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sik

Dialect
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

“Sik” is a Scots Dialect word meaning “such” or “of that kind.”

Detailed Definition
In Scots and older Scottish poetry, “sik” commonly functions as a demonstrative adjective or pronoun, much like modern English “such.” It can refer back to a quality, condition, or thing already mentioned. In Alexander Montgomerie’s poem, it refers to the kind of love the Sun is imagined to have felt.
Example
Example in poetry:
In “Address to the Sun,” Montgomerie writes: “If it be sik—as sik it semes,” Here, “sik” means “such”: “If it be such—as such it seems.” The speaker says that, if the Sun’s love is as real as it appears to be, it should politely withdraw its rays so as not to spoil the woman’s complexion.
Additional Notes
“Sik” is a spelling associated with Scots, especially Middle Scots and literary Scots; the modern Scots spelling “sic” is also common. It should not be confused with the English word “sick,” meaning ill. The word is related in meaning to “such,” “that kind of,” or “so great a,” depending on context. In poetry, Dialect words such as “sik” can preserve regional speech, contribute to rhyme and rhythm, and give a poem a distinct Scottish voice.
Also Known As
Sike Rill Small Brook Watercourse
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