Ane o the mucklest differences atween auld an modren Scots is that the auld Scots grapheme <quh> /ʍ/ wis replacit bi <wh> acause o influence fae Inglis.
Houaniver, A think we soud consider gaun back tae <quh>. It’s a gey simple differ that lairners can pick up in nae time ava, an it merks a text as bein in Scots acause nae ither leid is uisin this grapheme.
Juist compare the follaein extrack fae Burns’s The Kintra Lass — the text on the caur is in his ain orthographie, and the ane on the richt is a modren version uisin <quh>:
| In simmer, when the hay was mawn And corn wav’d green in ilka feild, While claver blooms white o’er the lea And roses blaw in ilka bield! Blythe Bessie in the milking shiel, Says – I’ll be wed, come o’t what will: Out spake a dame in wrinkled eild- O’ gude advisement comes nae ill. |
In simmer, quhan the hey wis mawn An corn wafft green in ilka field, Quhile claver bluims quhite ower the lea An roses blaw in ilka bield! Blythe Bessie in the milkin shiel, Says — A’ll be wad, come o’t quhit will: Out spak a dame in wrinkelt eild — O guid advisement comes nae ill. |
The oreeginal version leuks like distortit Inglis, but the new version is clearlie in anither leid. This isna juist acause o the uiss o <quh>, but it helps!