Scotland may only have a population of just over 5million – and did you know that the Highlands of Scotland have the lowest population density at 8 inhabitants per square kilometer – but there is a huge difference in the dialect from County to County. I am based beside Loch Lomond, the west of Glasgow, and of course we think we talk very clearly…however it is said folks living in the Inverness area in the north have the clearest and best pronunciation of the English language.
The variation of accents was brought home to me when we had a group of golfers arrive into Manchester Airport from Atlanta, and we had a coach collect them for the 3 hour drive north to Turnberry. One of our drivers, who hails from deepest Ayrshire, duly gave a bit of commentary throughout the journey, Lancashire Coast, Gretna Green, Lockerbie and so on. As I met the group at Turnberry Hotel, one well mannered golfer, as he left the coach, turned to the driver with a small gratuity, and said –“thanks for the guided tour on the way up, didn’t understand a darn word you said!”
Great stuff! Best tip: tell us to slow down when we talk!
By Anne Filshie. Anne is the Group Director of Operations at PerryGolf.
