{{Short description|Northeastern dialect of the Scots language}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}} {{Use British English|date=February 2018}} {{Scots language}} [[File:WIKITONGUES- David speaking Doric Scots and English.webm|thumb|A Doric Scots speaker, recorded in Scotland ]] '''Doric''', the popular name for '''Mid Northern Scots'''<ref>Robert McColl Millar (2007) ''Northern and insular Scots'' Edinburgh University Press. p. 3</ref> or '''Northeast Scots''',<ref>Ana Deumert & Wim Vandenbussche (2003) ''Germanic standardizations: past to present''. John Benjamins. p. 385</ref> refers to the Scots as spoken in the northeast of Scotland. There is an extensive body of literature, mostly poetry, ballads, and songs, written in Doric. In some literary works, Doric is used as the language of conversation while the rest of the work is in Lallans Scots or Scottish English.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=McClure |first1=J. Derrick |title='Lallans' and 'Doric' in North-Eastern Scottish Poetry |journal=English World-Wide |date=1 January 1987 |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=215–234 |doi=10.1075/eww.8.2.04mcc}}</ref> A number of 20th and 21st century poets have written poetry in the Doric dialect.
==Nomenclature== The term "Doric" was formerly used to refer to all dialects of Scots, but during the twentieth century it became increasingly associated with Mid Northern Scots.<ref>McColl Millar. 2007. Northern and Insular Scots. Edinburgh: University Press Ltd. p. 116</ref>
The name possibly originated as a jocular reference to the Doric Greek dialect of the Ancient Greek language. Greek Dorians lived in Laconia, including Sparta, and other more rural areas, and were alleged by the ancient Greeks to have spoken laconically and in a language thought harsher in tone and more phonetically conservative than the Attic spoken in Athens. Doric Greek was used for some of the verses spoken by the chorus in Greek tragedy.
According to ''The Oxford Companion to English Literature'':
:Since the Dorians were regarded as uncivilised by the Athenians, "Doric" came to mean "rustic" in English, and was applied particularly to ''the language of Northumbria and the Scottish Lowlands'' and also to the simplest of the three orders in architecture.<ref name=Oxford>Drabble, Margaret (ed.) ''The Oxford Companion to English Literature'' (fifth edition, 1985)</ref>
18th-century Scots writers such as Allan Ramsay justified their use of Scots (instead of English) by comparing it to the use of Ancient Greek Doric by Theocritus.<ref name="Mither Tongue">{{cite book|author=Billy Kay|author-link=Billy Kay (writer)|title=Scots: The Mither Tongue|year=2006|publisher=Mainstream Publishing|location=Edinburgh|isbn=1845960521|edition=New}}</ref> English became associated with Attic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotslanguage.com/The_Doric_uid72/A_Little_Doric_History|title=Scotslanguage.com - A Little Doric History|website=www.scotslanguage.com}}</ref>
==Phonology== Most consonants are usually pronounced much as in other Modern Scots dialects but:
*In Buchan the cluster '''cht''', also '''ght''', may be realised {{IPA|/ð/}} in some words, rather than {{IPA|/xt/}} as in other dialects, for example: ''dochter'' (daughter), {{lang|sco|micht}} (might) and ''nocht'' (nought), often written ''dother'', ''mith'' and ''{{as written|noth}}'' in dialect writing. * The clusters '''gn''' and '''kn''' are realised {{IPA|/ɡn/}} and {{IPA|/kn/}}, for example ''gnaw'', ''gnap'', ''knee'', ''knife'', ''knock'' (a clock) and ''knowe'' (knoll). *In Buchan, towards the coast, '''th''' followed by ''er'' may be realised {{IPA|/d/}}, rather than {{IPA|/ð/}} as in other dialects, for example: ''brither'' (brother), ''faither'' (father), ''gaither'' (gather) and ''mither'' (mother), often written ''bridder'', ''fadder'', ''gaider''~''gedder'' and ''midder'' in dialect writing. * '''wh''' is realised {{IPA|/f/}}, rather than {{IPA|/ʍ/}} as in Central Scots dialects, for example ''whit'' (what) and ''wha'' (who), often written ''fit'' and {{lang|sco|fa}}({{lang|sco|a}}) in dialect writing. *The cluster '''wr''' may be realised {{IPA|/vr/}}, rather than {{IPA|/r/}} as in Central Scots dialects, for example ''wratch'' (wretch), ''wrath'', {{lang|sco|wricht}} (wright) and {{lang|sco|wrocht}} (wrought~worked), often written {{lang|sco|vratch}}, {{lang|sco|vrath}}, {{lang|sco|vricht}} and {{lang|sco|vrocht}} in dialect writing.
