Document 1811
Scots Tung Wittins 160
Author(s): Robert Fairnie
Copyright holder(s): Name withheld
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Nummer 160
Mairch 2007
Keep a guid Scots Tung in yer heid, hert an mooth!!
[NOTE: logo here of the dot Sco in original]
Scots Tung WITTINS
Eydently Campaignin tae Uphaud the Scots Language
Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber] Scots Tung wabsite: http://uk.geocities.com/rfairnie@btinternet.com/ Stravaiger Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber]
Ae Buik - Ae Auld Reekie
[NOTE: image here of the book cover in original]
EFTER hivin pitten forrit the norrie o haein a City o Literature tae UNESCO in the first place, Auld Reekie wis walit tae be the first UNESCO City o Literature. The Capital's first year cairryin the abuin title stertit in Januar 2007 syne its first project wis "One Book - One Edinburgh", the yin buik bein "Kidnapped" written bi Auld Reekie's kenspeckle author, Robert Louis Stevenson.Twintie-five thoosand free copies o "Kidnapped" wis gien oot in Februar tae gar as mony fowk as possible tae read this braw excitin adventure buik bi yin o Edinburgh's maist kenspeckle sons.
Five different vairsions o RLS's novel wis furthset - a paperback, a graphic novel, twa simplified vairsions an a vairsion o the graphic novel in Scots. O the 25,000 free copies, 10,000 wis the original RLS text in a new paperback frae Canongate, 7,500 wis a spaicially commissioned graphic novel bi screiver Alan Grant an illustrator Cam Kennedy, that haes warkit on hunners o comic titles, the likes o Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, Batman an Star Wars. There wis 7,500 copies an aw o an edition makit easier for bairns tae read, the twa hinnermaist bein furthset bi Waverley. The twa vairsions for sale wis a modren text for younger readers furthset bi Barrington Stoke an a Scots vairsion o the abuin graphic novel owerset intae Scots bi Matthew Fitt an James Robertson, cried "Kidnappit" an furthset bi Black an White. The reinge o styles an formats wis meant tae appeal tae aw kinkinna readers ower a braid reinge o ages.
"Kidnappit" is the first ever graphic novel tae be screivit aw in Scots an the 25th title in the Itchy Coo imprint. It wis adaptit bi Alan Grant, illustratit bi Cam Kennedy an owerset intae Scots bi Matthew Fitt an James Robertson.
Here a wee preein o whit the text luiks like:-
"Tak tent o whit I say mannie - keep awa fae the Hoose o Shaws!"
"Wi his mither an faither deid, an wioot a bawbee tae his name, David Balfour sets oot for Embra an the hame o his sleekit auld Uncle Ebenezer. But Ebenezer is no pleased when his young nevoy chaps his door.
Efter narrowly joukin death at the Hoose o Shaws, David is swicked intae gaun aboard the brig Covenant whaur he finds himsel KIDNAPPIT an aboot tae be sellt intae slavery. When the ship gangs doun in gurlie seas, David, alang wi gallus Jacobite rebel Alan Breck, begins the lang an dangerous stravaig back tae Embra through the Hielans o Scotland tae claim his richtfu inheritance."
Copies o "Kidnappit" can be gotten frae Itchy Coo (Black & White Publishing) at:-
http://www.itchy-coo.com/
Price £8.99 On-the-wab price £6.74
ISBN: 978 1 84502 138 2
Format: paperback wi 64 pages.
Fully illustratit in colour aw the wey throu.
Suitable for bairns frae 9 year auld an abuin.
Queen's Scots
Doon throu the years, the guid fowk o Inverness haes been able tae blaw aboot speakin the purist Queen's English in the hail country. It's aye been thocht that this cam aboot bi wey o thaim bein originally Gaelic speakers sae, when they chynged ower tae English, it wis aye spoken wi a Gaelic accent that gied it a clarity that haed nae maik onywhaur else. Howanever, a new buik bi Robert Millar o Aiberdeen University, threaps that aw this haes chynged in raicent years an the fowk o the Hielan Capital haes noo taen tae speakin the Scots language. Mr Millar threaps that efter giein up thair Gaelic they needit somethin else tae pruive they're Scots sae they stertit tae speak Scots insteid.
