Lexical features
In order to create a national color D. Gabldon paid special attention to the vocabulary of the Scottish dialect. There were about 4,388 words of this kind in the novel. For more detailed analysis we have divided them into categories according to the part of speech.
Part of speech
Pronoun
Pronouns occupy a special place in the lexical variety of dialectisms in the novel. It is worth mentioning that the author used Scottish equivalents only in relation to 1st and 2nd person singular and plural.
Scottish personal pronouns in the text belong only to the second person singular. In the course of analysis about 1483 personal pronouns were recorded.
Scottish personal pronouns in the text belong only to the second person singular. In the course of analysis about 1483 personal pronouns were recorded.
"Outlander"
"Can ye ride one-handed?" - Can you ride one-handed?
"Are ye tired?"- Are you tired?
"Are ye tired?"- Are you tired?
Possessive pronouns in the novel belong to both 1st person and 2nd person singular. The number of Scottish possessive pronouns in the novel is 47 words. Let's have a look at the table below.
"Outlander"
"Oh, Jenny. Mo cridh ." – Oh, Jenny. My heart.
"Eat that one, lassie, and ye'll be rollin' round the room wi' your heels behind yer head."- Eat that one, girl, and you'll be rolling round the room with your heels behind your head.
"Eat that one, lassie, and ye'll be rollin' round the room wi' your heels behind yer head."- Eat that one, girl, and you'll be rolling round the room with your heels behind your head.
Reflexive pronouns are less numerous in this novel, we managed to find only 4 of them.
"Outlander"
"Idle young bastard," the newcomer said without heat, "stuffin' yerself while the horses run wild." – "Idle young bastard", - the newcomer said without heat, "stuffing yourself while the horses run wild."
"Aye, ye've allowed yerselves to be seduced from the paths o' righteousness!"- Yes, you've allowed yourselves to be seduced from the paths of righteousness.
"Aye, ye've allowed yerselves to be seduced from the paths o' righteousness!"- Yes, you've allowed yourselves to be seduced from the paths of righteousness.
Part of speech
Noun
The number of Scottish nouns is great, approximately 1799 words. In the novel these nouns are used both in singular and plural form. Another thing that should be mentionshed is the presence of diminutives that are fromed with the help of the suffix ie. For more detailed information look at the table below.
Words such as lass, lad, sassenach, laird and their derivatives are characterized by the highest frequency of occurence. They are used in colloquial speech, mostly in a conversion or a dialogue. These words, especially lass and lad, have survived to the present day and may be a key to understanding the culture of Scotland.
It is necessary to pay attention to the word sassenach as well, since it is a culture-specific element that does not have an equivalent in the English language. This noun is used in relation to the Saxons in a disdainful manner. This word is frequently used in the novel due to the fact that this is how the Scots appeal to the main character who is of British origin.
It is necessary to pay attention to the word sassenach as well, since it is a culture-specific element that does not have an equivalent in the English language. This noun is used in relation to the Saxons in a disdainful manner. This word is frequently used in the novel due to the fact that this is how the Scots appeal to the main character who is of British origin.
"Outlander"
"I dinna suppose anyone's tried to hurt ye on purpose before, Sassenach," he said.
"I did just the same, lass," he said matter-of-factly. – "I did just the same, girl," – He said matter-of-factly.
"I did just the same, lass," he said matter-of-factly. – "I did just the same, girl," – He said matter-of-factly.
Part of speech
Adjectives
One of the most popular Scottish adjectives is wee, which means small. As Usachev notes, this adjective is the key word for the culture of Scotland and is the most famous Scots in English. This is due to its frequency use in the text, it is used about 100 times. As is observed, other adjectives of the Scottish dialect are not so common. In total 112 words of this part of speech were recorded. Let's pay attention to the table below.
"Outlander"
"Mrs. Randall's verra much interested in the wee plants"- Mrs. Randall's very much interested in the small plants.
"Ye did a braw bit o' work tonight, lass. I was proud of ye." –You did a fine bit of work tonight, girl. I was proud of you.
"Ye did a braw bit o' work tonight, lass. I was proud of ye." –You did a fine bit of work tonight, girl. I was proud of you.
Part of speech
Verb
There are about 306 cases of using Scottish verbs and their derivatives in the novel. There are verbs in both affirmative and negative form, in the form of present and past tense, in the form of 1st person and 3d persons singular, and also in Continuous form.
The most frequent are the verbs in the negative form dinna, canna and the verb ken in the affirmative form and its derivatives.
The most frequent are the verbs in the negative form dinna, canna and the verb ken in the affirmative form and its derivatives.
"Outlander"
"Ye canna ha' been more than two, asleep wi' your thumb in your mouth." – You can't have been more than two, asleep with your thumb in your mouth.
"As if I didna ken!" Ian looked inquiringly at her. – "As if I didn't know!" Ian looked inquiringly at her.
"As if I didna ken!" Ian looked inquiringly at her. – "As if I didn't know!" Ian looked inquiringly at her.
Part of speech
Adverb
There are about 143 cases of using Scottish adverbs in the novel. However, there are only 3 Scottish adverbs in the text. It is necessary to distinguish such adverbs as verra and weel due to the great frequency of occurence.
"Outlander"
"It doesna taste bad, but it's no verra filling."- It doesn't taste bad, but it's not very filling.
"Weel, if he won't come, he won't"- Well, if he won't come, he won't.
"Weel, if he won't come, he won't"- Well, if he won't come, he won't.
Part of speech
Interjection
There is only one Scottish interjection in the novel, which is used in the text approximately 21 times.
"Outlander"
"Who? Fraser? Och, they took him awa' this mornin'."- "Who? Fraser? Oh, they took him away this morning.
Part of speech
Particles
In the novel you a reader can find such particles as aye, nae, English equivalents of yes, no. In total there are 269 cases of using these particles in the text.
"Outlander"
Nae doubt it was but hunger made the lad take to thievery. - No doubt it was but hunger made the lad take to thievery.
I've no great taste for politics, and less for princes, but aye, it's a possibility. - I've no great taste for politics, and less for princes, but yes, it's a possibility.
I've no great taste for politics, and less for princes, but aye, it's a possibility. - I've no great taste for politics, and less for princes, but yes, it's a possibility.
Tilda Publishing
