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Parliamo Scots
The, The war, The wul an The wad


    The following features have parallels in Shetland and, evidently, in Scandinavia. They are still heard in speech, but not often found in written Scots. When people sing Julius Mickle’s song, The Sailor’s Wife, they often sing, The’r nae luck aboot the hoose, rather than, There’s nae luck etc., as printed.

    The’r is used for English there is and there are. (cf. Shetland, der, de’r or dir: De’r no mukkil room i da kirk whan the minister canna win in! (Norwegian det er).

    The’r a poke o pan draps on the drawers’ heid.
    The’r an awfu tramps aboot thir days.
    The’r soor sales on Atholl braes/ Cam ye by Killiecrankie, O?

     The interrogative form is, ir the?

    Ir the oniebodie hame the day?
    Ir the ti be nae peace in this houss?

   The war is used for English there was and there were (cf. Shetland, dey wir, Norwegian det war).

    The war an auld bodie at the houss door, whan ye war oot.
    The war aye twa-thrie tykes hingin moutchin, aboot the steidin.

    The corresponding question  is, war the?

    War the no a Kerr bade aince the ferr syde the glebe?
    War the no yowes hirsilt i this field at yae tyme?

    This feature is found in other tenses.  The wul or the’l is used for English, there will. (cf. Shetland dey’ll).

   “Ah think the wul (the’l) be fancie breid at the pairtie.”
   “Wul the be jeilie anaw?”
   “Ay, Ah daursay.

    The wad is the conditional form (cf. Shetland, dey wid)

   “ The wad hae been a sicht mair fowk here haed thay kent ye war cummin”.
    “Wad the nou, dae ye think?


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