A query on the spelling of a term used in Scotland

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The word used for a child has had three different spellings in various articles that I have read recently.....
Wain
Wane
Wean

Are all of these acceptable variations ?

 

[EM2]

My Scottish acquaintances (from various areas) all use 'wean', it being a contraction of 'wee one' or 'wee 'un'.

 

[michael769]

This word is from the Scots language. The correct spelling is wean, the others are wrong.

Wain is a large wagon

Wane is either a type of house, the vanguard of a large army or what happens to an illness when you are recovering from it.

Wean is only really used in the central belt variants of Scots (esp the Glasgow area), elsewhere bairn or littln is preferred.

 

[Welshman]

Although, as my name suggests, I have no Scottish ancestry, I would imagine "wean" to be correct, as that suggests to me someone who has recently been weaned.

"Wain", as mentioned above, suggests a wagon - as in Constable's "The Haywain"

 

[table38]

There is, or maybe judging by this photo, was, a children's clothes store in Glasgow called Weans World

 

[Eagle]

I agree with "wean", although it gets confusing when you're talking about weaning a wean.

 

[SkinnyDave]

I agree with "wean", although it gets confusing when you're talking about weaning a wean.

It is wean

 

[Seacook]

According to the OED (2nd Edition), wean is a contraction of wee ane, so wean would appear to be the most sensible spelling. Going by the citations the variants ween, wane and wane are late additions; an early citation has we'an, which is, if anything, better than wean as there is no ambiguity.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

And of course sometimes the unfortunate wean is called Wayne...