Vol. 41 No. 4 (1993)
Research Article

Scottish Place Names as Evidence for Language Change

PDF
  • W.F.H. Nicolaisen
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/nam.1993.41.4.306

Published 1993-12-01

Copyright (c) 1993 Maney

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Abstract

This paper traces several changes in the pronunciation of unaccented final syllables in Scottish place names. It claims that place names which are lexically opaque are more likely to reflect changes in pronunciation earlier than words the lexical meaning of which is well known. As a parallel, the loss of -l in words like ball, wall and fall is illustrated by the appearance of continuing usage of Fal- spellings in the name Falkirk (earlier Fawkirk). Even place name spellings tend to be delayed as reflexes of changes in pronunciation; they nev.ertheless are invaluable evidence for change.

PDF

References

  1. Nicolaisen, W.F.H. “Gaelic -ach > Scots -o in Scottish Place Names, “ Scottish Gaelic Studies (forthcoming).
  2. Nicolaisen, W.F.H. “Gaelic Place Names in Scots.” Scottish Language 5 (1986) 140–146; especially 142-143.
  3. Nicolaisen, W.F.H. “Scottish Place-Names: 31. Falkirk.” Scottish Studies 13 (1969) 47–59;
  4. Nicolaisen, W.F.H. “The Spelling of Scottish Place Names as a Linguistic
  5. Resource: Stirling vs. Dunfermline. In In Other Words. Festschrift H. H. Meier. Eds. J. L. Mackenzie and R. Todd. Dortrecht, Holland: Feris,1989. 301–314.
  6. Nicolaisen, W.F.H. Scottish Place-Names: Their Study and Significance London: B. T. Batsford Ltd., 1976 7–16.