Contributions by Steve Long

[Robert Orr]

I've only just read the first part of Larry Trask's posting, so this is a
bit impertinent, but there is a comment that can be made right away on one
of his points.

>Is Scots a variety of English or a separate language?  Well, a number of
>Scots have argued that it is a separate language, and, if it had not
>been for the Act of Union in 1707, we might all recognie Scots as a
>distinct language today.  But, because of that Act, we don't.  There are
>no linguistic considerations here: just political ones.

Actually, there is a linguistic consideration.  Scots used to have a large
number of distinctive lexical items, differentiating it from "English".
Many of these are now rare in everyday speech, thus reducing the amount of
differentation.

Due to the Act of Union (what about the Union of the Crowns?)  Perhaps.