SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 579 Title : Conversation 01: Edinburgh man on his childhood Author(s): N/A Copyright holder(s): SCOTS Project Audio transcription F718: Ok, er well, tell me about, if you can, erm, your first day at school. M734: Not got a clue [laugh] //[laugh]// F718: //[laugh] do you not remember that?// M734: No eh F718: You must remember something. Were you dressed up in uniform? M734: eh, I don't have that many memories from kind of, before I was maybe, eight or nine, er I mean there's certain things that will stick out er but certain things that you look back on and see as being significant, like your first day at school, aren't significant at the time, really, F718: mmhm M734: that if you've kind of been through nursery, it's just more F718: Yeah. M734: going off and seeing a lot of the same people you'd seen at nursery. F718: In a different uniform. M734: Pretty much, er so, I genuinely have no idea about my first day at school. er kind of earliest memory, er or earliest couple of memories, er would have to be the first one, is from when I was two, being in front of the TV, //er// F718: //mm [laugh]// M734: and seeing er the "Thriller" video by Michael Jackson. F718: uh-huh M734: er I mean I've always kind of been quite musical, er so f- for something that was so musically intense, and had all the elements, kind of the dancing, er going on as well, that was kind of staggering for a two-year old. F718: Yeah. M734: er I mean even now, it, in my opinion, it it leads the way, er in music videos and is the best music video of all time, and kind of par-, partially due to the elements of the dark side, as it were, er kind of for a two-year old that's fairly exciting. F718: mm M734: er so that, that's certainly one of them and the other is, just kind of, a general picture of being in nursery, that I can't really put faces, er to the picture I guess. [laugh] But er I just have e- elements of knowing that I can remember being there, F718: mmhm M734: er and I can remember the fact that there was a pair of twins. er Can't remember who they were at all, but I know they were there, and there was a slide and things like that. F718: Yeah. M734: er it's all kind of fairly ha- or, there's certain aspects of it where where it is fairly clear, the picture, but then other bits which just kind of blur into the background, F718: Yeah. M734: er F718: Inevitably. M734: It's kind of a photograph, where you've focused in on one point and all the others //get// F718: //uh-huh// M734: fuzzed out a bit, er F718: Yeah I remember whacking my thumb with a hammer at nursery. M734: D'oh! F718: [laugh] It was really sore. But I don't remember much else. M734: [laugh] F718: Somebody had the same dress as me, and that's about it. M734: And er, one thing I remember from, was either Primary one or Primary two, because, er both of them were down at the same "Wee School", er //was getting// F718: //mmhm// M734: stung on the eye, er F718: [ow] M734: or kind of on //the, on the eye-// F718: //[inaudible]// M734: on the eyelid, //er// F718: //A bee?// M734: by either a bee or a wasp, F718: Uhuh. M734: er which was a touch frightening, er F718: I'm sure. M734: [laughs] getting, get carted off down to the doctor's, //which was quite// F718: //uh-huh// M734: close, //er// F718: //uh-huh// M734: [laugh] and, phew, ice pack and that was pretty much it. [laugh] Not what you want as a, er six or seven year-old, er Also there was, really tight corner, F718: mmhm M734: that was just so inevitable that, er kids, cause it was in the playground, kids are just going to go running into each //other [laugh]// F718: //mmhm// M734: as two kids //go running from either side, and it's// F718: //[laugh]// M734: a blind corner. Kind of splodge, straight into each other //[laugh]// F718: //[laugh]// M734: [laugh] and they never did anything about it like put up a mirror so you could actually see if somebody was coming, F718: mmhm M734: er F718: [inaudible] M734: [laugh] //[laugh]// F718: //Did you splodge// into loads of people? M734: I don't think I did. I think I generally took a more leisurely //[laugh]// F718: //Stood on the sidelines and laughed at them.