What are the Ulster-Scots?

Throughout history Ulster and Scotland have had a close relationship with each other. In the early 1600’s many Scots came over to settle in Ulster, mainly in Antrim, for a better life. Also during that turbulent time the Border Reivers, who were fighting men not unlike pirates, settled in Ulster after plundering the Anglo-Scottish borders. Not only did they bring their language with them to create the unique Ulster Scots dialect, but they also brought their family names, which thousands of people in Ulster still bear.

What is the Ulster-Scots language?

Ulster-Scots is a recognized European Regional or Minority Language. During plantation times English was the language used in business and in writing and so Ulster-Scots language was only used at home and in countryside areas. But Ulster-Scots language is an important part of our heritage and is currently being revived, so much so that it was mentioned in the Good Friday Agreement as being “part of the cultural wealth of the island of Ireland.” Examples of Ulster-Scots language include:

the morra - Tomorrow

wee - Little

sleekit - Sly

yaffle - eat quickly and noisily

troch - healthy or gluttonous appetite

lig - a clown; a stupid lout; a clumsy idiot

thran - (of a person, a task etc.) awkward (he's as thran as a donkey. It's yin thran job)

crummle - a small piece (a crummle o cheese)

Borgeegle - a botch; a completely botched piece of work (made a complete borgeegle o it)

Meg-money-feet the centipede