Lossiemouth - Language

Language

The dialect of the Scots language spoken in Lossiemouth was closely related to the Doric dialect that was prevalent in Aberdeenshire. Many variations of this dialect can be heard along the Grampian coast, identifiable dialects from towns as close as 5 miles apart (i.e. Lossiemouth and Hopeman) is not unheard of. Just as the Doric is in decline, however, so it is in Lossiemouth. The reasons for this include the demise of Lossiemouth as a fishing port where its fishermen used Scots extensively. In fishing towns such as Peterhead and Fraserburgh, Scots is still widely spoken. In Lossiemouth, though, the high level of employment at the RAF station and a large population of non-Scots (nearly 25%) has hastened this decline. Quite a lot of the words still remain in use but on the whole, Scottish English is increasingly spoken among the indigenous population.