// M734: [laugh] Could see it happening way off. F718: uh-huh M734: Yeah. That's pretty much all I can remember from, first six or seven years of my life //[laugh]// F718: //mmhm// M734: [laugh] //[laugh]// F718: //There must be things, objects// [inaudible] that stick out though, I don't know, like certain types of sweets that you had or erm toys [inaudible] M734: Not really. F718: No? M734: No, I mean I think I'm aware of [laugh] some //some things// F718: //[laugh]// M734: that have been mentioned as stories, but //I have// F718: //uh-huh// M734: no true recollection of them, F718: mmhm M734: er in the same way that, or it's very much a third party, er a third person memory, that it's one that's like a Christmas present I can remember, er or supposedly remember, kind of th- magic teapot or something. F718: uh-huh M734: er, I remember what one was like, er, but I don't remember mine, //even// F718: //Yeah.// M734: though it's a standard thing, it's kind of F718: Yeah. M734: er, but, I've heard all the stories about me getting it and all that, but I F718: Convince yourself that you might remember. M734: Yeah. I simply don't [laugh] really remember, //er// F718: //Mhm.// M734: something like that, I can. Don't know why, er //mhm.// F718: //Do you// remember Caroline and Kenneth when you were wee? M734: er not until I was kind of older. F718: uh-huh M734: Maybe I wa-, maybe I //was adopted! [laugh]// F718: //[laugh]// M734: [laugh] But, yeah all the memories start kind of, from later on, er which is, I don't know why. Most people have more [laugh] memories from very early on, but F718: I don't know if they do. I think a lot of it is invented. M734: Yeah. Maybe it is more //superimposed.// F718: //mmhm// M734: Whereas I've had kind of, or, I'll tend to think about these things, and have realised that a lot of them are superimposed and so can scrub them from my memory. //[laugh]// F718: //Yeah.// M734: [laugh] //[laugh]// F718: //Clear up the hard-disk space// M734: Pretty much, //huh// F718: //[laugh]// M734: kind of, far more useful stuff, //er// F718: //uh-huh// M734: to be learnt. F718: Yeah. //[laugh]// M734: //er [laugh]// er hmm I can barely even remember, er, when I was in Primary three, when I was up at the "Big School", //as it// F718: //mmhm// M734: was. er I mean, a few memories, like my last day at the school, cause I then went off to fee-paying school. [ooo] er [laugh] and [laugh] I remember me handing out Smarties to everyone, F718: uh-huh M734: er Kind of the "Smartie bar kid", er F718: [laugh] M734: And er also remember kind of, finding school so easy, that it kind of frustrated me quite a lot. F718: mmhm M734: That we were still doing basic reading, kind //of// F718: //huh// M734: "Biff, Chip and Kipper", er with kind of //f-// F718: //Don't know that one.// M734: er four words per page, F718: uh-huh M734: and, [pff] it was basically far too easy and I cou-, I was already reading kind of [laugh] novels and stuff, er. So, I do remember, e- even then I didn't have to work F718: mmhm M734: to do well, which I think set me off for a bad //uh// F718: //Has that always been the case then?// M734: Yeah, and I think, [ugh], I think that did set me up for going wrong, on the basis that, F718: mmhm M734: er up until I was sixteen, I never had to work to be top of the class or thereabout, so if you've never had to do it then you get out of the way of it or never got into //it, full stop.// F718: //[laugh] uh-huh// M734: er so then when Highers come along and er you should do some work, er never quite got round to it, er //[laugh]// F718: //oops [laugh]// M734: er, one can say oops, but, F718: Yeah. M734: at the end of the day, er I think they're overrated, er F718: mmhm M734: that, here's Kenneth with three degrees, //er// F718: //mmhm It depends what// you want to do afterwards. //You wouldn't get// M734: //Yeah.// F718: into academia without the degree, M734: Yeah. er indeed, //but they// F718: //[inaudible] handy.// M734: s-, kind of the qualifications are a means to an end F718: mmhm M734: But I think a lot of ends don't need the means that are deemed needed. F718: mmhm M734: er that for the job I'm doing, F718: mmhm M734: er some places were asking for a degree, er but, why? //I// F718: //mm// M734: kind of, I don't think there is a need for a degree, but it's just //because// F718: //[inaudible]// M734: so many people have a degree it then becomes a thing that's needed. er //the stuff I do// F718: //mmhm// M734: in my job, I don't need anything learnt from about Primary 5 onwards. Kind of, //basic// F718: //mm// M734: adding, multiplying, subtracting, dividing, er F718: mmhm M734: a bit of English, able to communicate. F718: Yeah. M734: Other than that, er, F718: mmhm M734: it's just to prove you can learn, but, what does proving I can learn to speak French, //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: prove to my ability to fix a computer? F718: mmhm M734: huh? Cos. F718: mmhm M734: But, it's one of these things that society has deemed necessary, and therefore, F718: mmhm M734: nobody really goes against the grain. //huh// F718: //Don't you think it's// valuable, though, to have a wide range of, of, er subjects at school, to to cover a wide range of things so you can see what you do like? Or did you, did you always know what you wanted to do? //[inaudible] computer// M734: //I, I didn't.