SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 1779 Title : Scots Tung Wittins 128 Author(s): Robert Fairnie Copyright holder(s): Name withheld Text Nummer 128 July 2004 A guid Scots Tung in yer heid's nae guid if yer mooth's ower blate tae uise it! Scots Tung WITTINS Eydently Campaignin for the Scots Leid Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber] Scots Tung Wabsteid: http://uk.geocities.com/rfairnie@btinternet.com/ Stravaiger Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber] Copyricht © Copyricht for awthin written in this wittins blat bides wi R. Fairnie. The Scots Tung Wittins can be fotie-copied in hail or in pairt athoot limit o nummers an this hauds guid an aw for ony pairt o the wittins blat that's furthset in ony ither publication. VisitScotland or juist BideAwa? "Whit words will they uise insteid o Edinburgh,Loch Lomond, Ben Nevis,Firth o Forth, Holyrood or the Canongate?" YE cuidnae imagine it happenin tae ony ither country barrin Scotland but believe it or no, reports in the press tells o hou aw the staff in the Scottish tourist information centres haes been telt no tae uise ony local words or idioms when they're speakin tae visitors. Whit words will they uise insteid o Edinburgh, Loch Lomond, Ben Nevis, Firth o Forth, Holyrood or the Canongate juist tae mention a haundfu o local words?If they dinnae want the staff tae soond Scottish whit wey no juist employ English folk for the job or e'en flit aw the Scottish tourist information centres doon tae some place in England? Twa three year back a survey wis cairriet oot in north Tayside tae fund oot whit wis the heidmaist thing that gart folk visit thon airt. Awa oot on tap o aw the ither reasons wis that thae visitors wantit tae experience a different culture an wey o speakin (language). Oot o aw the folk they speirt, this answer wis gien bi aboot 90% o foreign visitors, 80% o English visitors an 75% o visitors frae ither airts o Scotland. It's aw the different cultures, language (includin signs) an accents that maks foreign countries interestin tae traivel tae an if aw thae things wis juist the same as it wis at hame, whit wad be the pynt o gaun? Scots speakers is bi-lingual an can chynge atween Scots an English tae suit the situation but whit VisitScotland disnae seem tae unnerstaun is that Standart Scottish English (the English learnt in Scottish scuils) differs frae Standart English in accent, pronunciation, idiom an whiles in the meanin o words juist the same wey that American English, Canadian English, South African English, Australian English an New Zealand English daes. European an ither ootlan speakers o English disnae aye speak the Standart English that's spoken in England aither but raither mair an mair o thaim is speakin a form o American English thae days. Sae is the bricht lichts o VisitScotland sayin that if they gaed on a holiday tae the US an the staff o a US visitor centre spake tae thaim in American English instead o English Standart English, they wad tak the boaks an no unnerstaun whit wis bein said or dae they no think that the experience wad eik tae the pleisure an atmosphere o thair holiday? Gin they war tae accept that American English is whit they wad expect in the US an that it, alang wi some o the American culture, is ane o the experiences that makit thaim feel they war in a faur different country frae Scotland, then whit maks thaim think that Americans in Scotland widnae feel the same wey aboot the culture an wey o speakin they face when they come tae ExperienceScotland? Uphaudin the Scots Leid in Glesca IT wis reportit that a Scots language on-gaun wis hauden in the Prentwarks Social Centre, Glesca on the 26 an 27 o Mey. It wis tendit bi a haundfu o kenspeckle upsteerers alang wi a nummer o ither interestit folk that's new tae the Scots leid campaign. Hauden ower thae twa days, the crack on the first day wis anent lairners o the Scots language, an it wis greed bi awbody that whit wis wantin wis clesses for lairners. Thon wis airtit mair tae the speakin o the leid nor tae the cultural aspecks o't, tho the consait o the feck o folk thare wis that tae win tae a guid kennin o ony language ye cuidnae dae wantin the readin an writin o't. The thochts wis that thae clesses shuid focus on the hert o the language raither nor lairnin antrin bittocks o sindry byleids. A date wis setten for the first cless tae be hauden the 14 o Juin at 7.30pm an a plannin forgaitherin for the cless wis scheduled for Monday 7 at 7.30pm: baith o thae ongauns tae be hauden in the Prentwarks Social Centre. The saicont tryst taen mair tent o the campaignin side o things. Mony pynts wis brocht up. For exemplar, ae wee crack wis