Scots as the Language of the Uncanny

Abstract

This contribution discusses a few texts authored by some of the most important names in the Scottish literature of Late Modern times, in order to outline the ways in which linguistic choices, especially in relation to the co-existence of Scots and English in the same texts, contribute to the definition of the genre characteristics of the texts themselves. More specifically, it aims to draw attention to the importance of Scots as a language in which Gothic stories are not only narrated, but also introduced, thus preparing the reader for a shift in the narrative.