PROSODIC PARAMETRES OF SCOTS REGIONAL VARIATION IN SCOTLAND

Abstract

An attempt has been made in the given article to describe prosodic peculiarities of Scots, which function in the speech of central part of Scotland representatives, in the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. In the centre of investigation there are five female gender representatives of Scots. The aim of the paper is to define prosodic parametres, which identify their speech. The tasks of the research are directed on the description of language situation in Scotland and defining prosodic, in particular, frequency characteristics which can be markers of the Scots speech. Computer analysis with the use of PRAAT programme is the main method of investigation. The conducted analysis of the prosodic frequency peculiarities in the speech of the analysed Scots, who are representatives of Glasgow and Edinburgh allowed to conclude that Scots in Scotland is the product of not only inner, but also external language contacting. On the prosodic level it is proved by Rising-Falling and Level tones, which are brightly expressed in the Welsh and Irish speech. The parametres, which can serve as markers of the investigated informants’ speech are wide frequency range, high rate of maximum frequency and the usage of Rising-Falling and Level tones. Such prosodic paramenres reveal high-toned explicitness and emotionally coloured speech. The perspectives of further research include the study of temporal character of Scots’ speech in comparison with the Irish and Welsh speech.