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Document 1751

Scots Tung Wittins 100

Author(s): Robert Fairnie

Copyright holder(s): Name withheld

Text

Nummer 100
Mairch 2002

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]

The SCOTS Projeck
[NOTE: image here of Project Information cover in original]
RAICENT years haes brocht muckle chynges tae the poleetical seetiation in Scotland. Thae chynges haes gane haund in haund wi a growthie swall o intrest in the languages an cultur o Scotland. For exemplar, on 1 Julie 1999, the umquhile Donald Dewar, in his historic address, bodit a "hansel" tae the Queen at the openin o the new Scots Pairlament in Edinburgh. A "hansel" bein a wee mindin tae fetch guid luck tae somethin new or tae a new stert, he wis merkin thon bi-ordinar occasion in a tradeetional Scots wey.

Scotland haes a sindry an colourfu language heritage. The linguistic seetiation in Scotland the day is quirkie, wi speakers o Scottish English, Scots, Gaelic an a nummer o commonty leids makin up Scots society. Howanever, the'r a muckle want o siccar information tae haund anent a wheen o language quaistens sic as the survival o Scots, the kenspeckle particularities o Scottish English, or the uiss o non-hamelt languages sic as Chinese an Urdu. This want o information shaws up important kinches for thaim warkin in eddication an ither airts.
The forderin o new computer technology haes noo makit it a skoosh tae hain an study gret muckle dauds o information in a wey that wadna hiv been thocht possible no that lang syne. Bi wey o this, in raicent years muckle research intae the Humanities haes concentratit on the biggin up o muckle text archives. Sic resources bodes new inlats tae study language on a braid meisure an wi an accuracy that ither-weys, wadna cuid be duin.

Thae days, the'r nae electronic archive that taks in juist the languages o Scotland on thair lane. Sic a resource wad provide richt uissfu graith, no juist for fowk leukin intae languages, but for thaim warkin in eddication, government, the creative airts, media an tourism, that hae a mair genral intrest in Scots cultur an identity, an aw. It wad provide data o muckle importance aboot the English that's uised in Scotland, an Scots an aw, in aw its sindert bye-leids, Gaelic, an the heidmaist commonty languages.

It's agin this backgrund that thochts anent the Scottish Corpus of Texts and Speech (SCOTS) projeck haes been brocht forrit an wark on it is noo gaun aheid as a jynt projeck atween Glesca an Edinburgh Universities.

The SCOTS projeck is the first muckle projeck o its like in Scotland. It ettles tae big a muckle electronic ingaitherin o baith written an spoken texts for the languages o Scotland. The'r a muckle want for sic a resource sae that the want o kennin thare is anent Scotland's languages can be pit richt.

Tae stert wi, it will be maistlins Scottish English an Scots texts that'll be ingaithert, but it's ettilt an aw tae eik in Gaelic alang wi texts frae non-hamelt commonty languages the likes o Punjabi, Urdu an Chinese. In this wey, SCOTS ettles tae gie a full an siccar picter o the quirkie linguistic seetiation that kythes in Scotland the day.

Aince the texts haes been ingaithert, they'll be eikit thegither tae big up a muckle electronic archive. SCOTS will be a resource postit on the Wab for awbodie tae see an mak uiss o. It's jaloused that SCOTS will allou thaim intrestit in Scotland's sindert linguistic seetiation, an in Scots cultur an identity, tae speir intae the languages o Scotland in new weys. It will hain information on thae languages an aw, for aw Scotland's generations tae come.

The success o the SCOTS projeck lippens on gittin a braid ingaitherin o ilka kinna sindert text for eikin intae the archive. SCOTS is speirin fowk noo for texts, aither written or spoken for eikin tae the projeck. Tho the heidmaist want the noo is for Scots an Scottish English texts, SCOTS wad gie a guid walcome tae texts frae ither language commonties. Texts cuid be cuttie stories, airticles, letters, e-mails, poems or in fack onie kinna speech or writin at aw. They can be acceppit on paper, electronic or soond/video kisties sent tae onie o the follaein addresses:-
Dr. Fiona Douglas,
Scottish Corpus of Texts and Speech,
Department of English Language,
University of Glasgow,
Glasgow, G12 8QQ.
Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber] Fax: [CENSORED: phonenumber]
e-mail: [CENSORED: emailaddress] Wabsteid: http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk

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.

Kennin the Guid o Twa Leids.
A mither moose wis giein her youngest bairns an eddicational tour roond the hoose that wis thair hame. Gaun roond a corner, they cam face tae face wi the cat o the hoose. The wee moosies scuddelt awa tae safety but Mither moose juist gaithert hersel tae her full heicht an barked like a dug. The cat turnt an rin awa. Mither moose turnt tae her bairns an telt thaim, "Noo that's a guid example o the benefits o haein a saicont language."
This wee anecdote wis sent in bi Gordon Beange o the SLRC. It wis brocht back tae his mind efter readin the report in last month's Scots Tung Wittins heidit The Language o Refugees
[NOTE: photograph here of David McLetchie in original]
David McLetchie MSP efter speirin the First Meinister if he wis gaun tae hae a re-shuffle.
For some unbekent raison the Scotsman haes him sayin,
"Sorry Wendy! I did my best."
Somethin tae dae wi thair lugs?