Some vowel realisations differ markedly from those of Central Scots dialects. The vowel numbers are from Aitken.<ref>Aitken A.J. 'How to Pronounce Older Scots' in 'Bards and Makars'. Glasgow University Press 1977</ref> See also Cardinal vowels.
* '''a''' before {{IPA|/b/}}, {{IPA|/ɡ/}}, {{IPA|/m/}} and {{IPA|/ŋ/}} may be {{IPA|/ə/}} or {{IPA|/ʌ/}} rather than {{IPA|/a(ː)/}}. * '''aw''' and '''au''', sometimes '''a''' or '''a{{'}}''' representing L-vocalisation,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/getent4.php?plen=4317&startset=14&query=A&fhit=letter+AND+alphabet&dregion=entry&dtext=snd#fhit |title=SND:A 2 (2) |publisher=Dsl.ac.uk |access-date=2010-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703211646/http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/getent4.php?plen=4317&startset=14&query=A&fhit=letter+AND+alphabet&dregion=entry&dtext=snd#fhit |archive-date=3 July 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/getent4.php?plen=9458&startset=45678332&query=W&fhit=letter+AND+alphabet&dregion=entry&dtext=snd#fhit |title=SND W 6 |publisher=Dsl.ac.uk |access-date=2010-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703212329/http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/getent4.php?plen=9458&startset=45678332&query=W&fhit=letter+AND+alphabet&dregion=entry&dtext=snd#fhit |archive-date=3 July 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> are realised {{IPA|/aː/}}, rather than {{IPA|/ɑː/}} or {{IPA|/ɔː/}} as in Central Scots dialects, for example ''aw'' (all), ''cauld'' (cold), ''braw'' (brave, handsome, fine, splendid), ''faw'' (fall) and ''snaw'' (snow), often written ''aa'', {{lang|sco|caal}}({{lang|sco|d}}), {{lang|sco|braa}}, {{lang|sco|faa}} and {{lang|sco|snaa}} in dialect writing. In Buchan, in some words the stem final ''w'' may be realised {{IPA|/v/}}, often with a {{IPA|/j/}} glide before the preceding vowel, for example ''awe'' {{IPA|[jaːv]}} (awe), ''blaw'' {{IPA|[bl(j)aːv]}} (blow), ''gnaw'' {{IPA|[ɡnjaːv]}}, ''law'' {{IPA|[ljaːv]}}, ''snaw'' {{IPA|[snjaːv]}} (snow) and ''taw'' {{IPA|[tjaːv]}}~{{IPA|[tʃaːv]}} often written ''yaave'', ''blyaave'', {{lang|sco|gnaave}}, ''snyaave'' and ''tyauve''~''tyaave''~''chaave'' in dialect writing. *In some areas '''ai''' or '''a''' (consonant) '''e''' {{IPA|/e(ː)/}} may be realised {{IPA|/əi/}} after {{IPA|/w/}}, dark {{IPA|/l/|cat=no}} and occasionally after other consonants, for example ''claes'' (clothes), ''coal'', ''coat'', ''gape'', ''wade'', ''waik'' (weak), ''wait'', ''wale'' (choose) and ''wame'' (belly), often written ''clyes'', ''kwile'', {{lang|sco|kwite}}, ''gype'', ''wyde'', ''wyke'', ''wyte'', ''wyle'' and ''wyme'' in dialect writing. A preceding {{IPA|/k/}} or {{IPA|/n/}} may produce a {{IPA|/j/}} glide, with the vowel realised {{IPA|/a/}}, for example ''caird'' {{IPA|[kjard]}} (card), ''cake'' {{IPA|[kjak]}}, ''naig'' {{IPA|[njaɡ]}} (nag) and ''nakit'' {{IPA|[njakɪt]}} (naked). The cluster '''ane''' is realised {{IPA|/en/}} in Moray and Nairn but is usually {{IPA|/in/}} in other areas,<ref>Grant, William; Dixon, James Main (1921) ''Manual of Modern Scots''. Cambridge, University Press. p.44</ref> for example, ''ane'' (one) ''ance'' (once), ''bane'' (bone) and ''stane'' (stone), often written ''een'', ''eence'', ''been'' and ''steen'' in dialect writing. *'''ea''', '''ei''' is usually {{IPA|/i(ː)/}}, though the realisation may be {{IPA|/e(ː)/}} along the coast and in Moray and Nairn. The realisation may also be {{IPA|/əi/}} in, for example, ''great'', ''quean'' (girl), {{lang|sco|seiven}} (seven), {{lang|sco|sweit}} (sweat), ''weave'' and ''wheat'', and {{IPA|/ɪ/}} before {{IPA|/k/}} in, for example, ''speak'', often written ''gryte'', ''quine'', ''syven'', {{lang|sco|swyte}}, ''wyve'', ''fyte'' and {{lang|sco|spik}}({{lang|sco|k}}) in dialect writing. Before {{IPA|/v/}} and {{IPA|/z/}} the realisation may be {{IPA|/ɪ/}} in, for example, ''heiven'' (heaven), ''reason'', ''season'' and {{lang|sco|seiven}} (seven), often written {{lang|sco|hivven}}, {{lang|sco|rizzon}}, {{lang|sco|sizzon}} and {{lang|sco|sivven}} in dialect writing. *'''ee''', '''e'''(Consonant)'''e'''. Occasionally '''ei''' and '''ie''' with ''ei'' generally before ''ch'' ({{IPA|/x/}}), but also in a few other words, and ''ie'' generally occurring before ''l'' and ''v''. The realisation is generally {{IPA|/i(ː)/}} but may be {{IPA|/əi/}} after {{IPA|/w/}}, dark {{IPA|/l/}} and occasionally after other consonants in, for example, ''cheenge'' (change), ''heeze'' (lift) and ''swee'' (sway), often written {{lang|sco|chynge}}, {{lang|sco|hyse}} and {{lang|sco|swye}} in dialect writing. *'''eu''' before {{IPA|/k/}} and {{IPA|/x/}} see ''ui''), sometimes '''ui''' and '''oo''' after Standard English also occur, is generally {{IPA|/ju/}} in for example, ''beuk'' (book), ''eneuch'' (enough), ''ceuk'' (cook), ''leuk'' (look) and ''teuk'' (took). * Stem final '''ew''' may be realised {{IPA|/jʌu/}} in, for example, ''few'', ''new'' and also in ''beauty and duty'', often written {{lang|sco|fyow}}({{lang|sco|e}}), {{lang|sco|nyow}}({{lang|sco|e}}), ''byowty'' and {{lang|sco|dyowty}} in dialect writing. Before {{IPA|/k/}} the realisation may be {{IPA|/ɪ/}} in, for example, ''week'', often written ''wyke'' in dialect writing. * '''ui''' is realised {{IPA|/i(ː)/}} and {{IPA|/wi(ː)/}} after {{IPA|/ɡ/}} and {{IPA|/k/}}. Also '''u''' (consonant) '''e''', especially before nasals,<ref>SND:U 2 4i</ref> and '''oo''' from the spelling of Standard English cognates, in for example, ''abuin'' (above), ''cuit'' (ankle) and ''guid'' (good), often written ''abeen'', ''queet'' and ''gweed'' in dialect writing. In Moray and Nairn the realisation is usually {{IPA|/(j)uː/}} before {{IPA|/r/}} in, for example, ''buird'' (board), ''fluir'' (floor) and ''fuird'' (ford), often written ''boord'', ''floor'' and ''foord'' in dialect writing. The realisation {{IPA|[i(ː)]}} also occurs in ''adae'' (ado), ''dae'' (do), ''shae'' (shoe) and ''tae'' (to~too).
==Literature== {{more citations needed|section|date=May 2021}} North East Scots has an extensive body of literature, mostly poetry, ballads and songs. During the Middle Scots period writing from the North East of Scotland adhered to the literary conventions of the time; indications of particular "Doric" pronunciations were very rare. The 18th-century literary revival also brought forth writers from the North East but, again, local dialect features were rare, the extant literary Scots conventions being preferred. In later times, a more deliberately regional literature began to emerge.
In contemporary prose writing, Doric occurs usually as quoted speech, although this is less and less often the case. As is usually the case with marginalised languages, local loyalties prevail in the written form, showing how the variety "deviates" from standard ("British") English as opposed to a general literary Scots "norm". This shows itself in the local media presentation of the language, e.g., Grampian Television & The Aberdeen Press and Journal. These local loyalties, waning knowledge of the older literary tradition and relative distance from the Central Lowlands ensure that the Doric scene has a degree of semi-autonomy.
Doric dialogue was used in a lot of so-called Kailyard literature, a genre that paints a sentimental, melodramatic picture of the old rural life, and is currently unfashionable. This negative association still plagues Doric literature to a degree, as well as Scottish literature in general.