Language Strategy
THE draft Strategy For Scotland's Languages wis pitten oot for consultation on the 5t o Februar bi the Scottish Executive.
See:- http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/01/24130746/1
Whaur the Scots language is concairned, there naethin proponed in this strategy that didnae kythe in Michael Forsyth's "Scots Language Fact-sheet" frae aboot 1995. Whaur it says that Gaelic will be protected an promotit, it can only manage tae hae the Scots language treated wi respect an pride sae it can be jaloused frae this that Scots isnae gaun tae be aither protected or promotit. Sae whit's new? Michael Forsyth's factsheet said aw thon in 1995.
The Strategy threaps that Scots isnae an endangered language. Whit glamour did they yaise tae come up wi that yin? Hou mony Scots speakers wis there in 2001? Naebody kens, for the Executive didnae want tae speir sic a question aboot it in the census o that year. In fact, afore the hinnermaist vote aboot it wis taen an tae mak siccar the question wad be votit doon, they said sic a question cuid be pitten intae a Household Survey insteid. Howanever, we aw ken fine bi noo that nae sic question wis ever speirt. Sae hou can they compare the state o Scots the day agin the state it wis in in 2001 or ony ither year for that maitter?
Oot o a strategy o 21 pages, efter reddin oot aw the meaninless spin, aw that it says aboot the Scots language can be byled doon tae:-
The Scots language is an important part of Scotland's cultural heritage...... it is important that we recognise, respect and celebrate the Scots language.......The Executive's National Guidelines on English language 5-14 advocate the inclusion of Scots and Scots literature in the curriculum.............
Maist o the abuin is taen word for word oot o Michael Forsyth's Scots language factsheet an because the Scottish curriculum isnae a prescriptive yin, naethin haes chynged in aw thae years syne 1995 an naethin will chynge wi this new language strategy in the oncome. Leastweys no in its praisent form onywey.
There can be nae doot noo that baith the Scottish Executive, gaun aw the wey back tae 1999 as weel as the Scottish Office afore that, haes haed nae intentions o daein onythin ither nor juist giein lip service tae the cause o the Scots language an they've never haed ony plans tae dae onythin positive tae sauf Scots. If the language survives it will be in spite o the Executive an certainly no because o it.
Scots Tung WITTINS
On the wab.
Mair raicent copies o the Scots Tung Wittins can be gotten in pdf format frae Scots Tung's wabsite at:-
http://uk.geocities.com/rfairnie@btinternet.com
A hard copy o STW is sent free o chairge tae aw maimbers o Scots Tung ilka month.
Maimbership subscreivins is £5 (Scotland/UK)
Peyed ilka September. €9 (Ireland/EU)
Voices From Their Ain Countrie
WHAN Katherine Gordon stertit her research intae the life an wark o the twa NE poets, Marion Angus an Violet Jacob, she fund scant resources. Thair wark haed been publisht in anthologies an periodicals but "nae ful lenth study…wis tae haund…naither haed a volume o ingaithert poetry [or]…extensive correspondence in public libraries"*. Nane o the weemin's publications wis still in prent. Her wark wis publisht in 2006 tae faw in wi the 60t anniversar o the poets' daiths. Ilka yin lived intae thair 80s an tho hailin frae the same airt in Angus, the weemin didnae meet or late on in life. Baith weemin wrate in Scots an English an tho written aboot an weyed up thegither, thair writin styles is gey sindert, as wis thair life experiences. Gordon threaps, "Both writers wrote out of a deep engagement with Scottish literature." The ither common factor is thair deep love o the Nor-East. Maist o thair poems wis screivit atween the wars an aw. Angus wis kent for her abeility tae "experience the things that didnae happen to her". She haed an interest in the uncanny an the speiritual. Her poems shaws an underlyin longin an dowieness, a keen awaurness o the cycle o life an in particlar the loss o youth. Her writin haes a cyclical element tae it as in At Candlemas whaur ae meinit the narrator's a young lass luikin at a wumman "wi broo rankled sair" an the neist she's bein regairdit bi a "blithe bairnie" that notices "yer broo's rankled sair". The Wife tells o a wumman meetin her dochter in law for the first time an hou her first warm walcome turns cauld as the last lines reads "Ma son your comely bride, has the grey gled's een". She shaws insicht an awaurness o the foibles o human nature the likes o The Blue Boat whaur a wumman spends siller on hersel raither nor buy a boat for a wee lad. "Oh laddie alane frae morn till nicht I daurna face the can'ellicht". Jacob's style is mair lowsed, reflectin her ain private pairsonality. Her wark is bonny an rhythmic wi perfeck metre o whiles gey lang lines like The Howe o the Mearns.