gien ower tae direck action an whit forms thon maun tak tae bring the leid oot intae the day-licht, but no muckle wis decidit on. It wis the same wi the norrie o a demonstration or public plaint anent the leid an maist o the crack airtit roond the idea the Scots language muvement disnae hae the infrastructure tae cairry thae ploys forrit. Howanever the Prentworks folk greed tae cairry on braidenin the skowth o thair uiss o the Scots in thair ain political ongauns, uisin it for an airticle in Scots in thair wittinsblad ilka week an haein written Scots in the centre, includin reglar speirins on the bleck-buird ootby. Stickers wis thocht tae be a guid idea an aw. It wis greed tae hae a soiree for the speakin o Scots on the 14 Juin efter the first lairner's cless. This "Scots Spraff" wad hae music an sindry ither airts tae mak an injoyable nicht. Anither norrie greed bi the group tae fetch oot on the 14t wis the idea o a wittinsblad that makit uiss o discursive Scots, distributit in a similar wey tae the radical wittinsblad "Schnews". It wis thocht that it shuid hae an apen editorial policy tae evyte ony cliques evolvin in the journal an tae stert aff bi bein furthset ilka month. The general concep o the blad wad be tae facilitate ony news or discursive writin in Scots an it wad be apen tae onybody that wantit tae contribute. "The Midgie Motor" wis the name that wis proponed for it tae refleck the journal's political content. Subscriptions an submissions tae the Midgie Motor shuid be pitten tae [CENSORED: emailaddress] Scots Tung WITTINS On the wab. The Scots Tung Wittins can be vizzied or doon-loadit an prentit (noo in pdf format forbye) frae the wabsteid o:- The Scots Speikers Curn, Glesca. Wabsteid backin:- http://www.mlove.free-online.co.uk/ Mair raicent copies can noo be gotten in pdf format frae Scots Tung's ain new wabsteid 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. £6 (Ireland/EU) $14 (Americae) Nixt Forgaitherin Tae be decidit efter the summer breck Hearts Desire's Couthie Cairds bi Irene Broon owerset intae Scots bi STW Editor [NOTE: image here of a card depicting woman with her mobile phone and the text saying 'Ye can niver get a signal in thae wynds'] JUIST think o some auld foties that Sir Harry Lauder wad be prood o aw pitten thegither wi Scots texts that's fu o twaefauld modern meanins an ye've got yersel a guid norrie o whit Hearts Desire's Couthie Cards reinge is aw aboot. For exemplar, there a picter o a fishwife cairryin a creel on her back an the text says, "Does ma bum look big in this?" or a picter o fower men in ful heiland regalia dancin, wi the text, "Reel men love tae dance." The fotie shows anither o the mony exemplars o the reinge. The uiss o Scots grips the ee an thair particlar uiss o it brings somethin new tae the caird mercat.Howanever, the Couthie Cards is only a pairt o thair catalogue. Hearts Desire is a stationery company wi a braid reinge o designs tae suit aw tastes. They tak guid pride in thirsels for pittin oot bespoke stationery, particlar for waddins, alang wi aw the sindry chyce o favours an confetti tae match up wi the chuisen design. They're weel wordie o leukin oot for. The folk tae contact is Val or Ruth at:- Hearts Desire The Studio [CENSORED: postaladdress] Ph: [CENSORED: phonenumber] Fax: [CENSORED: faxnumber] www.heartsdesirescotland King James VI's Entry Intae Edinburgh 1580 Frae a manuscript written at the time. AT the West Port of Edinburgh he was receauit be the magistrattis of the toune, under ane pompous pale of purpor veluet. That port presentit to him the wisdome of Solomon, as it is written in the first chapter of the Third Buik of Kings; that is to say, King Solomon was presentit with the twa woemen that contendit for the young child, and the servand that presentit the sword to the king with the child. And as he maid forder progress within the toune, in the street that ascends to the castell, thair is ane ancient port, at the quhilk hang a curious globe, quhilk spirit artificially as the king come by, quherein was a young boy that descend it craftelye, presenting the keyes of the toune to his majesty, that were all maid of massie siluer, and these were presentlie receauit be ane of his honourable counsal. During this, Dame Musick and hir schollers exercised hir airte with great melody. Then in his discence as he come fornent the Colledge of Justice, their shew themselues unto him four virtuous ladies, to wit, Peace, Justice, Plentie and Pollice, and ather of thame had ane oratioun to his majesty. Thairefter as he came toward the Kirk, thair Dame Relligioun shew herselff desyring his presence, quhilk he then obeyet, entering the kirk, quhere the