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Scots Norse originates in the mid to late 13th century, around the time Suðreyjar was handed over to Scotland with the [[w:Treaty of Perth|Treaty of Perth]]. Though the language would continue to be largely unchanged from the Old Norse of the 12th century, 1266AD is often used as a dividing date between Old Norse and the earliest forms of Scots Norse. While 1266 is a relatively arbitrary date, it serves its purpose as a convenient divide between two stages, as following the Treaty of Perth, the Hebrides would gain a much larger population of [[w:Gaelic|Gaelic]] and [[w:English|English]] speakers (At this point still Middle Irish and [[w:Middle English|Middle English]]), and from roughly 1450AD onward, Scots Norse would be increasingly influenced by Scots Gaelic and, to a lesser extent, Scots.
Scots Norse originates in the mid to late 13th century, around the time Suðreyjar was handed over to Scotland with the [[w:Treaty of Perth|Treaty of Perth]]. Though the language would continue to be largely unchanged from the Old Norse of the 12th century, 1266AD is often used as a dividing date between Old Norse and the earliest forms of Scots Norse. While 1266 is a relatively arbitrary date, it serves its purpose as a convenient divide between two stages, as following the Treaty of Perth, the Hebrides would gain a much larger population of [[w:Gaelic|Gaelic]] and [[w:English|English]] speakers (At this point still Middle Irish and [[w:Middle English|Middle English]]), and from roughly 1450AD onward, Scots Norse would be increasingly influenced by Scots Gaelic and, to a lesser extent, Scots.


Having been spoken throughout Suðreyjar, Scots Norse had a dialect within the [[w:Isle of Man|Isle of Man]] (Scots Norse {{lang|snon|{{term|Monaèirr}}}}). Little is known about Manx Norse ({{lang|snon|{{term|Monaèsc}}}}), as it is very poorly recorded, the most extensive description being a short document from around 1500AD that contains a list of about 150 words, with a very poor description of the pronunciations. Though from this description we can gather that Manx Norse still had the [[w:dental fricative|dental fricatives]] that had been lost in other dialects (merging with t/d), we get this from the description "... these [th and dh] are like that of the Saxons' beloved þ."
Having been spoken throughout Suðreyjar, Scots Norse had a dialect within the [[w:Isle of Man|Isle of Man]] (Scots Norse {{lang|snon|{{term|Monaèirr}}}}). Little is known about Manx Norse ({{lang|snon|{{term|Monaèsc}}}}), as it is very poorly recorded, the most extensive description being a short document from around 1500AD that contains a list of about 150 words (see ''[[the Noreine speche fra Man]]''), with a very poor description of the pronunciations. Though from this description we can gather that Manx Norse still had the [[w:dental fricative|dental fricatives]] that had been lost in other dialects (merging with t/d), we get this from the description "... these [th and dh] are like that of the Saxons' beloved þ."


Following the treaty of Perth, the usage of Norse began declining significantly, with evidence it was nearly extinct by 1550. A small revitalization occured in the mid 18th century when several of the last native speakers (at the time, Scots Norse had no more than 150 remaining speakers) gathered together to document the language so it could be taught to children. This effort was mostly effective, leading to the first noticeable rise in speaker count since it began declining. By the 1880's, there would be upwards of 1,500 native speakers, a majority of them young.
Following the treaty of Perth, the usage of Norse began declining significantly, with evidence it was nearly extinct by 1550. A small revitalization occured in the mid 18th century when several of the last native speakers (at the time, Scots Norse had no more than 150 remaining speakers) gathered together to document the language so it could be taught to children. This effort was mostly effective, leading to the first noticeable rise in speaker count since it began declining. By the 1880's, there would be upwards of 1,500 native speakers, a majority of them young.
===Modern===
===Modern===
Modern Scots Norse is typically classed as critically endangered due to how few speakers it has, having no more than 2,500 native speakers as of 2020, and virtually all of them live in the Hebrides, making it extremely limited.
Modern Scots Norse is typically classed as critically endangered due to how few speakers it has, having no more than 2,500 native speakers as of 2020, and virtually all of them live in the Hebrides, making it extremely limited.
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===Mutation===
===Mutation===
Since Old Norse, initial [[w:consonant mutation|consonant mutation]] has developed. Scots Norse has several forms:
Since Old Norse, initial [[w:consonant mutation|consonant mutation]] has developed. Scots Norse has three forms:
:radical (basic)
:radical (basic)
:lenited
:lenition
:nasal
:eclipsis
:voiced
 
