"Scots is whether it should be treated as a dialect of English or as a distinct (though closely related) language" Of course the whole language is a dialect with an army type scenario. Officially of course Scots is again regarded as a language in its own right though in many people's minds it is still looked on as slang, bad English or a dialect of English. maybe not surprising after a cenury or more of suppression. Even officially though things change with the wind. However one thing for certain is that Scots isn't a single dialect of English as Scots itself has a whole range of regional dialects which are really quite distinct. Borders Scots, Shetlandic and the Doric of the North East are just three examples which are really very different. So then as you suggest you get the dialectic differences. I have a Dundonian friend who does like me singing "Roads And Miles To Dundee" yet one or two of my pronounciations grate with her. Because I sing it in my own Borders accent whilst she's used to it in a Dundonian accent.