Let’s say there are three Scotlands. The Scotland of cityscapes, stunning and grim. The Scotland of open spaces, stunning and grand. The Scotland of the mind: inventors of television and telephone, proponents of the existence of underwater monsters, a world of jigs and reels and long traditions, a nation which was independent in heart and mind and stance long before it had its own new parliament. This book is a guide to the distinct Scots language, urban, rural and cultural. It is aimed both at native speakers of English and those who have learned English as a second language and at native Scots. It explains and exemplifies Scots vocabulary and usage and, on occasions, makes comparisons with English usage, particularly where the differences are likely to cause confusion.