these can be shown quite well through pronouns + lemma, as a pronoun exists that causes most of them (except voiced).
these can be shown quite well through pronoun + verb, as a pronoun exists that causes both, the word order for these will be slightly odd.


The following gives an example using each of the nominative pronouns:
The following gives an example using "mik" ("I, me"), "ha" ("he"), and "ic" ("we, us", emphatic):
:''e thàel'' /ˈɛ θoʎ/ — "I speak"
:''{{lang|snon|mic tàlarr}}'' /ˈmʲɪc ˈto.ʎərʲ/ — "I speak"
:''tù thàlarr'' /ˈtˠu ˈθo.lər/ — "you speak"
:''{{lang|snon|ha dtàlarr}}'' /ˈçæ ˈdo.ʎərʲ/ — "he speaks"
:''ha nhàlarr'' /ˈha n̥o.lər/ — "he speaks"
:''{{lang|snon|ic thàlarr}}'' /ˈɪc ˈθo.ʎərʲ/ — "we (emphatic) speak"
:''ho nhàlarr'' /ˈxɔ ˈn̥o.lər/ — "she speaks"
:''tat tàlarr'' /ˈtat ˈto.lər/ — "it/they (sg) speak(s)"
:''vit tòlu'' /vʲɪt tˠo.ɫɤ/ — "we speak"
:''it tòlud'' /ɪt tˠo.ɫɤd/ — "you (pl) speak"
:''tèrr tòl'' /ˈtʲer ˈtˠoɫ/ — "they (m/f) speaks"
:''tò thòl'' /ˈtˠo ˈθˠoɫ/ — "they (n) speak"


==Orthography==
==Orthography==
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==Morphology==
==Morphology==
===Pronouns===
{{snon-pronouns}}
===Nouns===
===Nouns===
A major development in nouns is the complete loss of the definite forms, being replaced by the independent "hinn", which precedes the noun, triggering nasal mutation in some forms.
Nouns have been reduced down to a basic singular/plural distinction, with the masc/fem distinction only maintained in the singular and when paired with the article ''{{lang|snon|{{term|hin}}}}''.


The nominative and accusative merged together in the mid 1700's, leading to a necessarily stricter word order. The neuter has also merged with the masculine.
{{inflection-table-top|palette=blue|title=Noun declensions|tall=yes}}
====Strong nouns====
! class=outer rowspan=2 |
=====Masculines=====
! colspan=2 | masculine
These first few are masculine a-stems.
| class=separator rowspan=4 |
{{snon-decl-m-a|ald|1l=h-ald|1n=n-ald}}
! colspan=2 | feminine
{{snon-decl-m-a|hàt|hòt|hàet|1l='àt|2l='òt|3l='àet|1n=nhàt|2n=nhòt|3n=nhàet}}
|-
{{snon-decl-m-a|r=y|hàmar|hòmar|1l='àmar|2l='òmar|1n=nhàmar|2n=nhòmar}}
! singular
! plural
! singular
! plural
|-
! indefinite
| {{lang|snon|-ᶫ}}
| {{lang|snon|-arr}}
| {{lang|snon|-}}
| {{lang|snon|-arr}}
|-
! definite
| {{lang|snon|hin h-ᶫ}}
| {{lang|snon|hin h-arr}}
| {{lang|snon|hin -}}
| {{lang|snon|hin -arr}}
|-
{{inflection-table-bottom}}