// F718: line? M734: I only found out, er in about Senior two, er and that was, er, well may-, to an extent Primary seven, because we got, got our first contact with computers then, F718: [mhm] M734: er and it was a bit of kind of games just to get you into er kind of the old "Pong" and stuff like that. er, and I was interested then, I think largely because, because Kenneth and Caroline were both older than me, and Kenneth in particular, who would be more likely to play games with me, F718: mmhm M734: he was by that stage, seventeen or eighteen, F718: uh-huh M734: er and not really up for playing games with, er me as much. F718: [laugh] M734: [laugh] Er, kind of doing his Sixth Year Studies, er as he was in, when I was in Primary 7. He was, kind of working hard. //So// F718: //mmhm// M734: it was, basically I didn't have anyone to play with, er unless I was in school, or actually went to the bother of going out and seeing my mates. F718: mmhm M734: er So... something like a computer game, where you can play against some sort of er intelligence, er was way better, and I think that was kind of one of the things that got me into it. And then, next thing I'm aware of, er the computers, was probably second year when we used them in technology, er. And I think, I think I might even have gone in break or something, and it was just kind of hanging about with other people who were using them, and, I started using things like "Paint" and, just mucking about. F718: uh M734: And er then found, then we got one, ourselves, and I found I could use it better than a- [laugh] other people, which was through no real reason. er I didn't try harder, but it was //just something// F718: //Mm.// M734: that I followed F718: mmhm M734: computers' logic, er and I think F718: Yeah. M734: I think you either do or you don't. I don't think it's something you really learn. You can try hard, but, I think, I will naturally be better than anybody who isn't a natural, F718: mmhm M734: regardless of how how hard they try, and that's not particularly being arrogant I would say, although it might come across //as being arrogant.// F718: //[laugh]// M734: But I //think// F718: //mmhm// M734: I think it's just, I do believe in kind of nature, dictating over nurture. There's still a combination of both, F718: mmhm M734: but, nature will always be strongest. er, I won't ever be the world's strongest man. [laugh] //[laugh]// F718: //hmm, that's true.// M734: er cause I'm a bit of a skinny git. //er// F718: //[laugh]// M734: but, you know, I just, kind of, computers come naturally. And, whereas Dad would try for ages to do something, and be all proud, er kind of, I'd do it in a couple of minutes //and// F718: //mmhm// M734: [laugh] not really think much of it, er but, who knows? [laugh] //[laugh]// F718: //[laugh]// OK. Can we go right back to //your very// M734: //[laugh]// F718: earliest memories - to the Michael Jackson video? Do you think that, do you think that prompted your interest, subsequent interest in music, or do you think that that, sort of, confirmed //[inaudible]// M734: //I think it confirmed, because, er,// according to Dad, anyway, //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: even when I was kind of er still in cot, F718: mmhm M734: when he was playing music, I would bounce about in time, er to the point that he's never seen anybody else move in the same way //at// F718: //uh-huh// M734: that kind of age, er F718: To, to radio, or to the piano, or //[inaudible] anything?// M734: //Or both, er// yeah, er which I think again shows nature over nurture. er F718: Yeah. M734: because there is no way that is a taught response at that age, F718: mmhm M734: er because Kenneth and Caroline both had the same, kind of, music going on in //the background// F718: //Yeah.// M734: and didn't react in quite the //same way.// F718: //[laugh]// M734: er I mean, yeah, th- they are both musical, but //I think// F718: //Yeah.