327. | LOFT | 346. | QUIT |
| 309. | CROP (harvest) | 328. | OFF | 347. | SWELL |
| 310. | CROP (of bird) | 329. | OFTEN | 348. | TWELVE |
| 311. | DROP | 330. | SOFT | 349. | WEATHER |
| 312. | HOP | 331. | TOM | 350. | WEB |
| 313. | LOPSIDED | 332. | BOTTLE (hay, etc.) | 351. | WEDDING |
| 314. | PROP | 333. | FOND | 352. | WELL (n.) |
| 315. | SHOP | 334. | MUST | 353. | WET (adj.) |
| 316. | slap | 335. | PORRIDGE | 354. | (WETTING) |
| 317. | SOB | 336. | ALONG | 355. | WHELM |
| 318. | STOP | 337. | AMONG | 356. | WHELP |
| 319. | TOP | 338. | BELONG | 357. | WREN |
| 320. | OPEN | 339. | LONG | 358. | WRESTLE |
| 321. | BOB | 340. | SONG | 359. | WADE |
| 322. | HOB | 341. | STRONG | 360. | wale |
| 323. | HOBBLE | 342. | THONGS | 361. | RUSHES |
| 324. | JOB | 343. | THRONG | ||
| List 8 | |||||
| 362. | ALL | 378. | TALK | 394. | CLAW |
| 363. | *AT ALL | 379. | WALK | 395. | DRAW |
| 364. | BALL | 380. | BLOW | 396. | HAW |
| 365. | CALL | 381. | CROW (n.) | 397. | HAWK |
| 366. | FALL | 382. | CROW (v.) | 398. | JACKDAW |
| 367. | HALL | 383. | MOW | 399. | JAW |
| 368. | miscall | 384. | ROW (series) | 400. | LAW |
| 369. | SMALL | 385. | SNOW | 401. | SAW (v.) |
| 370. | WALL | 386. | SOW | 402. | SAW (n.) |
| 371. | BALK | 387. | tawse | 403. | BARROW |
| 372. | BEHOLDEN | 388. | thrawen | 403a. | logg |
| 373. | dwalm | 389. | thraw hook | 403b. | moghy |
| 374. | SALT | 390. | AWAY | 404. | TASSLE |
| 375. | SCALD | 391. | TWO | ||
| 376. | scald | 392. | WHERE | ||
| 377. | STALK | 393. | WHO | ||
| List 9 | |||||
| 405. | BEESTINGS | 421. | keek | 436. | DEAD |
| 406. | BLAZE | 422. | KING | 437. | (DIED) |
| 407. | BREAST | 423. | LIE (n.) | 438. | DEAF |
| 408. | BRIAR | 424. | LIE (v.) | 439. | *DEAFEN |
| 409. | creepie | 425. | LIVE | 440. | freet |
| 410. | DEVIL | 426. | MEADOW | 441. | HEAD |
| 411. | DIE | 427. | reek | 442. | LEAD (n.) |
| 412. | DRIP | 428. | SICK | 443. | MARE |
| 413. | EYE | 429. | speel | 444. | nieve |
| 414. | *EYES | 430. | STREET (farmyard) | 445. | PEAR |
| 415. | FIELD | 431. | SWIM | 446. | PHEASANT |
| 416. | FLY (n.) | 432. | THREAD | 447. | SPREAD |
| 417. | FLY (v.) | 433. | WET (v.) | 448. | SWEAR |
| 418. | FRIEND | 434. | WIDOW | 449. | WEAR |
| 419. | greet (cry) | 435. | BREAD | 450. | WELL (adv.) |
| 420. | HIGH | ||||
| List 10 | |||||
| 451. | ALONE | 471. | NONE | 491. | DEATH |
| 452. | blate (bashful) | 472. | NOTHING | 492. | EASTER |
| 453. | BONE | 473. | ONE | 492a. | ELEVEN |
| 454. | BOTH | 474. | OWN (adj.) | 493. | FLEA |
| 455. | blae | 475. | ROPE | 494. | NEAT |
| 456. | brae | 476. | SLOE | 495. | QUIET |
| 457. | BROAD | 477. | SO | 496. | REAPER |
| 458. | CLOTH | 478. | SORE | 497. | REASON |
| 459. | *CLOTHES | 479. | spae | 498. | SCHEME |
| 460. | COMB | 480. | STONE | 499. | SEASON |
| 461. | FROM | 481. | STRAW | 500. | SEAT |
| 462. | GABLE | 482. | TOE | 500a. | SEVEN |
| 463. | graip | 483. | WHOLE | 501. | SHEAF |
| 464. | HOME | 484. | BEAK | 502. | SHED |
