Hello everyone, I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this.
Anyways, if you're writing dialogue for a Scottish character, how would you write it in a script?
For example:
HELEN
Sorry I'm late. My clock didnae go off this morning.
Or
HELEN
Sorry I'm late. My clock didn't go off this morning.
Thanks
Moved to Writers' Discussion. 
I've had this problem with a Geordie character. I think most people will write it as it sounds so that when it's being read the person can hear the accent in there head. But don't over do it or you'll make the character look like a sterotype.
Also if it's based in Scotland and therefore most of the characters are Scottish it probably wouldn't need to be done.
You could just put it in the "Stage Directions" that introduce the character and then leave it up to the actor to get it right.
INT - A Scottish Pub Bar -- Day
BRIAN an Englishman in tweeds with a posh accent is talking to DOUG a dour Scotsman with a broad Endingburgh accent.
etc
Quote: billwill @ March 1 2010, 3:12 AM GMTYou could just put it in the "Stage Directions" that introduce the character and then leave it up to the actor to get it right.
INT - A Scottish Pub Bar -- Day
BRIAN an Englishman in tweeds with a posh accent is talking to DOUG a dour Scotsman with a broad Edingburgh accent.
etc
Yes, you leave it up to the actor, otherwise it can be a bit insulting to them.
The Scots "accent" is a bit unusual, because the Scots Leid is an officially recognised language with numerous points of difference from English and its own established orthography. I would not necessarily recommend writing an English language script in which a character's entire dialogue is in braid Scots, but where there is a point of difference as obvious to the ear as "did not" and "didnae" I might be inclined to go with the Scots form.
I would just state it in the directions when the character is first introduced. There you can be as specific as you feel you need to be. But I wouldn't strictly use different spelling in the dialogue, as this could become really tiresome for the reader.
EastEnders scripts don't miss the 'h's off words - the actors do that.
Like I say, I think you need to make a distinction between difference in pronunciation, which is the actor's problem, and difference in language, which is your problem. If you are writing a character who is talking in braid Scots you would not expect the actor to read "yes" and speak "aye", and it seems to me the same is true of "not" and "nae".
Quote: Timbo @ March 1 2010, 11:07 AM GMTLike I say, I think you need to make a distinction between difference in pronunciation, which is the actor's problem, and difference in language, which is your problem. If you are writing a character who is talking in braid Scots you would not expect the actor to read "yes" and speak "aye", and it seems to me the same is true of "not" and "nae".
That's exactly what a good actor does Timbo, reads 'yes' but says 'aye'...if he/she is scottish of course.
Coro Street scripts aren't written in broad Lancs, they are in perfect English, the actor 'converts' it.
So...'shut up' would be converted to 'shurrup'..............simples
Quote: bushbaby @ March 1 2010, 12:47 PM GMTThat's exactly what a good actor does Timbo, reads 'yes' but says 'aye'...if he/she is scottish of course.
Coro Street scripts aren't written in broad Lancs, they are in perfect English, the actor 'converts' it.
I've never seen a script with strong dialects written that way Bushbaby. If you want a Geordie character to say "Why aye man" you'd write "why aye, man" and most definitely not "Of course, sir" or similar, hoping that the actor would convert it. Think about the Rab C Nesbitt scripts. They're obviously not written in perfect English with Gregor Fisher converting them into Govan. It's not insulting to the actors to write believable dialect, in fact it'd be bloody confusing for them if you didn't.
Timbo is correct. There's a big difference between accent - which you wouldn't write - and language - which you would. So to the original poster - it's "didnae", not "didn't".
Yes I wouldn't expect an actor to say "aye" when I had written "yes" - for all they know I had written that with good reason.
However I'm not too sure about "didn't" and "didnae" - to me that is more a matter of pronunciation.... If a character has been described as having a strong Scottish accent personally I would expect them to say "didn't" as "didnae".
I guess it depends on who will be reading it, whether all the characters speak like this and how much it features in the script. I've grown listening to Scottish accents, but Robbie Burns aside, reading phonetic language like that (as in Trainspotting the novel and some Iain Banks) can be hard work. I would rather hear it in my head.
Closing thread - this questions been asked several times - including here - https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/10988/
Smashing, first welcome. Second, do a quick search as most newcomers ask the same questions. Just append accent queries to the thread above but read it first as it may help you decide on the answer.