"There was nae twa lads frae the Grampians doon tae the Tay
That could best us twa
At bothie or dance, or the field on a fitba day
We could sort them a"
Her wark lends itsel tae bein pit tae music as haes been duin bi singer Jim Reid wi Bonnie Joann an The Wild Geese.
She haes a braid reinge o subjeck maitter an shaws a guid insicht intae human nature an a gift for social comment as in Bailie Bruce, a latter day maimber o the unco guid.
"…the wicked fled afore his face
The guid aye passed them in the race"
It's tae Gordon's credit that she haes gaithert thair wark an compiled this walin. She haes brocht thae twa weemin's wark frae the shedaes intae the licht for the delicht o students tae come an general readers alike.
Voices from their ain Countrie
The poems of Marion Angus and Violet Jacob
Editit bi Katherine Gordon an Publisht bi the ASLS. ISBN 0-948877-76-6 priced £9.95
* Quote taen frae the Scottish Poetry Library Newsletter 47 © Review bi Irene Broon
StAnza Lench
ON the 1t Februar 2007, the Scottish Poetry Library wis host tae the lench o this year's Scottish Poetry Festival, StAnza. The ongaun wis gien an innin bi Robyn Marsack o the SPL, follaed bi a cutty talk bi Festival Director Brian Johnstone. A guid pairt o the nicht wis in the company o writer Bernard McLaverty that spake knackie-like aboot the influence poetry hid haed on him ower his life. A Norlan Irishman noo bidin in Scotland, he telt aboot him bein sent tae elocution lessons as a bairn tae redd oot his Nortlan Ireland accent. (It didnae work!) He spake robustly aboot the wey some fowk in the media seems tae be feart o yaisin the strang 'R' soond, quotin hou newsreaders manages tae say somethin like 'meh daa' whan sayin the word 'murder'. It wis richt refreshin tae listen tae! StAnza Convener, Colin Will said a puckle words an aw aboot the themes o this year's festival that's gaun tae be Homelands and Exile an Poetry and the Moving Image. Exemplars o poems bi some o the poets takin pairt wis then read oot bi Brian Johnstone an the Festival's Airtistic Director, Eleanor Livingstone tae gar onybody that hidnae makit thair minds up richt aboot tendin, tae gaun. This'll be StAnza's 10t year, sae it's gaun tae be extrae spaishal. The excitin program can be vizzied on the wabsite www.stanzapoetry.org.
Alternatively, ye can write tae StAnza, [CENSORED: postaladdress] or e-mail [CENSORED: emailaddress]. If ye dinnae manage alang, leuk oot for Scots Tung's coverage in the Aprile issue. © Irene Brown
"The only raiglar festival dedicatit tae poetry in Scotland, Stanza taks place in St Andrews ilka Mairch. Internaitional in ootleuk, the festival praisents warld cless poets performin in atmospheric venues aroond the historic toun centre" © Irene Broon
A Scots Wireless Station?
"...they've been gien a jewel tae
nurture an growe but aw they can dae is sneer at it......"
THE Ulster-Scots Agency ettles tae stert up tae six wireless stations atour the Province o Ulster this summer. The Agency ettles tae hae thae community wireless stations tae be rin bi volunteers frae Ulster-Scots groups wi a high-heid-yin appyntit bi the Agency tae manage the projeck an gie guidance tae thae Ulster-Scots fowk.
The heidmaist braidcastin oors will be 7am tae 11pm ilka day wi a 7pm-11pm slot ilka nicht dedicatit tae Ulster-Scots wi music, story-tellin, history, Ulster-Scots language an nae want o high-jinks an gemms. The ettle is tae rin thae community stations for twa year an eik tae thaim in the saicont year. Efter that, they howp tae estaiblish a mair permanent Ulster-Scots wireless station that will kivver the hail o the north o Ireland.
