LL-L: "Standardization" LOWLANDS-L, 31.AUG.2000 (04) [S]

[Lowlands-L]

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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "Standardization"

> From: Colin Wilson [lcwilson at iee.org]
> Subject: LL-L: "Standardization" LOWLANDS-L, 30.AUG.2000 (01) [S]
>
> Whit dis awbodie think aboot this idea: tae keep "-ie" as a merker
> for endins that's liable tae vouel harmony, an tae yuise "y" for
> whan it's jist a fixt soond at the end o a wird, lik in "bonny"
> or "harmony". There's three o thon endins that's liable tae vouel
> harmony, an here's whit "Stertin Oot in Scots" says aboot it:
>
> In some varieties of Scots, a phenomenon known as "vowel harmony"
occurs.
> Specifically, the vowels in
> a.      the negative particle -na;
> b.      the diminutive particle -ie;
> c.      the ending -tie in numbers such as ninetie; and
> d.      the adverbial particle -lie

Whan A first read this A thocht we'd be better aff juist forgettin
it seein there wad be nae wey ti lairn it ti fowk fae ither airts.
But A'v been thinkin on what the raesons ahint thae particlar endins
causin vowel harmony micht be, an A think ye micht be on ti something
here efter aa. Could it be that vowel harmony occurs whan the endin
is a separate morpheme fae the ruit? If that wad be richt, folk that
disna hae vowel harmony in their dialeck could still be lairnt hou
ti git the spellin richt.

It dis seem ti explain a few things aboot traditional Scots writin -
tryin ti type in thon beuks an uisin -ie juist for diminutives, A'v
been chaingin spellins like "couthie" inti "couthy". Efter a while a
body starts ti git a feelin for what wirds the Victorian &c writers
wis happy ti write wi a -y, an what anes they vernear aye wrate wi
-ie. The diminutives is maistly -ie - sheepie, hoosie (but an aa,
"corbie"!), an maist no-diminutives seems ti be -y - canny, bonny &c.
Houever, the ar that parcel o wirds that disna fit - "couthie" bein
the maist exemplary - could it be that the aulder writers wrate -ie
whan it wis in a morpheme o its ain (couth+ie)? A wonder if the differ
wis important ti langsyne writers for that this kin o vowel harmony
wis there in their dialecks?

As for the exceptions - like "corbie" - A wonder if this wis juist
perceived as a diminutive, wi the thing bein a wee birdie, efter aa?
An altho "bonny" is fae the French "bon", the'r nae ruit "bon" in the
Scots langage that wad gar the wird be taen as twa morphemes (similar
ti hou "corbeau" should strickly be "corby", but the French origins
wis, A dout, naither kent nor relevant).

Onywey, A wonder if ye could hae a think on this as fornenst the vowel
harmony in yer ain dialeck, Colin, an see hou weel it seems ti fit?
For ma pairt, A'll keep a ee oot for things pro an con the idea the
time A'm typin in thae auld beuks.

> From: Andy Eagle [Andy.Eagle at t-online.de]
> Subject:  LL-L: "Standardization" LOWLANDS-L, 30.AUG.2000 (06) [S]
>
> A recent read a history o English orthography an it wis pyntit oot
that
> monie a publisher drappit letters for thon verra raison. Less wirk,
ink,
> paper, time an siller.

A didna ken that, but bi certy A ken hou they felt! Come on an lat
us tak "streamlining" as a orthographic principle!

> At the end o the day maist fowk seemt tae want tae use -ie an A gaed
alang

A wonder wha "maist fowk" wis in your case, Andy? Wis this maist
fowk on the comittee, ie enthusiasts, or wis it onything like ma
sample, ie fowk that's juist readin Scots because A'v shoved ane
o ma beuks or manuscrips at them? If this is the case, A'd say ma
sample is _faur_ mair representative!

> soond in aa words or forms o words unique til or characteristic o
Scots,
> includin verbs (cairie), nouns (mannie) [Is thon no a diminutive
noun? Ma
> comment!], adjectives (bonnie) an adverbs (aefauldlie)...

This idea o sayin "wirds unique til or characteristic o Scots" ti
me seems ti hae nae place in a guid spellin system. A dout naebody
here needs me ti explain this (an as Ron says in the aforehaun
airticle in this threid, "consistency is preferable"). We'll see
what Colin says aboot the idea o vowel harmony bein governed bi
morphology.

Sandy
http://scotstext.org
A dinna dout him, for he says that he
On nae accoont wad ever tell a lee.
                          - C.W.Wade,
                    'The Adventures o McNab'

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