The following extracts from "Ulster-Scots: A Grammar of the Traditional Written and Spoken Language" by Philip Robinson (Published for The Ulster-Scots Language Society by The Ullans Press, 1997), are provided by permission of Philip Robinson and The Ulster-Scots Language Society. Copyright: Philip Robinson, 1997. All rights reserved. No part of these extracts may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Ulster-Scots Language Society.

2.1 Verbal Nouns

Another way in which nouns are regularly formed from verbs in English and Ulster-Scots is by use of the ‘-ing’ form of the verb. These are known as ‘verbal nouns’. In Ulster-Scots, this is really the –in form, as the final ‘g’ is dropped in this verb form when used as a present participle e.g. A’m dauncin ('I’m dancing’). The same word form is used as a verbal noun, e.g. A’m larnin thà dauncin (I’m learning dancing’), but studies of Scots grammar have revealed that with verbal nouns the ‘g’ can sometimes be retained: tha dauncing. A possible historical precedent for this distinction may be found in Older Scots and Ulster-Scots writings, where ‘verbal nouns’ ended in –ing while present participles ended in –and.

E.g:
Hè’s awa til tha dauncing at tha scuil-hoose thenicht, but,
Hè’s aye dauncin.

Nevertheless, in contemporary Ulster-Scots speech, it must be observed that the final ‘g’ is rarely sounded in either circumstance. Indeed, when it is sounded as a form of corrected speech, it seems to apply equally to the present participle. This is because, despite the historical precedents, both ‘-ing’ forms are used today by importation from Standard English.

Note that the definite article the or tha is used along with a verbal noun in Ulster-Scots where it would be unusual in English. This serves to emphasise the use of the word as a noun.