At first they spoke in the "Scottish tongue" but because he could not understand they continued in French.

ENGLISH, THE: - a dull people, incapable of comprehending the Scottish tongue.

The guardsman gave McDonough a piercing look, obviously feeling that the foreigner was making fun of him by speaking the ancient Scottish tongue.

In 1560 an English herald spoke to Mary of Guise and her councillors, at first they talked in the "Scottish tongue" but because he could not understand they continued in French.

Pat Rogers (University of South Florida) provides Boswell's attitude to and use of Scotticisms both in writing and in speech; at one time, we are told, Boswell considered compiling a dictionary of words peculiar to the Scottish tongue.

And then milord Tuarach cursed in that terrible Scottish tongue - I don't understand a word, do you?

The night chosen for the attempt, Friday 9 September 1715, was suitably dark and stormy but, as so often, Scottish throats had imbibed too freely, Scottish tongues had wagged too readily and the raiding party, scaling the walls in the darkness, were driven off or captured.