English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with about 1.5 billion speakers. It belongs to the Indo-European language family, which means it is related to many other languages spoken in Europe and Asia. But which language is the closest relative of English? You might think it is German, or Dutch, or maybe French. But the answer might surprise you. The closest language to English is actually Scots, a regional language spoken in Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland. But what is Scots, and how did it become so similar to English? Let’s find out!
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The Origins of Scots
Scots is not a dialect of English, but a separate language that developed from the same source as English. That source is Old English, the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons who invaded Britain in the 5th century AD. Old English was a West Germanic language, closely related to Frisian, German, and Dutch.
In the 9th and 10th centuries, the Vikings invaded Britain and brought their own language, Old Norse, which influenced Old English. Some of the words that English borrowed from Old Norse are sky, egg, knife, and window.
In the 11th century, the Normans conquered England and introduced their own language, Old French, which also influenced English. Some of the words that English borrowed from Old French are castle, crown, justice, and parliament.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, a different branch of Old English evolved into Scots. Scots was influenced by Celtic languages such as Gaelic and Welsh, as well as by Latin and French. Scots also retained some features of Old English that were lost in English, such as the distinction between “thou” and “you”, and some verb endings.
The Development of Scots
Scots was used as a written language until around 1500, when it was replaced by Middle Scots, a more standardized form of the language. Middle Scots was influenced by Chaucer’s Middle English, as well as by Latin and French. Some of the famous writers who used Middle Scots were Robert Henryson, William Dunbar, and Gavin Douglas.
In the 16th century, Scotland and England became politically united under King James VI of Scotland, who also became King James I of England. He promoted the use of English as the official language of both kingdoms, and discouraged the use of Scots. As a result, Scots lost its status as a literary language and became mainly a spoken language.
In the 18th century, some Scottish writers tried to revive Scots as a literary language. They used a mixture of Scots and English to create a distinctive style that reflected their national identity. Some of the famous writers who used this style were Robert Burns, Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Scots continued to be spoken by many people in Scotland and Northern Ireland, especially in rural areas and working-class communities. However, it also faced pressure from English, which was seen as more prestigious and useful. Many Scots speakers switched to English or adopted a hybrid form of speech called Scottish English.
In the 21st century, Scots is recognized as a regional language by the UK government and protected under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. According to sitename1, there are about 1.5 million Scots speakers today. There are also efforts to promote Scots education, literature, media, and culture.
The Similarities Between Scots and English
Scots is not only the closest relative of English but also one of its most influential sources. Many words that are common in English today originated from Scots or were borrowed from Scots. Some examples are bairn (child), bonnie (pretty), loch (lake), clan (family), glamour (charm), eerie (strange), scone (biscuit), and wee (small).
Scots also shares many grammatical features with English, such as word order, sentence structure, and verb tenses. However, there are also some differences between Scots and English grammar, such as:
- Scots uses “ken” instead of “know”, “canna” instead of “cannot”, “dinna” instead of “do not”, etc.
- Scots uses “isnae” instead of “is not”, “wasnae” instead of “was not”, “hasnae” instead of “has not”, etc.
- Scots uses “amn’t” instead of “am not”, “aren’t” instead of “are not”, “weren’t” instead of “were not”, etc.
- Scots uses “youse” instead of “you” for plural.
- Scots uses “mind” instead of “remember”, “aye” instead of “yes”, “naw” instead of “no”, etc.
Despite these differences, Scots and English are still very similar and mutually intelligible to some extent. According to sitename, the sentence “Butter, bread and green cheese is good English and good Frise” is pronounced almost the same in both Scots and English.
The Conclusion
English is most closely related to Scots, a regional language spoken in Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland. Scots developed from Old English, the same source as English, but was influenced by different languages and historical events. Scots has contributed many words and expressions to English, and shares many grammatical features with it. Scots and English are still very similar and mutually intelligible to some extent. Scots is a rich and diverse language that deserves respect and recognition.
