SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 1723 Title : Scots Tung Wittins 72 Author(s): Robert Fairnie Copyright holder(s): Name withheld Text Nummer 72 Nov. 1999 Keepin a guid Scots tung in yer heid's nae guid! Lat it oot an uise it! Scots Tung WITTINS Eydentlie uphaudin the Scots Leid Campaine e-screive: [CENSORED: emailaddress] Ph.[CENSORED: phonenumber] Funtainheid o Heirship. TOBAR an Dualchais, is a new propone tae cairie oot a fower year projeck tae hain an hae tae haund, aboot 18000 oors o Gaelic an Scots soond recordins, hauden in Scotland bi the Schuil o Scottish Studies, Univairsitie o Edinburgh, the BBC an the Campbell Collections hauden in Canna bi the Naitional Trust for Scotland, uisin modren digital technology. It ettles tae mak siccar that oor muckle heirship o cracks, sangs, music an, wittins anent facks, an that, (maistlie on soond kisties an some o't weel on the wey tae muilderin awa) wad be hained an makit ready for the uiss o the community – baith eddicational an pairsonal. Ingaun tae thon traisures wad be makit in modren weys, maistlins on-line. The pairtners in this proponed projeck is:- The Univairsitie o the Hielands an Islands (UHI). BBC Alba/Scotland. The Naitional Trust for Scotland. Edinburgh Univairsitie. Comunn na Gàidhlig. The Gaelic Braidcastin Comatee. Hielands an Islands Enterprise. The pairtners is seekin hauf the necessar siller frae the Heritage Lottery Fund. A cuttie propone for the projeck haes been pit oot in baith English an Gaelic an we unnerstaun that a Scots vairsion shuid be comin oot an aw. This cuttie propone gies a wee report on the praisent staunin o baith leids an here the report it gies anent the Scots language (owerset frae the English):- A growin swall o intrest in Scots can be seen in oncomes alang the same lines as whit's happenin wi Gaelic includin: * a cultural awaurness an acceppins o the vailye o Scots in the lives o its uisers. * raigler tent tae the ranes o Scots in baith naitional an regional eddication documents, includin thae anes breardin frae the Scotland Office. * a growin reenge o learnin an lairnin graith tae uphaud thae curricular wants, includin dictionars. * a swall o academic intrest in Scots in univairsities bi wey o speirin oot, learnin an furthsettins. * the estaiblishment in 1993 o the Scots Leid Resource Ha tae act as a funtainheid for the fendin o wittins an the biggin up o aw maiters tae dae wi the Scots language. * the European Chairter for Regional or Minority Languages, that the U.K. haes promised tae sign, gies Scots a mair kenspeckle offeecial staunin. ~~~ooo~~~ A Braw New Stamp. DID ye tak tent o thon new millennium stamp on the envelope yer STW 71 wis deleevered in? Is thon no juist a braw drawin o Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn? Aiblins A. Davidson, the airtist, cuid lat us ken gin it's Edward II that the Bruce is glowerin at or somethin in the tap caur neuk o the stamp. [NOTE: image here of the stamp in original] ~~~ooo~~~ PITITINITINMIN. THAT'S the slogan tae be uised in this year's Aiberdeen Univairsitie Collegianers' Chairities Campaine. The winnin slogan, that means "PIT IT IN I TIN MIN", wis pit forrit bi Maister John B. Keller, a 59 year auld faither o twa an granfaither, frae Waulkmill, Kinharrachie by Ellon, Aiberdeenshire. Scots Tung WITTINS on the wab. The Scots Tung Wittins can be vizzied or doon-loadit an prentit (noo in HTML format forbye) frae the wab-steid o :- The Scots Speikers Curn, Glesca. Wab-steid backin :- http://www.mlove.free-online.co.uk/ A hard copie o STW is sent free o chairge tae aw maimbers o Scots Tung. Maimbership subscreivins is £4 peyed ilka September. (£5 furth o United Kinrik) "Stertin Oot In Scots." THON'S whit Colin Wilson's new Scots language lairners' coorse, or "learn yersel Scots" , beuk is aiblins tae be cried. Efter a guid twa-three year's darg, he haes mair or less gotten a "feinished" manuscript duin. Wi ower 310 blats tae it, the beuk haes an innin, twintie-five lessons wi exerceeses, answers tae the exerceeses, an English intae Scots vocabular an leets o verbs an that eikit on. Tho it micht hae tae hae the odd cuttie chynge, the beuk is mair or less feinished an Colin will be sendin copies o it tae some o his Scots language upsteerer feres for thair consaits. The neist kinch tae owercome efter the screivin will be for Colin tae git hissel taen up wi a furthsetter an we aw wish him weel wi this. We'v nae doot the'r a muckle want for beuks the likes o this, no juist in schuils an nicht-schuils, an no juist tae gie fowk that daesna ken Scots the inlat tae learn it for thirsels, but for hamelt Scots