// M734: music has played a far more important aspect in my life, and it's I do get lost in music //in a way// F718: //uh-huh?// M734: that I don't think Kenneth or Caroline do, er F718: mm M734: I think F718: I think Kenneth might, I'm not sure, I don't know //er [inaudible]// M734: //I think, I think Kenneth// kind of, could do with a map when he's //[laugh] go-,// F718: //[laugh]// M734: listening to music, but I'm //truly,// F718: //uh-huh// M734: kind of, [laugh] God knows where I am, //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: and to the point that somebody can walk past me er who I know, and I just won't realise, and that has happened before. And they've been saying hello to me, //and I've// F718: //mmhm// M734: [laugh] just walked straight past them, er er which is rather embarrassing when you see them //the next day.// F718: //oh// //yeah.// M734: //er// so I think it has played, an important part, and it was around before I saw it, but that's //what// F718: //mmhm// M734: er interested me in the video, was it was something that, was very intelligently done, it was, //it's a great// F718: //mmhm// M734: tune and er. It's pretty much faultless. [laugh] //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: everything about it is so well produced and, fits in together, er it is seamless, er F718: mmhm At what point did you start to, well I'm presuming you're not suggesting that at two you were able to discriminate and realise that that was what was, at what point did you, start to well have preferences, I suppose? M734: I think I probably had preferences even then. F718: uh-huh M734: That, I'm assuming, er that I'd seen other music on the TV. F718: mmhm M734: And hadn't reacted in the same way, F718: mmhm M734: er that hadn't made such an impact. er I mean obviously kind of the classical stuff I was being played, er by record, by Dad playing, F718: uh-huh M734: er was coming across and I was reacting positively to that er but the other, kind of, the more pop side, er, element of it, //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: I hadn't reacted, or I'm not aware of reacting to, maybe I was, er but I'm not aware of it, but then this came on, and, even as a two-year-old [laugh], it blew me away. //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: I don't know why, er, cause I don't think as a two-year-old, I was able to determine a well-produced //f-f- film,// F718: //Not consciously, uh-huh// M734: but there must there must be something almost subconscious er about it, er. And I'm worried about saying subconscious, because I don't know how much of a subconscious a two-year-old has. er F718: I don't know either. M734: But I don't know how much of a conscious, er a two-year-old has either. F718: mmhm M734: So, I think it's hard to work out [laugh] what was going on in my mind, er particularly as it's such a, like, one-off memory, //that// F718: //Yeah, uh-huh// M734: er F718: [inaudible] M734: Yeah, that, I can look back and see that I was seeing the video, er but, I can't look back and see what I was thinking about the video, in a way. //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: so I can't, kind of, analyse what was in my mind at the time - I was just remembering "wow" here's this, //er// F718: //[inaudible]// M734: music video that, for some reason has me engrossed, //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: Who knows? [laugh] //[laugh]// F718: //Who knows?// Yeah. mmhm erm so, well, the Michael Jackson may have been your first influence. What, what sort of, I've obviously heard stories about the tapes that you all chose in the car. What kind of path did your musical interest take from there? M734: er I mean for, certainly a good few years, it was mainly classically-based, because.. F718: mmhm M734: kind of, the stuff Dad was playing, Dad was the one who could afford music and, er had a system to play it on, F718: Yeah. M734: er And, I //didn't// F718: //Do you think// that's been the influence? M734: Oh absolutely, //er// F718: //huh// M734: Without doubt. Even now. //er// F718: //A positive// influence I mean rather //than [laugh] something to// M734: //Oh yeah, oh yeah.