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Abstract Analyses of nationalism in nineteenth-century Europe have demonstrated the importance of... more Abstract
Analyses of nationalism in nineteenth-century Europe have
demonstrated the importance of language in crystallising group
identity. The century witnessed a continent-wide growth in the idea that
language – especially regional linguistic differences from a hegemonic
or imperial state language – could form the basis of a strong regional,
or, latterly, national identity. This article explores the divergent
trajectories which the language question took in Norway and Scotland
during this period, and argues that differences in national identity,
caused partly by the two nations’ different constitutional histories, had
a considerable impact on the development of Scots and Nynorsk in
their respective national contexts.
See link for full artickle
Shetland dialect, the northernmost Scots variety, is something of a conundrum. Although most of i... more Shetland dialect, the northernmost Scots variety, is something of a conundrum. Although most of its features place it at the end of the Northern Scots dialect continuum, some lexical, phonological and structural features resemble characteristics of more southerly Scots dialects; in particular those of the east central counties and the North-East. This essay approaches this problem from the point of view of recent work on new dialect formation, demonstrating that many of the features associated with this phenomenon -koinéisation, focussing, and the founder effect, among others -can be postulated for the development of Shetland dialect. Because this new dialect was formed further back in time than those previously studied, the pattern of development is rather more complex and difficult to describe than for those formed in the 19th century; moreover, the developing Scots dialect was for a lengthy period in contact with its close relative Norn in the islands. Because of the latter's associations with local identity, indeed, we could see this as a further founder effect. The essay demonstrates that present-day Shetland dialect was formed in the early 19th century from the supraregional koiné of the original 16th and 17th century Scots-speaking settlers and the heavily Norn-influenced Scots of the first and second generations of islanders who no longer had Norn as a mother tongue.
Since this essay will be rather wide-ranging, despite forming part of a book concerned with essen... more Since this essay will be rather wide-ranging, despite forming part of a book concerned with essentially one text, it is advisable to start with a pair of apparent paradoxes in relation to the ways in which (socio-)historical linguists draw large-scale conclusions from relatively low level and limited evidence. The first is that It is dangerous to view language use in the English gloss to the Lindisfarne Gospels without considering its place synchronically and diachronically in the variation and change ongoing in English.
Page 1. A 397014 Language, Nation and Power An Introduction Robert McColl Millar University of Ab... more Page 1. A 397014 Language, Nation and Power An Introduction Robert McColl Millar University of Aberdeen i rave macmillan Page 2. Contents List of Maps and Figures vi Acknowledgements vii Preface viii 1 An Introduction: Diglossia and its Aftermath 1 2 Nation and Language ...
... I would also like to mention two former colleagues, Thor-Sigurd Nilsen and Caroline Macafee, ... more ... I would also like to mention two former colleagues, Thor-Sigurd Nilsen and Caroline Macafee, whose ideas and views helped shaped my approach to this book. My students, Barbara Loester and Sandra McRae, have taught me a great deal. ...
Language Policy, Jan 1, 2006
In 2001, the United Kingdom government ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Lan... more In 2001, the United Kingdom government ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, recognising Scottish Gaelic, Welsh and Irish under Part III of the Charter, but Scots, in Scotland and Ulster, only under Part II. It may be that this distinction is representative of the dialectalised nature of this language in relation to its near relative, Standard English. Nevertheless, this paper demonstrates that implementation of language policy on Scots at all levels of government -European, United Kingdom, Scotland and local -has been halfhearted, ill thought-out and buried in a swathe of other 'cultural' issues. Whilst it would be impossible to prove actual animus against the language by governmental actors, it is likely that prevailing sociolinguistic attitudes towards the vernacular's status have encouraged the ineffectual nature of policy towards Scots.
Pathways of change: Grammaticalization in …, Jan 1, 2000
Some suggestions for explaining the origin and development of the definite article in English Rob... more Some suggestions for explaining the origin and development of the definite article in English Robert McColl Millar University of Aberdeen I. Introduction One of the most central items in the functional inventory of the English noun phrase is the definite article the. So central is it, in ...
