Preaspiration in the Nordic Languages: Synchronic and Diachronic ...

Scotland and Ireland
1 [hphthk]
2 [hphtxk]
3 [xpxtxk]
4 [ptxk]
Gaoth Dobhair
1
Gr. Bernera
Leurbost
Lewis
Harris
North Uist
2
South Uist
Skye
IRELAND
N . I R E L A N D
– 96 –
4
3
Orkneys
Inverness
S C O T L A N D
4
Glasgow
Thurso
Edinburgh
Newcastle
upon Tyne
E N G L A N D
0 20 100 km
Figure 3-7. Scotland and part of Ireland, showing the main dialectal divisions
with regard to preaspiration in Scots-Gaelic. Note that in most cases, the
boundaries drawn are approximations based on loose written descriptions.
Dialects that have the preaspirated reflexes for all the stops are those
found furthest to the northwest, on the island of Lewis as well as on the
northwestern rim of the Scottish mainland, i.e. in the western parts of
Sutherland and in parts of Ross-shire (area in Figure 3-7). South of
these areas, on Harris, North Uist, Skye, and in the western part of
Inverness on the mainland, p and t are reflected as preaspirated, but k as
[xk] (area in Figure 3-7). In much of the remaining Scots-Gaelic
speaking area, Common Gaelic p, t, k are reflected as [xp], [xt] and [xk]
sequences (area in Figure 3-7). Still, in the southern part of Argyll, as
well as in the northern part of Perthshire, p and t are reflected as [p] and
[t] and only k is reflected as [xk] (areas marked as in Figure 3-7).