Poets who wrote in the Doric dialect include John M. Caie of Banffshire (1879–1949), Helen B. Cruickshank of Angus (1886–1975), Alexander Fenton (1929–2012), Flora Garry (1900–2000), Sir Alexander Gray (1882–1968), Violet Jacob of Angus (1863–1946), Charles Murray (1864–1941) and J. C. Milne (1897–1962).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doric.htm |work=Electric Scotland |title=Doric Dialects and Doric Poets of North-East Scotland |last=Henderson|first=John |year=1996 |access-date=2012-07-26}}</ref>
George MacDonald from Huntly used Doric in his novels. A friend of Mark Twain, he is commonly considered one of the fathers of the fantasy genre and an influence on C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.
Lewis Grassic Gibbon's ''Scots Quair'' trilogy is set in the Mearns and has been the basis of a successful play and television series. It is very popular throughout Scotland and tells the story of Chris, an independent-minded woman, mainly in a form of English strongly influenced by the rhythms of local speech.
A version of Aesop's Fables has been published in Doric, as well as some sections of the Bible.
The North East has been claimed as the "real home of the ballad"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/kist/search/display.php?lwee37.dat |title=Display KIST Information Example |publisher=Abdn.ac.uk |access-date=2010-11-08 |archive-date=1 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301190621/http://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/kist/search/display.php?lwee37.dat |url-status=dead }}</ref> and, according to Les Wheeler, "91 out of a grand total of (Child's) 305 ballads came from the North East – in fact from Aberdeenshire", which makes the usual name of "Border Ballad" a misnomer put about by Sir Walter Scott.
Contemporary writers in Doric include Sheena Blackhall, a poet who writes in Doric, and Mo Simpson, who writes in the ''Aberdeen Evening Express'' and peppers her humour column with "Doricisms" and Doric words. Doric has also featured in stage, radio and television, notably in the sketches and songs of the Aberdeen-based comedy groups Scotland the What? and the Flying Pigs.
===Sample text=== ''Gin I was God'' by Charles Murray (1864–1941) <ref>Charles Murray (1920) ''In the Country Places'', Constable & Company Limited, p.11.</ref> {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} '''Doric''' :{{lang|sco|italic=no|GIN I was God, sittin' up there abeen,}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Weariet nae doot noo a' my darg was deen,}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Deaved wi' the harps an' hymns oonendin' ringin',}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|.}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Tired o' the flockin' angels hairse wi' singin',}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|To some clood-edge I'd daunder furth an', feth,}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Look ower an' watch hoo things were gyaun aneth.}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|.}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Syne, gin I saw hoo men I'd made mysel'}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Had startit in to pooshan, sheet an' fell,}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|To reive an' rape, an' fairly mak' a hell}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|O' my braw birlin' Earth,—a hale week's wark—}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|I'd cast my coat again, rowe up my sark,}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|An' or they'd time to lench a second ark,}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Tak' back my word an' sen' anither spate,}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|.}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Droon oot the hale hypothec, dicht the sklate,}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Own my mistak', an, aince I cleared the brod,}} :{{lang|sco|italic=no|Start a'thing ower again, gin I was God.}} {{col-2}} '''Translation''' :IF I were God, sitting up there above, :Wearied no doubt, now all my work was done, :Deafened by the harps and hymns unending ringing, :Tired of the flocking angels hoarse with singing, :To some cloud edge I'd saunter forth and, faith, :Look over and watch how things were going beneath. :Then if I saw how men I'd made myself :Had started out to poison, shoot and kill [fell], :To steal and rape and fairly make a hell :Of my fine spinning Earth—a whole week's work— :I'd drop my coat again, roll up my shirt, :And, ere they'd time to launch a second ark, :Take back my word and send another flood [spate], :Drown out the whole shebang, wipe the slate, :Admit my mistake, and once I'd cleared the board, :Start everything ["all-thing"] over again, if I were God. {{col-end}}
==Recent developments== In 2006 an Aberdeen hotel decided to use a Doric voice for their lift. Phrases said by the lift include "Gyaun Up" {{IPA|/ɡʲɑːn ʌp/}} (Going up), "Gyaun Doun" {{IPA|/ɡʲɑːn dun/}} (Going down), "atween fleers een an fower" {{IPA|/əˈtwin fliːrz in ən ˈfʌur/}} (between floors one and four).<ref name="urlBBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Hotel lands uplifting Doric voice">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/5087270.stm |title=Hotel lands uplifting Doric voice |work=BBC News|access-date=2009-06-24 | date=2006-06-16 | location=London}}</ref>
Also in 2006, Maureen Watt of the SNP took her Scottish Parliamentary oath in Doric. She said "I want to advance the cause of Doric and show there's a strong and important culture in the North East."<ref name="urlBBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Doric oath as new MSPs sworn in">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4920268.stm |title=Doric oath as new MSPs sworn in |work=BBC News |access-date=2009-06-24 | date=2006-04-19 | location=London}}</ref> She was required to take an oath in English beforehand. There was some debate as to whether the oath was "gweed Doric" ({{IPA|/ɡwid ˈdoːrɪk/}}) or not, and notably it is, to a certain extent, written phonetically and contains certain anglicised forms such as "I" rather than "A", and "and" instead of "an":
:"I depone aat I wull be leal and bear ae full alleadgance tae her majesty Queen Elizabeth her airs an ony fa come aifter her anent the law. Sae help me God."