This maun shuirly pit the "Strategy For Scotland's Languages", if ye can cry it a strategy, richt intae perspective daes it no? The Scots Executive micht pynt oot that, wi braidcastin no bein a devolved maitter but yin that's reserved tae Wastmintser, they cannae dae onythin aboot it. Thon wad be a richt tuim excuise for, is braidcastin in Northern Ireland no a maitter that's reserved tae Wastminster an aw? Sae, if it can be duin in Northern Ireland, whit wey can it no be duin in the hame o the Scots language as weel?
The answer tae this is that the Scots Executive an its Culture Comatee, heidit bi Patricia Fergusson MSP, juist like aw Scottish meinisters gaun richt back tae the Liberal government's Scottish Education Act o 1872, disnae want tae dae ocht tae gie life an strenth tae Scots, a language that they've aye seen as a threat tae the Imperial English language in Scotland. They cuid an shuid hiv ettilt tae gaun for bi-lingualism but they chuise tae gaun for extermination o Scots an a nation o monoglots insteid.The modern exterminators we hae the day is a lot mair sleekit nor the yins in the bygane. They dinnae tell fowk tae speak proper an no yaise thon common street slang but insteid they mak mealie moothit expressions o pride an support for the Scots language, kennin aw the time that if aw they dae is naethin mair nor chuck the odd haundfu o baw-bees at the leid, the Scots language will dee oot an gaun awa aw bi itsel oot o sheer neglect.
The Scots Executive's Culture Comatee haes been gien a jewel tae nurture an growe but aw they can dae is sneer at it ahint thair haund while giein it mealie moothit lip service. Deil blin the hoose o the Whigs & feres.
Makar's Neuk
Awa, Whigs, Awa!
Our thrissles flourished fresh and fair,
And bonnie bloom'd our roses;
But Whigs cam like a frost in June,
An wither'd aw our posies.
Our ancient crown's fawn in the dust -
Deil blin them wi the stoure o't;
And write their names in his black beuk,
Wha gae the Whigs the power o't.
Our sad decay in church and state
Surpasses my descriving;
The Whigs cam o'er us for a curse,
And we hae done wi thriving.
Grim vengeance lang has taen a nap,
But we may see him waukin;
Gude help the day when Royal heads
Are hunted like a maukin!
Robert Burns (1759-1796)
Mairch 2007
Keep a guid Scots Tung in yer heid, hert an mooth!!
[NOTE: logo here of the dot Sco in original]
Scots Tung WITTINS
Eydently Campaignin tae Uphaud the Scots Language
Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber] Scots Tung wabsite: http://uk.geocities.com/rfairnie@btinternet.com/ Stravaiger Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber]
Ae Buik - Ae Auld Reekie
[NOTE: image here of the book cover in original]
EFTER hivin pitten forrit the norrie o haein a City o Literature tae UNESCO in the first place, Auld Reekie wis walit tae be the first UNESCO City o Literature. The Capital's first year cairryin the abuin title stertit in Januar 2007 syne its first project wis "One Book - One Edinburgh", the yin buik bein "Kidnapped" written bi Auld Reekie's kenspeckle author, Robert Louis Stevenson.Twintie-five thoosand free copies o "Kidnapped" wis gien oot in Februar tae gar as mony fowk as possible tae read this braw excitin adventure buik bi yin o Edinburgh's maist kenspeckle sons.
Five different vairsions o RLS's novel wis furthset - a paperback, a graphic novel, twa simplified vairsions an a vairsion o the graphic novel in Scots. O the 25,000 free copies, 10,000 wis the original RLS text in a new paperback frae Canongate, 7,500 wis a spaicially commissioned graphic novel bi screiver Alan Grant an illustrator Cam Kennedy, that haes warkit on hunners o comic titles, the likes o Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, Batman an Star Wars. There wis 7,500 copies an aw o an edition makit easier for bairns tae read, the twa hinnermaist bein furthset bi Waverley. The twa vairsions for sale wis a modren text for younger readers furthset bi Barrington Stoke an a Scots vairsion o the abuin graphic novel owerset intae Scots bi Matthew Fitt an James Robertson, cried "Kidnappit" an furthset bi Black an White. The reinge o styles an formats wis meant tae appeal tae aw kinkinna readers ower a braid reinge o ages.