// F718: avoid. M734: er no. //I'm// F718: //hmm// M734: still into classical music, er much to the surprise of a lot of people, er F718: hmm M734: but I didn't buy my first album till about ninety-two, ninety-three, when I would have been eleven or twelve, and that was "The Best Rock Album in the World Ever" F718: [laugh] M734: er and I think by that stage my influence was being, was mainly led by Kenneth, //er// F718: //uh-huh// M734: Because he was very much into the rock side, er whereas Dad and Caroline and Mum weren't, F718: mmhm M734: er So I think he was, definitely where I got a lot of the music of my teen years from, er I particularly liked the heavy stuff, cause I was annoyed with life, so //I kind of// F718: //[laugh]// M734: er it very much fits in and is a typical teenage music, the kind of heavy metal, //er// F718: //uhuh// M734: and, I think that's why these bands, even going back to the Sex Pistols, er who were kind of very agressive, and even before then, the Rolling Stones etcetera, who were breaking new ground, they- by no means, er that loud or agressive //by today's// F718: //mmhm// M734: standards. But for the time they were, er they were, kind of, that generation's er voice, //er// F718: //hmm// M734: and it's kind of changed slightly over the years - it went to the Sex Pistols, then kind of heavy metal, er and now rap to an extent. er so kind of these were, or kind of heavy metal was a large influence because I was, er, angry, er, and it kind of fits in, er, and when you're feeling pissed off with the world, and //you've got// F718: //[mhm]// M734: other people who are feeling pissed off //with the world, you// F718: //mmhm// M734: feel there's other people there with you, //er// F718: //mmhm// Is it the lyrics or is it the music? M734: Both, er I mean all, kind of, a lot of the lyrics are, kind of, pretty much, "we're going to change the world and //make it good",// F718: //Yeah.// M734: and it's it's an interesting thing that you get, particularly in the eighties, you ha-, and in, er, America, you had all these, er associations like "Mothers against Metal" or whatever, F718: mmhm M734: who were strongly against heavy metal for its, er, anti-Christian viewpoints. And then you look at the lyrics of the songs, F718: mmhm M734: and like, Anthrax had "One World", which is basically saying "don't care where you come from, just get along", and you're thinking "hang on, that's an utterly Christian view" and yet these Christians are going out for blood against, er, bands like these. F718: That's //the stereotype, though, isn't it?// M734: //Wh- who,// wh- who kind of has the Christian view, the Christian, or the one singing the metal? And //er// F718: //They probably both have a lot// of ignorance though //[inaudible]// M734: //Well, kind of// I think it's a bastardised Christian view, that Christian views should be "love everyone", er //but// F718: //uh-huh// M734: by going after them, they're losing their Christian view, er which I think's a touch ironic really, er. And I think they didn't endear themselves - by going after them, they just made them seem more the victim which more appeals to, er, the rebellious teenager, //so// F718: //uh-huh// M734: they're going to go for them even more. F718: mmhm M734: er, so I think that was a singularly bad idea by, er, the "Mothers against Metal" and all, all of the various associations and organisations, er F718: [inaudible] intention was any good. [inaudible] //[inaudible]// M734: //er// I think the intention was vaguely honourable, but they just didn't think. F718: [mhm] M734: That, yes, they want everything to be good, but, they don't think about what good is, or public choice, general freedom, //etcetera.// F718: //mmhm// M734: er It's kind of moving towards a Big Brother society, //er,// F718: //Yeah.// M734: which depends on your viewpoint on that, but I'm certainly with Orwell in thinking [laugh] that it wasn't particularly good. //er// F718: //[laugh]// M734: but, so kind of I did have the metal influences, er. But I didn't pick up all of Kenneth's influences, F718: mm M734: er cause he was also into his jazz, F718: uh-huh M734: which, I've never picked up on, er. But, I think what I took from the metal was, the need for playing very technically difficult pieces, er, which also had in common with classical music, //er// F718: //mmhm skill?