The Ulster-Scots Dialect Boundaries in Ulster

Robert J. Gregg

Phonemic Systems of Ulster Dialects (Vowels)

US(1)US(2)US(3)USUUAIAntrim Gaelic
BEETii{iiii
BOOTϊ{e{iüüϊ
BAITe{eeeee
BITæ̈æ̈ɛ̈ϊϊæ̈
BETɛɛɛɛ̣ɛ̜ɛ
BATɑɑaaaɑ
POTɔɔɔɔɒɔ
BOAToooooo
BUTʌʌöʌöö/ʌ?
ABOUTüüüəüəüü

US(1) represents the main county Antrim US dialect, as well as north Ards and part of the area west of Strangford Lough in county Down. US(2) covers the north Antrim and north-east Londonderry subdialect. US(3) includes the US Laggan dialect of Donegal, along with the Mid Ards, part of the area west of Strangford Lough and the Magilligan subdialect in north-east Deny. Antrim Gaelic is added for purposes of comparison. The inventory, based on the investigations of N. M. Holmer (see Notes 4 and 6, above), represents the Gaelic of the Glens of Antrim as well as that of Rathlin Island.

The phonemic symbols have been chosen in such a way as to give some idea of the underlying phonetic features of the vowel. Diphthongs are intentionally excluded from these basic systems, as is also all consideration of the suprasegmental feature of length.

Tabulated Summary of Phonological Rules

ListUSMEUAI
(1)/x//x//f/, /Ø/
(2)/ϊ/ọ̄/ü/
{k
/jʌ/ọ̄ +{g/ü/, /ö/, etc.
{h
(3)/æ̈(n)/i(nd)/əi(nd)/
/æ̈/u/ü/, /ö/
/æ̈(g)/i(g)/ϊ(dź)/
(4)/ɛ/ɑ/a/, /e/, etc.
(5)/ü/ū/əü/, /o/
(6)/(w)ʌ/(w)i/(w)ϊ/
/ʌ(n)/u(nd)/əü(nd)/
(7){p
/ɑ/o {b/ɒ/, /ɔ/
{m
/ɑ(ŋ)/a(ng)/ɒ (ŋ)/
/(w)ɑ/(w)e/(w)ɛ/
(8)/ɔ(Ø)/a(l)/ɒ(l)/
/ɑ(ØC)/a(lC)/ɒ(lC)/, /ɔ(lC)/
/ɔ(Ø)/a(w)/ɒ(Ø)/
(9)/i /ẹ̄, ē̜/e/, /ɛ/, etc.
(10)/e/ɑ̄/o/
(11)/o/o/ɒ/
(12)/əi/e̜i, ai/e/
/əi/, /ɑe/ī/əi/
(13)/əü(l)/a(ld)/o(ld)/, /əü(ld)/
/əü(ØC)/o(lC)/o(lC)/
/əü/ōw/o/, /ü/

Introduction | Lists 1-7 | Lists 8-14 | Phonetic Systems | Questionnaire | Notes