These next two were originally neuter.
''All'' nouns fit into one of these two patterns, regardless the forms in Old Norse. Below are several examples.
{{snon-decl-m-a|màl|mòl|màel|1l=mhàl|2l=mhòl|3l=mhàel}}
{{snon-decl|a|ld|g=m}}
{{snon-decl-m-a|post|poest|1l=phost|3l=phoest|1n=mhost|3n=mhoest}}
{{snon-decl|h|àt|àet|g=m}}
{{snon-decl|h|àmar|4=àmr|g=m}}
{{snon-decl|b|èdh|g=m}}
{{snon-decl|b|ògh|òegh|g=m}}
{{snon-decl|m|àl|àel|g=m}}
{{snon-decl|p|ost|oest|g=m}}
{{snon-decl|a|rrv}}
{{snon-decl|b|èt}}


The masculine i-stem has also merged with the a-stem.
===Adjectives===
{{snon-decl-m-a|bèdh|1l=bhèdh|1n=mèdh}}
Both the comparative and superlative forms were lost by the time of Sudrey Norse, being replaced with the usage of {{lang|snon|{{term|mèr}}}} ("more") and {{lang|snon|{{term|mast}}}} ("most"), so rather than, say, Old Norse "beztr" (hypothetical Scots Norse **{{lang|snon|bast}}) for "better", it is instead {{lang|snon|mèr ghòedh}} (lit. "more good").


=====Feminines=====
In modern Scots Norse, adjectives have at most three forms, 2 singulars and a plural. Only the singular changes for gender, where the distinction is through mutation, the masculine causing lenition while the feminine doesn't cause mutation.
{{snon-decl-f-ōn|arrv|orrv|1l=h-arrv|2l=h-orrv|1n=n-arrv|2n=n-orrv}}


===Adjectives===
{{snon-decl-adj|a|ld}}
As with nouns, the definiteness distinction has been lost in adjectives, though it was lost far earlier than in nouns, this is attributed to the increasing reliance on the noun for definiteness. (Which itself too eventually fell to the use of "hi")
===Numerals===
 
{|class="wikitable"
The forms of adjectives quickly began falling together, with the nominative/accusative distinction being lost quite early on.
!1
{{snon-decl-adj|sèl}}
|{{lang|snon|{{term|èn}}}}
|-
!2
|{{lang|snon|{{term|tfèrr}}}}
|-
!3
|{{lang|snon|{{term|trìrr}}}}
|-
!4
|{{lang|snon|{{term|fiòrarr}}}}
|-
!5
|{{lang|snon|{{term|fi}}}}
|-
!6
|{{lang|snon|{{term|sac}}}}
|-
!7
|{{lang|snon|{{term|siò}}}}
|-
!8
|{{lang|snon|{{term|àet}}}}
|-
!9
|{{lang|snon|{{term|naì}}}}
|-
!10
|{{lang|snon|{{term|taì}}}}
|-
!11
|{{lang|snon|{{term|aliov}}}}
|-
!12
|{{lang|snon|{{term|tòlv}}}}
|-
|}


===Prepositions===
===Prepositions===
Scots Norse has a very, very simple system of inflected prepositions, only inflecting for person and number, but never for case or gender, likely because it can usually be told through context.
Scots Norse has a very, very simple system of inflected prepositions, only inflecting for person and number.
 
A large amount of speakers simply don't use inflected prepositions, though the majority does.


{{snon-infl-prep|in|1l=inh|2l=ionh|1v=im}}
A large amount of speakers simply don't use inflected prepositions.


{{snon-infl-prep|i|3=io|n=y}}




{{snon-infl-prep|til|1l=tilh|2l=tiolh}}
{{snon-infl-prep|til|3=tiol}}


===Verbs===
===Verbs===
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The stative doesn't exist for every verb, but the forms are still displayed for convenience's sake.
The stative doesn't exist for every verb, but the forms are still displayed for convenience's sake.