// M734: Jazz is technical, F718: mmhm M734: but I always felt with a lot, or certainly, the classical music that I liked, and the heavy metal, that the music was going somewhere. It's, //it's,// F718: //mmhm// M734: it's a hard phrase to understand, cause, well, where's the music going? But, it's just something I feel. Jazz, is, kind of, it's lots of notes, fairly quick, quite often, but, it doesn't really matter, //Is// F718: //[inaudible]// maybe it's a mood. M734: It is, it is a mood, but I've also seen too many live jazz musicians, who kind of try and feel, or kind of look "oh, we're so harshly done by" And, you know they're going back to their kind of, //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: nice six-hundred thousand pound house, er, //with// F718: //[inaudible]// M734: all, all that's good. And I think that's something that's affecting metal, that when metal started out, the bands that were there, had no money, F718: mmhm M734: they were down-and-out, they were playing to survive, //er// F718: //uh-huh// M734: So, kind of their agression, er, claims against society, held merit, and I think that's why they've fallen down now, that a lot of the bands who've got really big, lose that edge because, well, "yes, I'm just off back to my five million, er, penthouse, er, kind of, well "why are you pissed off with society really, er, any more? er, you're doing quite well." er, so I think that's kind of lost it, and that's, to an extent, why, one of the reasons why, I've not been that keen on jazz, because I feel it lacks emotion. //That,// F718: //mmhm// M734: Blues, er is very different, that, it's less technically orientated, but //there's a lot// F718: //mmhm// M734: of feeling in it. er mainly, or kind of, certainly in its origins, it was, er, Deep South, where [laugh] the black men only had the Blues, that was their life, F718: Yeah. M734: er, when they weren't slaves, er, and they were very poor and they were playing for, feeling, and sometimes the more successful ones, to make a living, //er// F718: //mm// M734: and if they didn't they didn't have anything else, so there is feeling in there, but I just feel that jazz lacks feeling. But, er, going back to the kind of classical metal, er, you kind of, both of them are very technically orientated, and certainly what I found when, er, I went off to University, was that, a lot of the metal bands borrowed heavily from classical music, which I found very interesting that, particularly, kind of, the first artist that really got me into that was Yngwie Malmsteen, F718: mmhm M734: who you'd be listening to a song, and then it would just go into, er Bach or Paganini, F718: mmhm M734: and sound really good, and, I think that's kind of, that aspect has definitely had a profound impact on my choice of music that I have now kind of separated, er, away from what Kenneth likes, that my likes are, pretty much, classical things rocked up, or rocky things that are very heavily classically-inspired, er F718: mmhm M734: so, kind of, even over the past six months, the lead female vocals, er which is very much more an operatic thing, er, as opposed, you get some pop bands that have female vocals, but they, they've never really crossed over into metal, as much. But they do with the cl-, kind of classically-inspired metal with violins and all, kind of, classical instruments going on in the background, and I think that's, er, it merges my two, er, main music interests together, er, not with a popular thing, but I like it, //so... [laugh]// F718: //[laugh] fair enough.// erm I know your other, well one other, passion perhaps is the motorbike. M734: Yeah. F718: Does that fit into the whole rock and classical kind of, ideal? M734: er it kind of, stereotypically probably fits into the heavy metal aspect perfectly, but it's not related to that at all, er I kind of haven't been a bike-nut, and still amn't, but, F718: mmhm M734: er, it was kind of I use-, I used to cycle a lot, and then I was kind of thinking, oh I suppose I should really do with, er, learning to be able to get myself over, er, distances of more than about six miles, //er// F718: //mmhm [laugh]// M734: I was, I don't I don't like criticism, and I felt if I'm in a car I'm going to get criticised a lot. So, kind of, being on a motorbike, F718: mmhm M734: I'm by myself, nobody's going to criticise me, //er// F718: //hmm. So it's// passengers and people in the car that would criticise rather than fellow drivers? M734: Yeah. F718: huh M734: er so kind of F718: You're not a fan of fellow drivers though, are you? [laugh] M734: I would say most drivers are fairly pish, but F718: [laugh] M734: er. Hey, they're safe because they don't break the speed limit, well, some of them, er, but that's a whole 'nother story, er F718: Do you feel safer on a motorbike than on an, er, ordinary bike? M734: Yes, because you've got the power to