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Spikkin Scandinavian: Why Jimmy Thelin’s native tongue is closer to Doric than you think

Jimmy Thelin hasn’t taken long to settle into life in Aberdeen since arriving from Sweden in the summer. Even the local Doric dialect is reminiscent of his native Swedish.

As a Swedish speaker, there's a decent chance Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin will recognise the odd word of Doric. Image: AFC/DC Thomson
As a Swedish speaker, there's a decent chance Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin will recognise the odd word of Doric. Image: AFC/DC Thomson

Does Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin struggle with the Doric dialect?

Perhaps not as much as you might think.

Though Scots have long thought of themselves as unique, millions of us betray our international heritage every time we open our mouths.

In the Scots dialect – including Doric – there are literally hundreds of words of Scandinavian origin which we use on a daily basis without realising it.

Jimmy Thelin the latest in a long line of Nordic ‘cousins’ to influence these shores

Jimmy Thelin hasn’t taken long to settle into life in the Granite City since arriving from Sweden in the summer.

He was named Scottish Premiership Manager of the Month in August, and hasn’t looked back since.

Swede Jimmy Thelin has revitalised Aberdeen FC, spreading much-needed cheer across the north-east. Image: Scott Baxter/DC Thomson

Thelin’s revamped Dons won 15 of their first 16 matches in all competitions this season, and sit joint top of the league table with 31 out of a possible 33 points.

The Swede’s remarkable turnaround has led to comparisons with Aberdeen FC’s greatest-ever manager Sir Alex Ferguson, with the Dons’ run even impressing Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer.

There’s no doubt Thelin has made his influence felt on the other side of the North Sea. But the fact is, he’s just the latest in a long line of Scandinavians to do so.

Scotland left with a language rich in Scandinavian influence

Viking seafarers launched their first raids on Scotland in the late eight century, with Nordic influence continuing well into the 12th century.

And 900 years later, we are still using a rich variety of words they brought to our shores, like bairn (child), midden (dump) and muckle (large/a lot).

For centuries there were political, cultural, and consequently linguistic links across the North Sea.

The first Viking raid on Iona is thought to have taken place in 794. Much of the Hebrides and Caithness also came under Norse rule.

Orkney and Shetland continued to be earldoms under Norway until 1468.

This settlement resulted in the Scandinavian-derived Norn language being spoken on Orkney and Shetland until the 18th century, influencing the Orcadian and Shetlandic dialects to this day.

And with the Vikings also invading the mainland in great numbers, present-day Scotland has been left with a spoken language rich in Scandinavian influence.

Scandinavian kings, Old Norse… and today’s Scots dialect

Dr Hannah Burrows is director of the Centre for Scandinavian Studies at Aberdeen University.

She said that while there are some logical explanations behind the similarities, “a complicated mix of factors” over time led Scots and their Nordic cousins to use similar words.

“It’s a fascinating subject – it crops up a lot in discussions with my students. I keep meaning to look more into it,” said Dr Burrows.

Dr Hannah Burrows, director of the Centre for Scandinavian Studies at Aberdeen University. Image: Aberdeen University

“Old English and Old Norse are themselves related, having a common ancestor like other Germanic languages.

“The medieval kingdom of Northumbria extended as far north as the Firth of Forth in the ninth century. So the Northumbrian dialect would have been spoken in what is now south-east Scotland. And Scots is consequently closest to that dialect.

“Northumbrian in turn was influenced by Old Norse because of the Scandinavian settlement there. The kingdom of Northumbria was ruled by Scandinavian kings from the mid-ninth century.

“So it’s likely that usage and pronunciation of common words in that area were influenced and reinforced by Norse usage.

“Further south, contact with other languages, a higher population density, a more culturally diverse population, and the connection with the capital [London] would have contributed to other shifts.

“All this happens over time of course, and is an ongoing process. There’s a complicated mix of factors and every word has its own history.”

She added: “To cut a long story short, we have two related languages – Old English and Old Norse – coming into contact in Northumbria, and in Orkney and the Western Isles, where the usage of Old Norse influences Old English speakers, in terms of both vocabulary and pronunciation.

“This developed into Scots, with many similarities in northern English dialects.”

Scottish place names not so Scottish?

Our place names also betray the Scandinavian influence.

Lerwick is just one of many places across Scotland to get its name from our Nordic ancestors – as recognised on this sign. Image: Jim Irvine/DC Thomson

For example, Stornoway is an anglicised adaption of the Old Norse, stjarna (star) and vágr (bay).

And it would be hard to concoct a more Viking-sounding place name than Wick. Its root is derived from the Old Norse vik (small creek/inlet) and is used to describe the raiders themselves.

Lerwick and Uig also share the same origin.

Then there’s Dingwall (assembly field/meeting place) and Kirkwall (church’s bay).

In recognition of the strong cultural ties with our “cousins” across the North Sea, journalist Lesley Riddoch set up the think tank Nordic Horizons in 2010. Their aim is to push for closer links between Scotland and its northern neighbours.

She said: “It’s like two cousins who have gone their own ways. Only one of them still has his own hair, but they’re still cousins.

“In many ways, Scotland is the southern, fertile end of the Nordic empire.”

It is perhaps unsurprising that certain parts of Scotland feel as Scandinavian as they do British.

Jo Grimond, former Liberal MP for Orkney and Shetland, was asked to give the name of his nearest train station on a parliamentary expenses form. He wrote: “Bergen, Norway.”

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