The original mediopassive indicative only remains in a small set of verbs acting as a reciprocal, typically physical actions taken towards others, like {{lang|snon|{{term|}}}} ("to fight"), {{lang|snon|{{term|slà}}}} ("to hit"), {{lang|snon|{{term|}}}} ("to embrace"), as well as a few abstract verbs, such as {{lang|snon|{{term|}}}} ("to love"). Otherwise it's been replaced by {{lang|snon|{{term|hìnu n-onaru}}}}
The original mediopassive indicative only remains in a small set of verbs acting as a reciprocal, typically physical actions taken towards others, like {{lang|snon|{{term|}}}} ("to fight"), {{lang|snon|{{term|slà}}}} ("to hit"), {{lang|snon|{{term|}}}} ("to embrace"), as well as a few abstract verbs, such as {{lang|snon|{{term|}}}} ("to love"). Otherwise it's been replaced by {{lang|snon|{{term|hinnar}}}}
====Strong verbs====
 
Strong verbs have survived rather well into Scots Norse, at times weak verbs have been made strong (though the opposite has also happened).
Verbs have reduced to such a limited number of forms that analogy and sound changes have leveled them all down to essentially one pattern (excluding a few irregular verbs), which seemingly descends from Old Norse's weak class 2 pattern.
=====Class 1=====
 
=====Class 2=====
{{snon-conj|t|àl|àel}}
=====Class 3=====
=====Class 4=====
=====Class 5=====
=====Class 6=====
=====Class 7=====


====Weak verbs====
=====Class 1=====
The original distinction between "heavy" and "light" stems has long been lost in Scots Norse, the distinction between them having either been leveled out or sound changes led to its loss.


{{snon-conj-weak1|mèl|mèlt|1o=mèol|2o=mèolt}}
{{snon-conj|m|èl}}


=====Class 2=====
{{snon-conj-weak2|tàl|tàldh|1e=tàel|2e=tàeldh|1u=tòl|2u=tòldh}}


=====Class 3=====
{{snon-conj|à|gh|egh}}


====Suppletive verbs====
====Suppletive verbs====
There is only one known suppletive verb in Scots Norse, that being the copula ''{{lang|snon|vèr}}'', and even it has been leveled by many speakers.
{{snon-conj-vèr}}
"arr" and "varr" are the more prevalent forms, but the regularized forms "vèrarr" and "vèradharr" are also rather common.


==Syntax==
==Syntax==
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Allir menn eru bornir frjálsir ok jafnir at virðingu ok réttum. Þeir eru allir viti gœddir ok samvizku, ok skulu gøra hvárr til annars bróðurliga.
Allir menn eru bornir frjálsir ok jafnir at virðingu ok réttum. Þeir eru allir viti gœddir ok samvizku, ok skulu gøra hvárr til annars bróðurliga.
====Scots Norse====
====Scots Norse====
{{lang|snon|alarr ma n-èor bhorrnarr friàlsarr o hiavnarr, hàevn vhirrdhing h-o rhèot h-atharr. tèrr èor h-alarr vìt gaèdarr o shanviosc, o shcùl gaèr vhàrr til anarr bhròdhorrligh.}}
{{lang|snon|arr manarr al bhori mhriàl h-o hiavn, vèrann vhirrdhing o rhèt h-atharr. vèrann gaèdhadh h-o shanvisc h-atharr, o shcùl ghèor hanna thil bròdhligh.}} </br>
:alarr ma n-èor bhorrnarr friàlsarr o hiavnarr, hàevn vhirrdhing h-o rhèot h-atharr. tèrr èor h-alarr vìt gaèdarr o shanviosc, o shcùl gaèr vhàrr til anarr bhròdhorrligh.
arr manarr al bhori mhriàl h-o hiavn, vèrann vhirrdhing o rhèt h-atharr. vèrann gaèdhadh h-o shanvisc h-atharr, o shcùl ghèor hanna thil bròdhligh.


=====English translation=====
=====English translation=====
:lit: "all men are born free and equal, being dignity and rights at them. they are all endowed to reason and to conscience, and should act each to others to brotherly(ness)"
:lit: "all men are born free and equal, being dignity and rights at them. being reason and conscience at them, and should act to brotherhood at each other"
:"all men are born free and equal, having dignity and rights. they are all endowed with reason and conscience, and should act to eachother as a brotherhood"
:"all men are born free and equal, having dignity and rights. they have reason and conscience, and should act to eachother as a brotherhood"


===Deor===
===Deor===
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