6. Conclusion

              The main aim of this investigation was to provide a basis for conclusions about the linguistic variety of fishermen on the south-east coast of Scotland. For this purpose, fieldwork was conducted using a questionnaire which had been especially designed for use in fishing communities. 16 fishermen, distributed between eleven fishing villages on the south-east coast of Scotland, were finally chosen as representative informants. They had to answer the questionnaire and general questions about themselves and fishing. The linguistic yield of these interviews has been carefully set out in the course of this study. Each question, to which at least two different answers had been given, was handled individually with comments and remarks usually following the table of answers. Incidental material of the interviews was also used for non-linguistic background information about the fishing communities and the fishery on the south-east coast of Scotland. Extralinguistic information was considered as being indispensable as it might also account for linguistic phenomena.

            Finally, the establishment of two dialect boundaries, emerging from the data of this study and Elmer's and Mather's investigations, was suggested. Gourdon showed considerable variations - linguistically as well as non-linguistically -, and it was therefore suggested that one should establish a dialect boundary south of Gourdon. By comparing the data of this study with that of Elmer's investigation, a second dialect boundary was established between England and Scotland. Linguistic variations could also be observed in West Haven, in the East Neuk of Fife, and along the coast south of the Forth. It was also shown how linguistic and extralinguistic peculiarities coincide and how technical variations may influence linguistic variation. E.g. in Burnmouth the names given for certain parts of a small rowing-boat were different from those given in the rest of the studied communities. This could be matched by the non-linguistic evidence, as Burnmouth was the only village where the coble was used.

            As this investigation only covered a part of the Scottish coast, future studies will be necessary in order to eventually obtain a survey of fishermen's dialect along the whole Scottish coastline. The questionnaire for such studies could remain the same as the one which was used for this study. This would make the data comparable with the present investigation and with Elmer's study. Nevertheless, further questions could be added, e.g. questions asking for the local expressions for "taboo" words, or questions inquiring about the vocabulary used for certain parts of the fishermen's traditional dress. As has been shown in the course of this study, superstition and "taboo" words, as well as the traditional dress of fishermen, were significant features of the culture and traditions of the fishing folk. It would be interesting to see to what extent these elements have found their expression in local and dialectal names. Phonological and morphological aspects of fishermen's dialect, which were, on the whole, neglected for the present study, could also be included, and thus a complete picture of the linguistic situation in the Scottish fishing communities could be given. In order to find suitable informants who will be able to answer the questionnaire with its emphasis on traditional fishing methods, such studies will have to take place in the near future as the number of informants who are still familiar with the traditional fishing methods is rapidly diminishing.