"Kidnappit" is the first ever graphic novel tae be screivit aw in Scots an the 25th title in the Itchy Coo imprint. It wis adaptit bi Alan Grant, illustratit bi Cam Kennedy an owerset intae Scots bi Matthew Fitt an James Robertson.
Here a wee preein o whit the text luiks like:-
"Tak tent o whit I say mannie - keep awa fae the Hoose o Shaws!"
"Wi his mither an faither deid, an wioot a bawbee tae his name, David Balfour sets oot for Embra an the hame o his sleekit auld Uncle Ebenezer. But Ebenezer is no pleased when his young nevoy chaps his door.
Efter narrowly joukin death at the Hoose o Shaws, David is swicked intae gaun aboard the brig Covenant whaur he finds himsel KIDNAPPIT an aboot tae be sellt intae slavery. When the ship gangs doun in gurlie seas, David, alang wi gallus Jacobite rebel Alan Breck, begins the lang an dangerous stravaig back tae Embra through the Hielans o Scotland tae claim his richtfu inheritance."
Copies o "Kidnappit" can be gotten frae Itchy Coo (Black & White Publishing) at:-
http://www.itchy-coo.com/
Price £8.99 On-the-wab price £6.74
ISBN: 978 1 84502 138 2
Format: paperback wi 64 pages.
Fully illustratit in colour aw the wey throu.
Suitable for bairns frae 9 year auld an abuin.
Queen's Scots
Doon throu the years, the guid fowk o Inverness haes been able tae blaw aboot speakin the purist Queen's English in the hail country. It's aye been thocht that this cam aboot bi wey o thaim bein originally Gaelic speakers sae, when they chynged ower tae English, it wis aye spoken wi a Gaelic accent that gied it a clarity that haed nae maik onywhaur else. Howanever, a new buik bi Robert Millar o Aiberdeen University, threaps that aw this haes chynged in raicent years an the fowk o the Hielan Capital haes noo taen tae speakin the Scots language. Mr Millar threaps that efter giein up thair Gaelic they needit somethin else tae pruive they're Scots sae they stertit tae speak Scots insteid.
Language Strategy
THE draft Strategy For Scotland's Languages wis pitten oot for consultation on the 5t o Februar bi the Scottish Executive.
See:- http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/01/24130746/1
Whaur the Scots language is concairned, there naethin proponed in this strategy that didnae kythe in Michael Forsyth's "Scots Language Fact-sheet" frae aboot 1995. Whaur it says that Gaelic will be protected an promotit, it can only manage tae hae the Scots language treated wi respect an pride sae it can be jaloused frae this that Scots isnae gaun tae be aither protected or promotit. Sae whit's new? Michael Forsyth's factsheet said aw thon in 1995.
The Strategy threaps that Scots isnae an endangered language. Whit glamour did they yaise tae come up wi that yin? Hou mony Scots speakers wis there in 2001? Naebody kens, for the Executive didnae want tae speir sic a question aboot it in the census o that year. In fact, afore the hinnermaist vote aboot it wis taen an tae mak siccar the question wad be votit doon, they said sic a question cuid be pitten intae a Household Survey insteid. Howanever, we aw ken fine bi noo that nae sic question wis ever speirt. Sae hou can they compare the state o Scots the day agin the state it wis in in 2001 or ony ither year for that maitter?
Oot o a strategy o 21 pages, efter reddin oot aw the meaninless spin, aw that it says aboot the Scots language can be byled doon tae:-
The Scots language is an important part of Scotland's cultural heritage...... it is important that we recognise, respect and celebrate the Scots language.......The Executive's National Guidelines on English language 5-14 advocate the inclusion of Scots and Scots literature in the curriculum.............
Maist o the abuin is taen word for word oot o Michael Forsyth's Scots language factsheet an because the Scottish curriculum isnae a prescriptive yin, naethin haes chynged in aw thae years syne 1995 an naethin will chynge wi this new language strategy in the oncome. Leastweys no in its praisent form onywey.
There can be nae doot noo that baith the Scottish Executive, gaun aw the wey back tae 1999 as weel as the Scottish Office afore that, haes haed nae intentions o daein onythin ither nor juist giein lip service tae the cause o the Scots language an they've never haed ony plans tae dae onythin positive tae sauf Scots. If the language survives it will be in spite o the Executive an certainly no because o it.
Scots Tung WITTINS
On the wab.