cheefe preacher for that tyme maid a notable exhortatioun for the embracing o relligioun, and all her cardinal virteous. Thairefter he come forth, and went to the mercat crose, quhere he beheld Bacchus with his magnifick liberalitye and plentye, distributing of sick liquor to all persons, passengers, in sick abundance as was pleasant to behold. A littill beneth is a mercat place, quherein was erectit the geneolugie of the Kings of Scotland, and a number of trumpittis sounding melodiously, and crying with a loud voice, Weelfare to the king. At the Eist Port was erected the conjunction of the planets, as they were in thair degrees and places the tyme of his majestie's natiuity, and the same vively representit be assistance o King Ptolomie, and withall the haill streettes were spred with flowers, and the fore housses of the streettes be the quhilk the king passit, were all hung with magnifick tapestrie, with paintit histories, and with effigies of many noblemen and woemen; and thus he past out of the toune of Edinburgh to his pallice of Holyruid-hous. A Tuithless Chairter? T HE follaein answer wis gien tae Donald Gorrie MSP efter speirin aboot the legal staundin o the European Chairter tae Dr Stephen Herbert, a senior research specialist wi the Scots pairlament. "The Executive haes telt me that they taen legal advice anent the maitter an that Cooncil o Europe Chairters disnae hae ony legal wecht at aw. In ither words, they hiv nae legal staundin in ony European Coort. In effect, they're juist a statement o intent or guid-will. There nae sanctions associated wi sic Chairters apairt frae the sair publicity associated wi no cairryin oot whit wis signed up for if thon shuid be the case." Statements o intent an/or guid-will isnae things the Scots Executive haes haed a guid record o stickin tae up tae the noo. We can aw mind o the campaign tae get a question on Scots pitten intae the last census an the Executive threapin tae hae thon question left oot o the census sae they cuid pit ane intae the neist faimly survey. Oo're still aye waitin yet. Lugs an Words LUGS is funny things whaur language is concairned an in particlar, wi a language the likes o Scots that haes sae mony words it shares wi English. Twa-leidit Scots/English speakers' lugs disnae aye tell thair harns exactly whit they're hearin but whiles juist passes on whit they think they're hearin. This is mair tae be fund when the register is nearer tae the Scottish English end o the continuum nor the ful braid Scots end an mony Scots words is then passed on tae the harns as English. The lugs uises words tae pent picters in yer heid an it's aye thae picters the harns is maist concairned wi an no the words nor e'en the language thae words comes frae. A body haes tae keep thair lugs weel cockit an on the kee-vee tae hear the Scots language ablow a camouflage o English. Pey particalr tent tae the words o Jack McConnell, the First Meinister. Maistlins he'll say Ah insteid o I, ti insteid o to, an insteid o and, an whiles, gonnae insteid o going to. Hae a guid listen tae Hugh Henry the nixt time he's on the wireless or the telly. The Education Meinister, Peter Peacock, wis on Radio Scotland the ither mornin speakin aboot the proponed introduction o mair physical ongauns for the bairns in the scuil curriculum. He wis ettlin tae mak an official announcement later on thon day sae he wisnae giein ower muckle awa. When he wis speirt bi the BBC praisenter, "Are you going to tell us if you're going to make it compusory or no?" (she didnae say 'not'). He reponed gey natural like, "A'm no gonnae tell ye." Ay, e'en in the estaiblishment an particlar in the pairlament, Scots is still aye thare tae be heard but juist if yer lugs is kept weel cockit an telt tae keep thair een peeled for the guid Scots words. Makar's Neuk Motes in Rhyme an Reason The mote we spot in ithers ee, Suid gie nae satisfaction, Insteid tho, if it bothers ye, Try freenly interaction. Syne, sned the flaw folk see in oors, An thole the sherp incision, For neeborly, enlichtent poo'ers Are worthy o ambition. Thro' reason thairfor, let us seek Some answers, while we nichtly scan Oor television brithers Up-endit bodies, pungent reek, For inhumanity in man, Aye shrouds that faut in ithers. Davie Kerr. Whit wey no gie a visit tae Scots Tung's wabsteid at:- http://uk.geocities.com/rfairnie@btinternet.com/ or juist dae a wab search for Scots Tung? 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: 2464 General description: monthly newsletter Text medium Leaflet/brochure (prospectus): Text publication details Published: Publisher: Scots Tung Publication year: 2004 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