Studies in English Historical Linguistics and …, Jan 1, 2002
Neuphilologische Mitteilungen, Jan 1, 1995
Paper from the 7th Language & Politics Symposium on …, Jan 1, 2007
Notes and Queries, Jan 1, 1997
Doonsin'Emerauds: New Scrieves anent Scots and …, Jan 1, 2004
Neuphilologische Mitteilungen, Jan 1, 1994
eds. JM Kirk and D. Ó Baóill Language and Economic …, Jan 1, 2008
Abstract Analyses of nationalism in nineteenth-century Europe have demonstrated the importance of... more Abstract
Analyses of nationalism in nineteenth-century Europe have
demonstrated the importance of language in crystallising group
identity. The century witnessed a continent-wide growth in the idea that
language – especially regional linguistic differences from a hegemonic
or imperial state language – could form the basis of a strong regional,
or, latterly, national identity. This article explores the divergent
trajectories which the language question took in Norway and Scotland
during this period, and argues that differences in national identity,
caused partly by the two nations’ different constitutional histories, had
a considerable impact on the development of Scots and Nynorsk in
their respective national contexts.
See link for full artickle
Shetland dialect, the northernmost Scots variety, is something of a conundrum. Although most of i... more Shetland dialect, the northernmost Scots variety, is something of a conundrum. Although most of its features place it at the end of the Northern Scots dialect continuum, some lexical, phonological and structural features resemble characteristics of more southerly Scots dialects; in particular those of the east central counties and the North-East. This essay approaches this problem from the point of view of recent work on new dialect formation, demonstrating that many of the features associated with this phenomenon -koinéisation, focussing, and the founder effect, among others -can be postulated for the development of Shetland dialect. Because this new dialect was formed further back in time than those previously studied, the pattern of development is rather more complex and difficult to describe than for those formed in the 19th century; moreover, the developing Scots dialect was for a lengthy period in contact with its close relative Norn in the islands. Because of the latter's associations with local identity, indeed, we could see this as a further founder effect. The essay demonstrates that present-day Shetland dialect was formed in the early 19th century from the supraregional koiné of the original 16th and 17th century Scots-speaking settlers and the heavily Norn-influenced Scots of the first and second generations of islanders who no longer had Norn as a mother tongue.
Since this essay will be rather wide-ranging, despite forming part of a book concerned with essen... more Since this essay will be rather wide-ranging, despite forming part of a book concerned with essentially one text, it is advisable to start with a pair of apparent paradoxes in relation to the ways in which (socio-)historical linguists draw large-scale conclusions from relatively low level and limited evidence. The first is that It is dangerous to view language use in the English gloss to the Lindisfarne Gospels without considering its place synchronically and diachronically in the variation and change ongoing in English.
Page 1. A 397014 Language, Nation and Power An Introduction Robert McColl Millar University of Ab... more Page 1. A 397014 Language, Nation and Power An Introduction Robert McColl Millar University of Aberdeen i rave macmillan Page 2. Contents List of Maps and Figures vi Acknowledgements vii Preface viii 1 An Introduction: Diglossia and its Aftermath 1 2 Nation and Language ...
... I would also like to mention two former colleagues, Thor-Sigurd Nilsen and Caroline Macafee, ... more ... I would also like to mention two former colleagues, Thor-Sigurd Nilsen and Caroline Macafee, whose ideas and views helped shaped my approach to this book. My students, Barbara Loester and Sandra McRae, have taught me a great deal. ...
Language Policy, Jan 1, 2006
In 2001, the United Kingdom government ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Lan... more In 2001, the United Kingdom government ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, recognising Scottish Gaelic, Welsh and Irish under Part III of the Charter, but Scots, in Scotland and Ulster, only under Part II. It may be that this distinction is representative of the dialectalised nature of this language in relation to its near relative, Standard English. Nevertheless, this paper demonstrates that implementation of language policy on Scots at all levels of government -European, United Kingdom, Scotland and local -has been halfhearted, ill thought-out and buried in a swathe of other 'cultural' issues. Whilst it would be impossible to prove actual animus against the language by governmental actors, it is likely that prevailing sociolinguistic attitudes towards the vernacular's status have encouraged the ineffectual nature of policy towards Scots.
Pathways of change: Grammaticalization in …, Jan 1, 2000
Some suggestions for explaining the origin and development of the definite article in English Rob... more Some suggestions for explaining the origin and development of the definite article in English Robert McColl Millar University of Aberdeen I. Introduction One of the most central items in the functional inventory of the English noun phrase is the definite article the. So central is it, in ...
Studies in English Historical Linguistics and …, Jan 1, 2002
Neuphilologische Mitteilungen, Jan 1, 1995
Paper from the 7th Language & Politics Symposium on …, Jan 1, 2007
Notes and Queries, Jan 1, 1997
Doonsin'Emerauds: New Scrieves anent Scots and …, Jan 1, 2004
Neuphilologische Mitteilungen, Jan 1, 1994
eds. JM Kirk and D. Ó Baóill Language and Economic …, Jan 1, 2008