get out of //er// F718: //mmhm// M734: obviously if you crash there's a lot more that can go wrong, on the basis that if you're doing //ninety,// F718: //mmhm// M734: er, and you come off, it's gonna be a whole lot worse than doing twenty and coming off, though I've got more safety equipment, er on when I'm, er, on the motorbike, er F718: mmhm M734: But it's crashing hasn't really come into my mind It [laugh] Well, kind of, Mum always, kind of, worries, but F718: Yeah. M734: I'm much more "what will be will be". If I'm gonna crash, I'm gonna crash. It kind of, life's full of turns, and F718: mmhm //It's only// M734: //I// F718: normal that she should worry about it more than you. //She's// M734: //Yeah.// F718: not in control of it - you are. M734: Yeah. //Bu-// F718: //You know// the amount of control you have. M734: Yeah, but, I think, kind of, by the nature of, or certainly going by other people, likelihood is, in my life of riding motorbikes, F718: mmhm M734: I will have a crash. F718: mmhm M734: Simply, well, everyone I know who's had a motorbike, other than one who's only got one a week ago, F718: mmhm M734: has crashed their bike, F718: mmhm M734: so, logic would dictate that, in all likelihood, I would at some point come off my bike, //er// F718: //uh-huh// M734: [laugh] which is a bit of a pants-wetting situation, //but er, I kind of,// F718: //[laugh]// M734: I don't spend any time worrying about it. It's, not, kind of, it doesn't play on my mind at all. 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: Audio Audio audience Adults (18+): For gender: Mixed Audience size: 2 Audio awareness & spontaneity Speaker awareness: Aware Degree of spontaneity: Spontaneous Special circumstances surrounding speech: Main participant prompted with a few questions. Audio footage information Year of recording: 2004 Recording person id: 718 Size (min): 31 Size (mb): 119 Audio medium Other: Private conversation Audio setting Private/personal: Recording venue: Private house Geographic location of speech: Edinburgh Audio relationship between recorder/interviewer and speakers Family members or other close relationship: Speakers knew each other: Yes Audio speaker relationships Family members or other close relationship: Audio transcription information Transcriber id: 718 Year of transcription: 2004 Year material recorded: 2004 Word count: 4806 Audio type Conversation: Participant Participant details Participant id: 718 Gender: Female Decade of birth: 1970 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Lecturer Place of birth: Hamilton Region of birth: Lanark Birthplace CSD dialect area: Lnk Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Glasgow Region of residence: Glasgow Residence CSD dialect area: Gsw Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Accountant Father's place of birth: Glasgow Father's region of birth: Glasgow Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Gsw Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Radiographer Mother's place of birth: Norton on Tees Mother's region of birth: Durham Mother's country of birth: England Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: All functions Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Work and pleasure Language: German Speak: No Read: Yes Write: No Understand: Yes Circumstances: A little Language: Scots Speak: No Read: Yes Write: No Understand: Yes Circumstances: Work Language: Spanish; Castilian Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Work and pleasure Participant Participant details Participant id: 734 Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1980 Educational attainment: College Age left school: 18 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Agnostic Occupation: Computer engineer Place of birth: Edinburgh Region of birth: Midlothian Birthplace CSD dialect area: midLoth Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Edinburgh Region of residence: Midlothian Residence CSD dialect area: midLoth Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Solicitor Father's place of birth: Edinburgh Father's region of birth: Midlothian Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: midLoth Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Statistician Mother's place of birth: Gourock Mother's region of birth: Renfrew Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Renfr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Life Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Occasional use everywhere