SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 1744 Title : Scots Tung Wittins 93 Author(s): Robert Fairnie Copyright holder(s): Name withheld Text Nummer 93 Aug 2001 Keep a guid Scots Tung in yer heid an in yer hert! But mind an uise it tae! Scots Tung WITTINS Eydentlie uphaudin the Scots Leid Campaine e-screive: [CENSORED: emailaddress] Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber] Stravaiger Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber] Regional or Minority Languages THE first o Julie 2001 seen the requirements o the European Chairter for Regional or Minority Languages come intae force. The requirements o Pairt II o the chairter, the pairt that kivvers the Scots language (for the noo), is nae-whaur near as comprehensive as the requirements o Pairt III that kivvers Scots Gaelic, Irish Gaelic an Welsh, sae it faws on awbodie concairned aboot Scots tae mak siccar the leid is gien full meisure o aw the requirements o Pairt II. Bi wey o signature an ratification o the Chairter bi the British government, baith itsel an the Scots government is behauden tae cairie oot the requirements o Pairt II o the Chairter whaur they apply tae Scots an they're behauden bi Airticle 6 o the Chairter tae rax aw the relevant wittins anent the richts an duties estaiblished bi the Chairter on tae the authorities, organisations an fowk concairned. "Article 6—Information The parties undertake to see to it that the authorities, organisations and persons concerned are informed of the rights and duties established by this Charter." Some o the German Federal Länder haes furthset guidelines brochures or buikies settin oot hou the richts an duties estaiblished bi the Chairter shuid be applied bi authorities, organisations an fowk, tae aw the minority leids kivvert bi the Chairter athin that Regional State. For the Scots government tae faw in wi the requirements o Airticle 6, it's hard tae see hou they can jouk pittin oot some kinna guidelines tae tell authorities, organisations, quangos an fowk juist hou the Chairter micht affeck thair ongauns. Syne sic a document is shuir tae be a muckle sicht bigger for Gaelic nor for Scots, it wad be mair wicelike tae hae sindert furthsettins tae evyte confusion atween the twa leids. Gaun bi whit's kythed in the bygane, sic a guideline sheet for Gaelic will nae doot be prentit in baith English an Gaelic sae it shuid be expeckit tae hae the ane for the Scots language prentit in baith English an Scots. Gin this wisna duin, the government wadna cuid awn tae comply wi the requirements o:- "Article 7 (Para 2) The parties undertake to eliminate, if they have not yet done so, any unjustified distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference relating to the use of a regional or minority language……" Copiericht Copiericht for awthin screivit in this wittins blat bides wi R. Fairnie. The Scots Tung Wittins can be fotie-copied in hail or in pairt athoot leemit o nummers an this hauds guid an aw for onie pairt o the wittins blat that's furth-set in onie ither publication. [NOTE: a cartoon here in original] "A man's a man for aw that" (Julie 1999) Presentation o the Scots Tung Quaich at Tranent Primary Schuil [NOTE: a photograph here of the award of Scots Tung quaich in original] SCOTT Robertson, 11 year auld, is seen bein presentit wi with the Scots Tung Quaich at Tranent Primary Schuil on 29t Mey bi Mr Alan Blackie, Director o Eddication at East Lothian Cooncil, efter winnin the primary schuils' section wi a mooth watterin wee poem cried "Chocolate Cake". Scott an fower ither rinners-up wis presentit wi a certificate forbye. The fotie shaws (car tae richt): front raw; Benn Main, Alan Blackie, Scott Robertson, an Stephanie McMullan; hinnermaist raw; Lauren Drummond, Robert Fairnie, Secretar o Scots Tung, Ross Campbell an Tranent Primary Schuil heid-mistress, Fiona Waddell. The Scots Tung maimbers that wis thare wis fair taen wi the birr an intrest in Scots that wis shawn, no juist bi the students but bi the teachers, heid-mistress, Mr. Blackie an the bairns' mithers forbye. Neist Forgaitherin Date tae be decidit. 7.30pm tae 9.00pm Comatee Rm. C. Brunton Ha, Musselburgh Scots Tung Yule Caird for 2001 [NOTE: an image of a Christmas card here in original] IT is howped tae hae the abuin cairds for this incomin Christmas 2001, prentit athin the neist week or twa, giein rowth o time for thae fowk that ettles tae send thaim aroon the warld bi the cheaper surface mail insteid o thon mair expensive air mail. It's jaloused that, barrin onie unbekent prenter's oncost, they'll be sellin for the same price as fernyear, £6.00 for a poke o 10 wi anither £1 eikit on if sent throu the post. The'r aye a puckle o the "Snaw ower the Ochils" left ower frae last year an they'll be sellin for £5.00 the poke o ten an anither £1 eikit on for P&P. The abuin new caird for 2001 is cried "Leukin tae the Auld Toun" an the picter's taen frae