speakers tae gie thirsels a better grundin in thair ain leid. ~~~ooo~~~ Comprenez vous Écossais? THE follaein picter is taen frae "The Dark Island" adventure o Tintin. It seems lik Scots isna onie bother at aw tae some o wir multi-leidit continental neibours parteeclar whan thay'r cled in a bonnie blue Tam-o-shanter bunnet an kilt. It's thae monoglot anes nearer tae hame that's aye the maist fasht wi it. [NOTE: a picture here in original] Neist Forgaitherin. Mon. 6t. Dec. 1999 7.30pm tae 9.00pm Comatee Room C. Brunton Ha, Musselburgh. Anither Bank That's Aw Wir Ain? ANE o wir maimbers frae Aiberdeen peyed his Scots Tung subscreivins (on time) wi a Barclays Bank cheque an, tae tak the guilt awa frae hissel, pyntit oot that thon bank wis foondit bi the Barclays o Urie. The Barclays war Quakers frae Stonehaven an thay war aye gittin the jyle for the weys thay thocht but efter a while, whan thay cuidna thole it onie mair, thay gaed awa sooth tae London an foondit thair ain bank. Whan ye'r peyin yer ain subscreivins (we dinna hae tae say wha ye ar for weel ye ken gin ye'v peyed or no an weel we ken an aw), ye cuid aiblins eik a wee bar anent yer ain bank tho this is no compulsory as lang's the cheque is makit oot tae "Richard Heinsar". ~~~ooo~~~ Beirin the Gree at Aiberdeen. THE Scots Leid Associe haed thair Scots Verse Speakin Competeition on Seturday 9t. October as a pairt o the Aiberdeen Alternative Festival. The competeition, that wis apen tae aw the schuils in the nor-aist, wis hauden in the Cowdray Ha, whaur the bairns pit forrit 42 entries aw ettlin tae beir the gree. Jamie Michie o Alehousewells Primary Schuil in Kemnay, cam oot on tap in the wee-anes section. The in-atween gree wis taen bi James Watson o Woodlands Schuil, Durris an the big-anes gree wis gien tae Josh Wright o Cults Academy, Aiberdeen. ~~~ooo~~~ God's Ain Kintra. [NOTE: a Wee Alickie cartoon here in original] WE ken that Wee Alickie haed a guid richt tae be fair scunnert, seek fed up an richt doon at the mou efter the Dons' results, or want o thaim, in the first hauf o October but, if he's gaun tae turn his back on fitba an jyne the rugby crowds at Murrayfield, thon's nae reason for him tae turn his back on his guid Pittodrie Doric (Scots) an stert speakin wi a richt bool-in-the-mou Twickenham leid. Can ye really imagine Alickie gittin his mou exacklie roond thae words that's screivit unner his fotie? It's no like him at aw. Oniewey, it's aw watter unner the Forth Brig noo for we hear a rumour gaun aboot that Aiberdeen haes won a gemm 6-5 agin Motherwell sae nae doot Wee Alickie will hae gien his kilt the heave alang wi thon orra shapit ba an thon awfu soondin Twickers speak. We howp the wee fellae's back tae his ain wee sel agane an back tae uisin the bonnie language o Pittodrie an o God's ain kintra. Haein Anither Shot at the 2001 Census. NOR-AIST MSP Irene McGugan is ettlin tae hae Scots language speakers taen mair tent o in the neist census. Mistress McGugan haes pit forrit a quaisten tae the Scottish Executive speirin gin thay hae onie ettles tae chynge the 2001 census sae that it speirs fowk if thay speak Scots or no. The census, cairried oot ilka ten year, richtlie haes the same kinna quaisten anent the speakin o Gaelic areddies. The MSP says that thae wittins haes been speired efter bi academics an upsteerers for a guid wee while noo. Richt nummers o Scots speakers is needit tae gie a heize in ettlin for the fendin o eddication, amang ither things. Aften, naethin is duin bi the public authorities ower fendin for the general uiss o Scots, cause the'r nae richt nummers tae meisure the uisage an nummers o fowk that see thirsels as uisers o the language. She eikit that gin the Scottish Executive daesna tak it on itsel tae ingaither at least a stert tae wittins anent uisage, than naebodie shuid wunner gin ithers haes sic a puir consait o the Scots leid. Mistress McGugan taks tent o the fack that Angus Cooncil haes pit forrit areddies, ettles for a policy anent the Scots language an cultur. ~~~ooo~~~ Past Preses o SLS Embro Brainch Speirs"Whit is Scots?" FOLLAEIN the abuin wittins anent the census, a letter kythed in the Press & Journal screivit bi a Maister Stewart that awns tae hae been Preses o the Embro SLS Brainch in the bygane. He threaps that he fund maist fowk that awns tae be Scots speakers didna hae onie mair nor 50 Scots words in thair vocabular an aw thay did wis tae colour thair English wi the odd Scots word or turn o phrase. Bi his wey o't, thare wis nae sic thing as a Scots language. This maun shuirlie say mair anent the SLS maimbers an "Scots speakers" he's come in contack wi than it daes aboot the Scots language. It e'en says mair aboot hissel for ye'll no hear muckle spoken Scots if ye speir for it in English. If a scant o Scots comes oot yer moo, a scant o Scots gauns in yer lug! The'r aye some watter whaur the stirkie droont. Ane or twa upsteerers haes screivit in tae the Press & Journal tae conter this man's havers. ~~~ooo~~~ Fechtin the Fear. THE Eddication supplement o the Scotsman, on the 27t. October, gied a guid wee bit wittins anent the SLRC Eddication Comatee's Collogue for 6t. year collegianers in Dunfermline that wis reportit in the October edeetion o the Scots Tung Wittins. Screivit in English, apairt frae the abuin heidin, it gauns on tae say, "The Scots Language Resource Centre is tae haud a ane-day collogue on Scots for 6t. year schuil collegianers on 11t. November at Lauder College Dunfermline. 'Fechtin the Fear' ettles tae uphaud the centlie-estaiblished exams in Scots language an leeteratur an tae gie young Scots speakers the confidence tae uise thair ain hamelt tung freely in ilkaday life." Aw the lave wis juist the same as whit wis reportit afore in the STW excep for bein screivit in English. ~~~ooo~~~ New Yule Caird Gauns Doon a Treat. OOR new Yule caird for the hinnermaist Christmas o the millennium isdisappearin like snaw aff a dyke an bi the 27t. October we didna hae muckle mair nor fifty o thaim left. A wheen o shops haes haed tae be re-fendit wi mair cairds an naebodie haes ocht but guid tae say aboot thaim. "Smashin!" (a guid Scots word breardit frae the Gaelic), "Pure dead brilliant!", thon's the word that's comin back frae the shops. In fack, ither shops is gittin tae hear aboot the cairds an speirin aboot gittin some tae sell for thirsels. The'r fower shops in Embro we hinna gotten roond tae fendin wi cairds yet. Three's auld hands wi us but ane, Jock's Lodge PO, is new tae the gemm sae were haein tae order anither prent-rin (for the verra first time iver) an the new cairds is expeckit tae be tae haund bi the first week o November. Tho slawer aff the merk nor ither shops, the Scottish Pairliament Shop haes confirmed thay will hae the cairds on sale an thay'v greed tae pit up oor "Scots Language Christmas Cairds Selt Here." poster. If awthin gauns tae plan, ye micht weel find that the verra first Scots language signage tae gaun up in the Scottish Pairliament an its offices is thon ane abuin an Scots Tung will be fair chuffed wi that. ~~~ooo~~~ Scots Language Posters. [NOTE: image here of a 'Nae Smokin' sign in original] THE chaumer whaur Scots Tung haes its forgaitherins in the Brunton Ha haes aye haed some "no smoking" notices on the wa's an five weeks syne, we chynged some o thaim tae the ane shawn here. Up till noo, thay hinna been taen doon sae, here's howpin!!! Makars' Neuk In welth be meek, heich nocht thy self; Be glaid in wilfull povertie; Thy power and thy warldis pelf Is nocht but very vanitie. Remember him that deeit on tree, For thy sake taistit the bitter gall, Wha heichs low hairtis and lowers hie; Obey and thank thy God of all. Robert Henrysoun. This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience Audience size: N/A Text details Method of composition: N/A Word count: 2214 General description: monthly newsletter Text medium Leaflet/brochure (prospectus): Text publication details Published: Publisher: Scots Tung Publication year: 1999 Part of a longer series of texts: Name of series: Scots Tung Wittins Text type Article: Prose: nonfiction: Other: mixed text type Author Author details Author id: 95 Forenames: Robert Surname: Fairnie Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1930 Educational attainment: College Age left school: 16 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Consultant Marine Structural Engineer (Retired) Place of birth: Musselburgh Region of birth: Midlothian Birthplace CSD dialect area: midLoth Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Musselburgh Region of residence: Midlothian Residence CSD dialect area: midLoth Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Fisherman Father's place of birth: Musselburgh Father's region of birth: Midlothian Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: midLoth Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Fishwife Mother's place of birth: Musselburgh Mother's region of birth: Midlothian Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: midLoth Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: At work Language: German Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: In Germany to communicate with two grandsons Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Wherever Scots is understood