Document 128

Written Scots

Author(s): Robert Fairnie

Copyright holder(s): Robert Fairnie

Is Written Scots a Foreign Language tae Maist Hamelt Scots Speakers?

SOME fowk that’s juist been gien a copy o this news letter for the first time, haes come richt oot wi it. “That’s nae guid tae me, it’s ower hard tae read!” Monie o the 1.5m tae 2.5m hamelt Scots speakers identified bi different surveys in raicent years carries the norrie in thair heids that Scots is somethin a bit mair fantoosh nor the wey that they speak; sae fantoosh in fack, that maist o thaim canna unnerstaun it when they see it written doon. Is it onie wunner then that maist o thaim acceps the wey they speak as juist some kinna local workin cless slang juist like they war telt in the schuil.

Upsteerin Scots screivers, blythe tae write in Scots but maistlins haudin back frae the speakin o’t, warsle wi orra spellins an aft losses sicht o the monie words that’s shared atween Scots an English. This mistaen fecht tae fund a Scots word tae uise insteid o whit’s perceived tae be an English ane whiles ends up wi a language that, tho recognised bi Scots scholars as a form o Scots, is aft a language that haes never ever been spoken in Scotland an isna recognised bi the hamelt Scots speaker, uneddicatit in the readin o Scots an never hivin heard the writers speakin it. They’re no gaun tae mak a maucht tae lairn hou tae read a language that, on paper, leuks naethin like the wey they speak ilka day. They haed nae sic bother wi readin Oor Wullie or The Broons, e’en in the first hauf o the last century whan the Scots uised then wis a lang sicht braider nor the wattered doon language that’s uised the day.

Naebody the day is gaun tae propone gaun back tae thon kinna spellins an language but the’r a muckle want for written Scots tae be makit a guid bit mair reader freendly if the’r tae be onie kinna mellin an mutual recognition atween the speakers an screivers o the leid. “Forgotten Folk” is weel aquent wi this kinch an it’s ane that shuid be addressed bi aw Scots upsteerers for it’s weel kent a sindert hoose canna staund an the Scots language o the 21t century will never be hail or the twa haufs comes thegither.

Tae be fair tae Scots writers, they dinna hae onie Scots dictionar that can compear wi e’en the maist hummle o English anes, for aw the guid an necessar work that’s been duin bi the SNDA an ithers. For a stert, aw English dictionars is written in English frae batter tae batter. Scots dictionars is written in English tae. English dictionars is comprehensive an includes aw words imported intae the leid frae the classical Greek, Latin an ither foreign languages while Scots anes juist includes thae words that haes a different form o the classic word in Scots tae that uised in English, sic as the Scots “depute” insteid o the English “deputy”. Tho the’ll aye be a need for an English/Scots vairsion, nae Scots dictionar is gaun tae be complete or it’s written aw in Scots an includes aw the words the leid shares wi English, juist like the English dictionar includes aw the words it shares wi Scots an ither foreign leids. This wad mak it easier for writers tae evyte wrangly owersettin shared words intae an orra kinna pseudo Scots.

Coorse, a comprehensive Scots dictionar the likes o thon isna gaun tae fund its wey intae the shops the morn but, in the mean-time, wi the hamecomin o the Scots Pairlament, the ratifeein o the European Chairter for Regional or Minority Languages, the foondin o the Cross Pairty Group on Scots an a growein swall o intrest in the Scots language, the’r gaun tae come a time, we howp, when fowk is gaun tae hiv tae sit doon an come up wi some kinna standart leet o Scots that’s suitable for uiss on public signage in the pairlament, the schuils, on the street an for uiss on leaflets. In ither words, a Scots Dictionar o Public Signage that’s no gaun tae hae onie lauchable pseudo Scots words for enemies o the leid tae lowp on an uise as ammunition. Aiblins the CPG can hae a think on wha can best tak on this darg an whaur the fundin is gaun tae come frae.

Information about Document 128

Written Scots