an oreeginal mixed-media drawin bi East Lothian airtist an kenspeckle illustrator for bairns buiks, Sally J. Collins, shawin the hert o Auld Reekie at Christmas frae Princes Street. Oniebodie intrestit in her illustratin wark can git her on 01875-853-553. Janet haes screivit the poem for inower juist as she haes in years gane by an this ane is weel up tae her uswal standart, mellin in wi baith the picter an the speerit o Yule. Ye can read it ablow an see for yersel:- Yince mair the feast o Yule, A wondrous time o year, Disperses winter's rule An brings some needed cheer. The festive lichts sae braw Adornin Edinb'rry toun Chase mirk an gloom awa, Spreid brichtness aw aroon. The icy blast can blaw, Bit gin oor herts be licht, A shooer o glentin snaw Juist maks the saison richt. Yule is a time o peace, O happiness an cheer, Gin freendliness increase, We'll hae a Guid New Year. The greetin inside the caird is a wee bit chynged frae fernyear but aye bides gey standart wi:- Aw the Best for a Hertie Yule An a Richt Guid New Year The cairds is expeckit tae be on sale in a nummer o shops in Haddington, Musselburgh, Edinburgh, Udny an ither airts but can be ordered ower the phone on [CENSORED: phonenumber]. Tak tent that Scots Tung sells its cairds tae the shops at the same price it sells tae its maimbers an freends as quoted abuin, but the shops aye hae tae eik thair ain oncost an profits. Daes Ceevil Servants tell lees an aw or are they juist donnert? ANE o Scots Tung's maimbers wis speakin tae a freend that haed been speakin tae a kenspeckle ceevil servant dargin for ane o the depairtments o the Scottish Executive. Whan speirt anent the Scots language, this ceevil servant is threapit tae hae reponed:- "On Scots, there's not a lot happen-ing..." "On Scots, there's not much to be said..." "For Scots, it's really a matter of hav-ing the right educational guidelines..." "No need to do anything under the European Charter, because it's not ratified for Scots..." The first three threaps maks this ceevil servant's consait anent Scots clear but tae threap the European Chairter haesna been ratifeed for Scots is a complete conter tae aw the media reports an in parteeclar, EBLUL's report in it's Eurolang wabsteid dated 27-3-01 see www.eurolang.net/news.asp?id=123 Thon report threaps in its first paragraph, "The British government has ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, thereby granting additional protection to Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Scots and Ulster Scots." Baith threaps canna be richt an it's ill tae see aw the media gittin it that wrang. But gin the media wis richt daes that mean that this parteeclar ceevil servant wis tellin lees or wis he juist plain donnert? A ceevil servant o the executive, haudin thae kinna consaits o an international chairter maun shuirlie be a concern tae baith MSPs an MPs alike. Scots Tung WITTINS On the wab. The Scots Tung Wittins can be vizzied or doon-haundelt an prentit (noo in HTML format forbye) frae the wabsteid o:- The Scots Speikers Curn, Glesca. Wabsteid backin:- Http://www.mlove.free-online.co.uk/ A hard copie 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) Makar's Neuk HERT-SAIR Iss is e first time Andra's gien me greef Fit am I gyan ti dee wi'oot him? He wis aye affa gweed ti me. Ivery mornin he brocht me a cup o tea - I nivver tellt him it wis ower strang. Ald wife he aye ca'ed me. "Ald wife! Fit are ye scraichin aboot noo?" "Ald wife! Tak a look at ma shoot An see e mochs hinna been at it!" Nivver a crabbit werd e fifty an mair ears We wis merrit. I wis licky ti get a man like Andra. Ma ain midder wis aye affa coorse ti me. Fuppet me, an lockit me oot o e hoose Fin I trysted wi Andra, A' at chynged. Mony's e time he wid spik aboot ma wyste. Coold span it wi his twa hans, he wad cra' Ma wyste an ma bonny broon een. At wis e twa things he maist gid on aboot. Och! He wis a gye cheil in his day, wis Andra! Could play a fiddler's rant, sing a bonny sang An doon a dram wi e best o em. A bit o a stammagaster for some folk Fin he settled doon. It wis for me an aa, I hiv ti say. I ken fine he wid hae likit Ti ging back ti Tchicaga Ti e stock yairds 'ere. 'Ere wis a gweed livin oot 'ere for us, he said. Bit I wis ower feert. I didna want ti ging 'at hine awa. He nivver cuist it up ti me. Nivver een ti hud a pick. He wis weel respeckit An a gweed werker. Bit he wis wintin awa. I should hae jaloused it. Hogmanay last, he didna touch's rum Or tak a lunt o's bogey roll. He jist sat in e ingle neuk Lookin at's aa. He kennt fine. Fit wey did he nae tell me? Fit am I gyan ti dee wi'oot him? Mary Mackie Johnston. 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: 1728 General description: monthly newsletter Text medium Leaflet/brochure (prospectus): Text publication details Published: Publisher: Scots Tung Publication year: 2001 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