Mair raicent copies o the Scots Tung Wittins can be gotten in pdf format frae Scots Tung's wabsite at:-
http://uk.geocities.com/rfairnie@btinternet.com
A hard copy o STW is sent free o chairge tae aw maimbers o Scots Tung ilka month.
Maimbership subscreivins is £5 (Scotland/UK)
Peyed ilka September. €9 (Ireland/EU)
Voices From Their Ain Countrie
WHAN Katherine Gordon stertit her research intae the life an wark o the twa NE poets, Marion Angus an Violet Jacob, she fund scant resources. Thair wark haed been publisht in anthologies an periodicals but "nae ful lenth study…wis tae haund…naither haed a volume o ingaithert poetry [or]…extensive correspondence in public libraries"*. Nane o the weemin's publications wis still in prent. Her wark wis publisht in 2006 tae faw in wi the 60t anniversar o the poets' daiths. Ilka yin lived intae thair 80s an tho hailin frae the same airt in Angus, the weemin didnae meet or late on in life. Baith weemin wrate in Scots an English an tho written aboot an weyed up thegither, thair writin styles is gey sindert, as wis thair life experiences. Gordon threaps, "Both writers wrote out of a deep engagement with Scottish literature." The ither common factor is thair deep love o the Nor-East. Maist o thair poems wis screivit atween the wars an aw. Angus wis kent for her abeility tae "experience the things that didnae happen to her". She haed an interest in the uncanny an the speiritual. Her poems shaws an underlyin longin an dowieness, a keen awaurness o the cycle o life an in particlar the loss o youth. Her writin haes a cyclical element tae it as in At Candlemas whaur ae meinit the narrator's a young lass luikin at a wumman "wi broo rankled sair" an the neist she's bein regairdit bi a "blithe bairnie" that notices "yer broo's rankled sair". The Wife tells o a wumman meetin her dochter in law for the first time an hou her first warm walcome turns cauld as the last lines reads "Ma son your comely bride, has the grey gled's een". She shaws insicht an awaurness o the foibles o human nature the likes o The Blue Boat whaur a wumman spends siller on hersel raither nor buy a boat for a wee lad. "Oh laddie alane frae morn till nicht I daurna face the can'ellicht". Jacob's style is mair lowsed, reflectin her ain private pairsonality. Her wark is bonny an rhythmic wi perfeck metre o whiles gey lang lines like The Howe o the Mearns.
"There was nae twa lads frae the Grampians doon tae the Tay
That could best us twa
At bothie or dance, or the field on a fitba day
We could sort them a"
Her wark lends itsel tae bein pit tae music as haes been duin bi singer Jim Reid wi Bonnie Joann an The Wild Geese.
She haes a braid reinge o subjeck maitter an shaws a guid insicht intae human nature an a gift for social comment as in Bailie Bruce, a latter day maimber o the unco guid.
"…the wicked fled afore his face
The guid aye passed them in the race"
It's tae Gordon's credit that she haes gaithert thair wark an compiled this walin. She haes brocht thae twa weemin's wark frae the shedaes intae the licht for the delicht o students tae come an general readers alike.
Voices from their ain Countrie
The poems of Marion Angus and Violet Jacob
Editit bi Katherine Gordon an Publisht bi the ASLS. ISBN 0-948877-76-6 priced £9.95
* Quote taen frae the Scottish Poetry Library Newsletter 47 © Review bi Irene Broon
StAnza Lench
ON the 1t Februar 2007, the Scottish Poetry Library wis host tae the lench o this year's Scottish Poetry Festival, StAnza. The ongaun wis gien an innin bi Robyn Marsack o the SPL, follaed bi a cutty talk bi Festival Director Brian Johnstone. A guid pairt o the nicht wis in the company o writer Bernard McLaverty that spake knackie-like aboot the influence poetry hid haed on him ower his life. A Norlan Irishman noo bidin in Scotland, he telt aboot him bein sent tae elocution lessons as a bairn tae redd oot his Nortlan Ireland accent. (It didnae work!) He spake robustly aboot the wey some fowk in the media seems tae be feart o yaisin the strang 'R' soond, quotin hou newsreaders manages tae say somethin like 'meh daa' whan sayin the word 'murder'. It wis richt refreshin tae listen tae! StAnza Convener, Colin Will said a puckle words an aw aboot the themes o this year's festival that's gaun tae be Homelands and Exile an Poetry and the Moving Image. Exemplars o poems bi some o the poets takin pairt wis then read oot bi Brian Johnstone an the Festival's Airtistic Director, Eleanor Livingstone tae gar onybody that hidnae makit thair minds up richt aboot tendin, tae gaun. This'll be StAnza's 10t year, sae it's gaun tae be extrae spaishal. The excitin program can be vizzied on the wabsite www.stanzapoetry.org.