In Disney/Pixar's ''Brave'', the character Young MacGuffin speaks the Doric dialect, and a running joke involves no one else understanding him. This was a choice by the voice actor, Kevin McKidd, a native of Elgin.<ref>{{cite web|title=Say What? How Kevin McKidd Brought Scotland to 'Brave' |date=21 June 2012 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/brave-pixar-kevin-mckidd-macguffin-scotland-340653|publisher=Hollywoodreporter.com|access-date=2012-11-15}}</ref>
In autumn 2020, the University of Aberdeen launched a term-long Doric course, offering it to all its undergraduate students.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/2448118/aberdeen-university-launches-new-undergraduate-class-in-doric-and-north-east-scots/|title=Aberdeen University launches new undergraduate class in Doric and north-east Scots|first=Neil|last=Drysdale|work=The Press and Journal|date=1 September 2020|access-date=20 September 2020}}</ref>
In August 2012, Gordon Hay, an Aberdeenshire author, successfully completed what is believed to be the first translation of the New Testament into Doric. The project took him six years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19400903 |title=Bible's New Testament translated into Doric by Gordon Hay |work=BBC News |date=2012-08-28 |access-date=2012-08-30}}</ref> He subsequently completed the Old Testament in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-65950857 |title=Lawyer translates Bible into Doric over 17 years |work=BBC News |date=2023-06-21 |access-date=2025-09-16}}</ref>
==See also== * Modern Scots *Shetland dialect * Ulster Scots * Norn language
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==Sources== * Harper, Norman, ''Spik O The Place'' (Canongate Books, 1998) * Harper, Norman (2009) ''Spikkin Doric''. Edinburgh. Birlinn.
==External links==
* [https://doricphrases.com/phrases.php Doric A-Z words and phrases] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20010309074318/http://www.scots-online.org/grammar/mnscots.htm Technical description of Doric pronunciation] * [http://www.scots-online.org/airticles/AwAeWey.pdf Aw Ae Wey—Written Scots in Scotland and Ulster] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613095539/http://www.scots-online.org/airticles/AwAeWey.pdf |date=13 June 2020 }} * [https://www.scotslanguage.com/Scots_Dialects_uid117/Northern_uid119/North_East_uid656 North East page at Scots Language Centre] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090714101448/http://www.soundcomparisons.com/Eng/Direct/Englishes/SglLgBuckieTrad.htm 'Hover & Hear' Doric pronunciations], and compare with other accents from the UK and around the World. * [https://archive.today/20030714215105/http://www.rosehearty.com/features/speech/index.htm Hear Doric spoken aloud] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090701091235/http://www.thedoricfestival.com/ The Doric Festival] * [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4920268.stm Scottish MSP takes oath in Doric] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070228222627/http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/wirhoose/but/wan/anglic.htm Anglic Language Varieties of Northern Scotland] (from the Internet Archive - [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/wirhoose/but/wan/anglic.htm original link down]). * [https://www.aboutaberdeen.com/doric.php List of Doric Words and English Translations] * [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3640862.stm Doric set to dae the business] * [https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5087270.stm?ls Hotel lands uplifting Doric voice] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20081204114926/http://www.readingbus.co.uk/FitLike 'Fit Like, Yer Majesty?' a book of Doric poems published in 2008] * [https://www.doricfuture.co.uk/ Doric language and area stories from the North East of Scotland] * David Jack reads Doric passages from the works of George MacDonald, with some annotated texts: [http://www.worksofmacdonald.com/spikin-scots-wi-dawvid-jack Spikin' Scots wi' Dawvid Jack], [https://www.youtube.com/user/newmannoggs/videos YouTube channel] * [http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20210321-scotlands-little-known-fourth-language?ocid=global_travel_rss Scotland's little-known fourth "language" (BBC)]
Category:Scots-language dialects Category:Culture in Aberdeen Category:Aberdeenshire Category:Banffshire Category:Moray