Do the People of Scotland have Different Accents?

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 9:35 am

Hi maple23

You could have pointed out to folk that the spelling of the village name is Gullane but pronounciation is Gillane.

Gullane accent reflects the fact that is was the well heeled Edinburgh 'Pan Loafers' who built their mansions there to show how posh they were. They took their accent with them and swamped the locals completely.

Russell

Post by **AndrewP** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:29 am

Russell wrote:You could have pointed out to folk that the spelling of the village name is Gullane but pronounciation is Gillane.

Gullane accent reflects the fact that is was the well heeled Edinburgh 'Pan Loafers' who built their mansions there to show how posh they were. They took their accent with them and swamped the locals completely.

My impression is Gillane is the where the big houses on the hill before the beach are, and the rest is Gullane.

All the best,

AndrewP
(pan-loaf Edinburgh)

Post by **joette** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:17 am

(non-pan loaf)

rye470 · Post by **rye470** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 3:38 am

Boy, do we have some accents!

Though I was born in Glasgow (Anderson), I was raised in Linwood, so my accent is closer to Paisley than Glasgow. My mother, though she moved to Govan aged 8, still retained a softer Alva accent. I only realised this when I was a bit older, and it suddenly dawned on me that my Gran said 'ken' instead of 'know'.

My father was pure Glasgow "East End'. Auchenshuggle/Tollcross to be exact. I still have many cousins in that area and, it takes a minute or two for my ears and brain to tune to the frequency and speed, but I get there and then I'm home.

After I married, we moved to West Calder for a couple of years. No problems there as there seemed to be so many 'Glasgow Overspill'. Until I went to work in the Sighthill area of Edinburgh. I was daily reminded (in fun), that I was from the 'other side' and that an interpretor was required. Being outnumbered, I refrained from requesting one for myself.

We then moved to London and the strangest thing happened. Rab C. Nesbit. I would sit in the office with people giving me blank looks whenever I spoke to them, and they would then ask if I had watched Rab the previous night, and wasn't it really funny...........? It's been twenty years and I still haven't worked that one out.

However, I have a theory.

I explained this to Marilyn,Jean and co. on our recent New York trip. They were a bit surprised to discover that I have a Scottish Accent. This is my explanation for sounding the way I have for 40+ years.

When you speak, you open you're mouth, and out come the words you learned as a small child. You learn from your parents and those around you. To alter your accent, you have to consciously do so. You have to think about what you are going to say, in order to alter it. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I just open my mouth and out it comes. No alterations or apologies.

Well... that's my theory anyway.

Christine.

Post by **marilyn morning** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:00 am

Rye wrote

You have to think about what you are going to say, in order to alter it. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I just open my mouth and out it comes. No alterations or apologies.

Hello Rye,

First of all, I adored your accent and my sister wanted you to move next door to her, she thought you would make the ideal neighbor.

No apologies required.

I know exactly what you're talking about. I once knew a Chinese woman who spoke very good English. So one day I asked her how her brain process worked? What I mean is did she first think about what she was about to say in Chinese or English? She said that she heard the question in English then translated it to Chinese in her thought process to answer back in English. I hope this makes sense?

Regards
Marilyn

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:09 am

Hi Christine

I loved your accent! I could use some proper pronunciation lessons from you too in case I ever get daring enough to risk another transatlantic flight. You say Scotland has different accents....and I've even heard different ones and say oh yeah...now I see the difference......when I met AndrewP(Mr. Pan Loaf

) last year....and then when I met you a couple weeks ago....well....you both sounded just the same to me....SCOTTISH!!!!

There's jist nae hope for the likes of me !!

Best wishes
Jean

rye470 · Post by **rye470** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:25 am

Hi Marilyn,

Tell Val, Thank you so much ,and I could live next door to her, no problem. Tell her I've got an appointment with my doctor for the water retention too. She'll know what I'm talking about!

I do know what you mean though. It's not just an accent, It's a way of thinking and expressing yourself. I think that different locals can put a different emphasis on words and sounds which can alter a sentence considerably,and also how someone from another area might hear it. PLEASE .....................remember that I am no expert, I am only going on my own observations.

However, it's funny how, when it gets down to it, we all understand where the other person is coming from. We all make fun of each others accents, but to the outside we are ONE.

Christine

(Now feeling incredibly homesick. Not that that's unusual).

Post by **marilyn morning** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:28 am

Hi Jean,

Mr. Pan Loaf is that anyway to address one of our CEO's?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEO

Take my word for it Jean these kind folk gathered together each all spoke a very different dialog. We even had a chat about it around this table, of course I brought up the subject.

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... p?pos=-585

Regards
Marilyn

nancy · Post by **nancy** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 11:44 am

Hi Marilyn,and what a day that was,meeting all you lovely people,and a nice wee photie as well

Well that's me had ma say,and wi a Paisley accent as well

Cheers Nancy

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 3:03 am

I came to Australia when I was 11, and through necessity of the times had to sort of "change" my accent, and then again in the navy as I was working on voice radio at the time.

However, I was in a pub having a quiet ale

when I started to talk to this man you was down from the north west with his wife, and he was left in the pub while his wife and her sister went off shopping (poor man).
He was not long over from Scotland and as we got talking he started to get a bit miffed, he thought I was talking the mickey out of his accent, I had to quickly explain that I wasnt taking the mick, and luckily another friend of mine came in and told him I was born in Scotland.
It seems that after all those years I just slipped back into the accent after talking to a Scot for a while. Since then not the first time either.
As for my accent, I was a Bankie, (who was warned by his mither not to speak like a Glesga Keelie) but spent a lot of time at my mother's family side in Airdrie, but now have an Aussie accent, though people pick out certain words that give my origins away, or god forbid, they think I'm a Kiwi