Alternatively, ye can write tae StAnza, [CENSORED: postaladdress] or e-mail [CENSORED: emailaddress]. If ye dinnae manage alang, leuk oot for Scots Tung's coverage in the Aprile issue. © Irene Brown
"The only raiglar festival dedicatit tae poetry in Scotland, Stanza taks place in St Andrews ilka Mairch. Internaitional in ootleuk, the festival praisents warld cless poets performin in atmospheric venues aroond the historic toun centre" © Irene Broon
A Scots Wireless Station?
"...they've been gien a jewel tae
nurture an growe but aw they can dae is sneer at it......"
THE Ulster-Scots Agency ettles tae stert up tae six wireless stations atour the Province o Ulster this summer. The Agency ettles tae hae thae community wireless stations tae be rin bi volunteers frae Ulster-Scots groups wi a high-heid-yin appyntit bi the Agency tae manage the projeck an gie guidance tae thae Ulster-Scots fowk.
The heidmaist braidcastin oors will be 7am tae 11pm ilka day wi a 7pm-11pm slot ilka nicht dedicatit tae Ulster-Scots wi music, story-tellin, history, Ulster-Scots language an nae want o high-jinks an gemms. The ettle is tae rin thae community stations for twa year an eik tae thaim in the saicont year. Efter that, they howp tae estaiblish a mair permanent Ulster-Scots wireless station that will kivver the hail o the north o Ireland.
This maun shuirly pit the "Strategy For Scotland's Languages", if ye can cry it a strategy, richt intae perspective daes it no? The Scots Executive micht pynt oot that, wi braidcastin no bein a devolved maitter but yin that's reserved tae Wastmintser, they cannae dae onythin aboot it. Thon wad be a richt tuim excuise for, is braidcastin in Northern Ireland no a maitter that's reserved tae Wastminster an aw? Sae, if it can be duin in Northern Ireland, whit wey can it no be duin in the hame o the Scots language as weel?
The answer tae this is that the Scots Executive an its Culture Comatee, heidit bi Patricia Fergusson MSP, juist like aw Scottish meinisters gaun richt back tae the Liberal government's Scottish Education Act o 1872, disnae want tae dae ocht tae gie life an strenth tae Scots, a language that they've aye seen as a threat tae the Imperial English language in Scotland. They cuid an shuid hiv ettilt tae gaun for bi-lingualism but they chuise tae gaun for extermination o Scots an a nation o monoglots insteid.The modern exterminators we hae the day is a lot mair sleekit nor the yins in the bygane. They dinnae tell fowk tae speak proper an no yaise thon common street slang but insteid they mak mealie moothit expressions o pride an support for the Scots language, kennin aw the time that if aw they dae is naethin mair nor chuck the odd haundfu o baw-bees at the leid, the Scots language will dee oot an gaun awa aw bi itsel oot o sheer neglect.
The Scots Executive's Culture Comatee haes been gien a jewel tae nurture an growe but aw they can dae is sneer at it ahint thair haund while giein it mealie moothit lip service. Deil blin the hoose o the Whigs & feres.
Makar's Neuk
Awa, Whigs, Awa!
Our thrissles flourished fresh and fair,
And bonnie bloom'd our roses;
But Whigs cam like a frost in June,
An wither'd aw our posies.
Our ancient crown's fawn in the dust -
Deil blin them wi the stoure o't;
And write their names in his black beuk,
Wha gae the Whigs the power o't.
Our sad decay in church and state
Surpasses my descriving;
The Whigs cam o'er us for a curse,
And we hae done wi thriving.
Grim vengeance lang has taen a nap,
But we may see him waukin;
Gude help the day when Royal heads
Are hunted like a maukin!
Robert Burns (1759-1796)
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Scots Tung Wittins 160
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