Word‘dreich’came to us via Middle English

I ENJOYED reading about people’s favourite Scots words (Your View, June 7).

I’d just like to clarify the origins of one word which was mentioned, “dreich” – a great word which we Scots have to use a bit too often.

The world dreich has no connection to Gaelic – it’s of Germanic origin, and has come to us via Middle English.

Scots is considered to be a language in its own right, and is used predominantly in the Lowlands, Grampian and the Central Belt. It shares the same Old English ancestry as modern standard English, though it developed separately.

Scottish Gaelic, on the other hand, developed from Middle Irish, and is an entirely separate language.

Both languages have a rich, much-admired body of literature and songs, which are unique to Scotland, and both languages have been influenced by each other.

Carolyn Taylor, Wellbank.