Boab: Risking life and limb here - you surely agree that one of the effects of the clearances of only about 250 years was to greatly displace Lowland Scots with incoming English speakers? This is why I think Shieldsfolk is more or less right. Highland Scots and places like the Shetlands are a completely different matter.

And yes, English is heavily influenced by French, German and Latin! On the other hand, it is more like 1000 years than 250 the the blending is more complicated.