SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 613 Title : Dipper: 01 - Authors' Preface Author(s): Dr James A Begg John Reid Copyright holder(s): Dr James A Begg John Reid Text It was a mutual enthusiasm for fishing which, ten or eleven years ago, first drew us together as Secretaries of our respective Angling Associations. Not long afterwards, we discovered that we shared a similar interest in writing Scots Verse, which subsequently led to a friendly rivalry, and an annual appearance by either or both of us in the Prize List of the Scottish National Open Poetry Competition, every year since 1982. The consistency of these poetic successes eventually gave us enough confidence to consider publication of a joint volume of Scots verse and short stories, but it was only last year, when we finally sat down and assembled our collection of poems, that we realised just how well our separate styles would blend into what we hope folk will enjoy as a light-hearted and humorous read. Water has always had a hypnotic attraction for most children, and it seems only natural that bairns, especially those like ourselves with a country upbringing, should carry this early fascination with them into adult life. That's our excuse, and we make no apologies, therefore, for the extensive influence of 'watter' on our respective muses, whether it be fished, sailed on, douked in, curled upon, or simply diluted with whisky! We make no apologies either for the use throughout of our native Ayrshire Scots tongue. The vast bulk of the Scots words which appear in the glossary were being used in everyday speech during our generation-apart childhoods, but sadly many have vanished as a result of the pervasive influence of Television and the passive neglect and active discouragement by School Authorities and the media. It has always been a source of wonder and annoyance that Gaelic, with thirty thousand speakers, should be given at least some regular radio and T.V. coverage, while two or three million Scots speakers of varying degrees of ability are ignored, or even worse, caricatured. We hope therefore, that this wee book, as well as entertaining, will stimulate readers to recall those dormant words 'their grannies used', enrich their own vocabulary, and re-establish a pride in their Scots heritage and in the daily usage of their native tongue. 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 General public: Audience size: 1000+ Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Year of composition: 1991 Word count: 362 General description: Introduction to anthology of prizewinning and other Scots poems, and short stories in Ayrshire Scots. Text medium Book: Radio: Other: Audiocassette Text publication details Published: Publisher: Luath Press Publication year: 1991 Place of publication: Barr, Ayrshire ISBN/ISSN: 0946487227 Edition: First Part of larger text: Contained in: The Dipper an the Three Wee Deils: Tales and Poems in Ayrshire Scots Editor: Authors: Dr J A Begg and Mr J Reid Page numbers: viii Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Private/personal: Text type Prose: nonfiction: Author Author details Author id: 623 Title: Dr Forenames: James Initials: A Surname: Begg Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1940 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Medical Practitioner Place of birth: New Cumnock Region of birth: S Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Ayr Region of residence: S Ayr Residence CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Clerical Officer, NCB Father's place of birth: Sandbank Father's region of birth: Argyll Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Arg Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Primary Teacher Mother's place of birth: New Cumnock Mother's region of birth: S Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: Danish Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: A little Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially, at work Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Holidaying in France Language: Norwegian Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: A little Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially, at work Author Author details Author id: 738 Forenames: John Surname: Reid Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1910 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Retired Head Teacher Place of birth: Dalry Region of birth: N Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Lockerbie Region of residence: Dumfries and Galloway Residence CSD dialect area: Dmf Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Commmercial Traveller Father's place of birth: Dalry Father's region of birth: N Ayr Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Housewife Mother's place of birth: Beith Mother's region of birth: N Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: As necessary Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially