The Lexicography of Scots at the Intersection of Monolingual and Bilingual Dictionaries

Abstract

The representation of Scots in dictionaries has a long and fascinating history. This contribution aims to outline the ways in which it has crossed the border between monolingual and bilingual lexicography, while still failing to result in a dictionary in which both headwords and definitions are in Scots. To this end, I pay attention to the historical specificity of the variety under discussion, especially since Late Modern times. Within this framework, both normative attitudes and usage may help account for the ways in which – over time – entries have been selected and prefatory material has been compiled. Finally, some remarks are offered on the situation today and what developments might be expected.