| 465. | KALE | 485. | BEAST | 503. | SPECIAL |
| 466. | LOAD | 486. | BEAT | 504. | TREAT |
| 467. | LOAN | 487. | CHEAP | 505. | weans |
| 468. | MORE | 488. | CHEAT | 506. | hain |
| 469. | MOST(LY) | 489. | CREAM | 507. | WEAK |
| 470. | NO (adj.) | 490. | CREATURE | ||
| List 11 | |||||
| 508. | boke | 514. | glomin | 519. | ROCK |
| 509. | bole | 515. | gopen | 519a. | scobe |
| 510. | CORD | 516. | hoke | 520. | SHORT |
| 511. | CORN | 517. | lonin | 521. | snoke |
| 512. | DOG | 518. | MORNING | 522. | SORT |
| 513. | FROTH | 518a. | NOT | 523. | thole |
| List 12 | |||||
| 524. | AY (always) | 547. | WHEY | 557. | PIE |
| 525. | BAY | 548. | BOIL (n.) | 558. | STAY |
| 526. | BRAY | 549. | AY (always) | 559. | STY (for pigs) |
| 527. | CLAY | 550. | AYE (yes) | 560. | DIE |
| 528. | gey | 550a. | BAY | 561. | DYE |
| 529. | HAY | 550b. | BUY | 562. | EYE |
| 530. | MAY | 550c. | gey | 563. | I |
| 531. | PAY | 550d. | GUY | 564. | LIE (fib) |
| 532. | quey | 551. | MINE (n.) | 565. | LIE (recline) |
| 543. | REINS | 552. | MINE (adj.) | 566. | FIFE |
| 544. | STAY | 553. | MAY (month) | 567. | FIVE |
| 544a. | STEEP | 554. | MY | 568. | PRICE |
| 545. | WAY | 555. | NEIGHBOUR | 569. | PRIZE |
| 546. | WEIGH | 556. | PAY | ||
| List 13 | |||||
| 570. | BOLD | 590. | KNOLL | 602. | goup |
| 571. | COLD | 591. | MOULD (BOARD) | 603. | GROW |
| 572. | FOLD | 592. | POLE | 604. | LOOSE |
| 573. | HOLD | 593. | ROLL | 605. | LOOSEN |
| 574. | OLD | 594. | SHOULDER | 606. | lown |
| 575. | SCOLD | 595. | SOUL | 607. | loup |
| 576. | SOLD | 596. | BESTOW | 608. | OVER |
| 577. | TOLD | 597. | CHEW | 609. | PONY |
| 578. | BOLSTER | 598. | coup | 610. | THAW |
| 579. | BOLT | 599. | EWE | 611. | TOW |
| 580. | BOWL | 600. | FOUR | 612. | moily |
| 581. | COLT | 601. | gowl | 613. | stoigh |
| 582. | JOLT | ||||
| List 14 | |||||
| 614. | DO | 632. | CAN'T | 649. | TAKE |
| 615. | DON'T | 633. | COULDN'T | 650. | TOOK |
| 616. | I DON'T | 634. | MIGHTN'T | 651. | TAKEN |
| 617. | DOES | 635. | SHOULDN'T | 652. | BEGAN |
| 618. | DOESN'T | 636. | WON'T | 653. | BEGUN |
| 619. | DIDN'T | 637. | WOULDN'T | 654. | HIT (pt.) |
| 620. | HE MADE ME DO IT | 638. | AMN'T | 655. | LET (pt.) |
| 621. | HAVE | 639. | ISN'T | 656. | SIT (pt.) |
| 622. | HAVEN'T | 640. | AREN'T | 657. | SET (pt.) |
| 623. | HAVE TO | 641. | WASN'T | 658. | IS/ARE THERE? |
| 624. | HAS | 642. | WEREN'T | 659. | WAS/WERE THERE? |
| 625. | HASN'T | 643. | BREAK | 660. | I'll have to go |
| 626. | HAS TO | 644. | BROKE | 661. | Where are you going to? |
| 627. | HADN'T | 645. | BROKEN | 662. | I'll not be able to get |
| 628. | HAD HAD | 646. | GIVE | 663. | It doesn't matter about it. |
| 629. | BEHOVE TO | 647. | GAVE | 664. | Is there any more bread? |
| 630. | DAREN'T | 648. | GIVEN | 665. | He made me cry |
| 631. | MUSTN'T | ||||
Introduction | Historical and Geographical Factors | Lexical Questionnaire | Phonological Questionnaire | Discussion | Notes