follow-up

Well found ! As I see it, there is a language called Scots, and within it, there are the dialects of Doric, and Lallans. Now, I was brought up with Lallans, but I also understand Doric, and they are very different dialects, and in the "old" days, one was unintelligible to the other. In amongst all this, there was the language I call Scots, I am not in any way an expert, I only know what I've heard, and all 3 are different. There is a problem with people who don't seem to know this. All the dialects and language are mainly lowland, the Highlander spoke Gaelic, and English only came in after the Clearances, when the Gaelic was banned, and it was said that the Highlander spoke the "best" English, as they were taught by the occupying English, and many people think that even the Highlander spoke "Broad Scots" but they didn't, and still don't, and they don't understand Doric, anymore than a Borderer does! by the same token, they don't understand Lallans either, they do however understand Scots, but they often got the grammar wrong There is a story told in Newtonmore, of an old woman who lived at Strathmashie, who kept her cow across the road from her croft, the Prince of Wales was visiting at the time ( Victoria's son !!! ) and when she was asked if she had been moving her cow when he passed, said she was, and on being asked if she had spoken to him, answered "Yes, said I to he, is you the Prince ? Said he to me, I is " and she thought that she was speaking "good" English, she wasn't a stupid woman, but English was her second language, and she was inclined to translate, in her mind, before speaking. Now I don't know who has set up this site, but I hope he has it right, and understands the differences.

- Luna (Scottish History Forum)