Neist Forgaitherin
Mon. 25t. Mairch 2002
7.30pm tae 9.00pm
Comatee Rm. C.
Brunton Ha, Musselburgh.

No Juist Scots!
THO it's maistlins Scots that aye gits dingit doon bi the Scottish Executive an the estaiblishment an juist aboot awbodie else, the follaein wittins ablow, taen oot o "Eurolang", shaws that Gaelic tae can git its ain dale o pit-doons. The'r echos thare o the kinna dizzies Scots is weel aquent wi an seein thon kythin tae Gaelic an aw, daes awa wi onie credibeelity politeicians, ceevil servants an the estaiblishment haes left.

A body cuid be forgien for jalousin that nane o thaim, for aw thair uphaudin words, haes onie ettles at aw tae dae ocht that wad really mak heidwey in the hainin o Scotland's twa indigenous languages, parteeclar wi regaird tae Scots. Truith maun be a muckle ootlin ferlie tae thair sleekit mooths. They wadna ken truith gin it lowpit up an bit thaim on the erse. The time haes come when the words o Scots government politeecians an ceevil servants haes been sae sair devalued, naebodie's gaun tae lippen whit they say onie mair.

Words is the currency an life-bluid o onie politeecian an, gin thair currency is worth naethin, fowk isna gaun tae lippen oniethin less nor gowd. Actions an deeds is the anelie gowd they hiv left noo for fowk tae lippen.
Naethin less will dae.

Learn Yersel Scots
[NOTE: image here of a book cover in original]
Luath Press Ltd
[CENSORED: postaladdress]
Scotland
Ph. [CENSORED: phonenumber]
Fax: [CENSORED: faxnumber]
www.luath.co.uk
[CENSORED: emailaddress]
The paper-back buik an the CD is set tae be furthset in Aprile 2002. Wi 352 pages, 210mm heich bi 135mm braid, the buik's ISBN is 0 946487 91 X an can be fund unner the follaein subjeck category (Scots/ language learning/ foreign language aids).

COLIN Wilson's new buik haes juist been gien a date for furthsettin bi Luath Press Ltd., somewhaur aroond Aprile 2002. Tae gie it its full Sunday name, it's tae be cried, The Luath Scots-Language Learner bi L. Colin Wilson. Luath is threapin it tae be the first „Learn Yersel' buik on Scots an shuid be o guid intrest tae the follaein kinna fowk. Veesitors tae Scotland wi an intrest in the language an cultur - Fowk that bides in Scotland an that's intrestit in lairnin mair aboot the Scots language - Schuil collegianers, pawrents an teachers - Collegianers o leeteratur, history an linguistics, baith on thair lane or throu a clessroom - Thaim wi an intrest in the history o the Scots leid. This buik fills the muckle want for a text-buik, needit bi thaim teachin, lairnin, or e'en juist uisin the Scots language for ilkaday communication. This is the first workable language lairnin coorse for the Scots language. The'r a CD an aw selt separate-like frae the buik. It's no necessar tae hae onie kennin o Scots tae ken the guid o this coorse. For fuller unnerstaunnin, 'core' features shared amang aw the regional bye-leids o mainland Scots an the regional diffrences atween thaim is learned. The language uised is foondit on the NE bye-leid o Scots an the buik is pairtit intae 25 graded lessons, gremmar exposeetions, verb leets an vocabular leets. The'r a history o the oncome o Scots includit an a word or twa anent its uisage an staunin the day. New weys o teachin an new curriculum guidelines in raicent times haes gien Scots a new inlat intae the schuils.

Tak Tent! - The kivver shawn is a bit oot o date sae the buik will maist-like be weirin a new suit o claes bi the time it haes its hamecomin in Aprile. Wi the buik an the CD noo bein sellt separate-like insteid o bein sellt thegither, the price for ilka ane haesna been announced yet.

Hielan Stushie ower the want o Twa-leidit Signs
HIELAN cooncilors is gaun radge ower the on gaun aff-pit bi the Scottish Executive in haein twa-leidit road signs pitten up. Forbye thon, they've threitened tae tak the Executive tae coort for conterin the European Chairter for Regional or Minority Languages.

The stushie raised its heid efter they got a letter frae Depute Transport Meinister, Lewis MacDonald tellin thaim the wad maist like be an aff-pit cause the Dept. haed estaiblisht new layoot rules for twa-leidit signs airier this year, tae cut doon the scowth for risk tae road uisers frae the extrae time that micht be taen tae read twa-leidit signs an he thocht thae signs micht e'en be dangerous.

Cooncillor Dr. Michael Foxley, a Gaelic upsteerer that haes fautit ceevil servants in the Executive o 'institutionalised racism' agin Gaelic an Gaelic speakers, threipit this wis a by-ordinar letter an speirt gin nane o thae fowk haed ivver traivelled tae Canada, Wales or Ireland whaur twa-leidit signs is hoachin an the'r nae reports o thaim garrin onie stramashes. He then brocht up the haivers aboot costs an pyntit oot that twa-leidit signs costs juist aboot the same as ae-leidit anes.Cooncillor Drew Miller eikit that, for the siller spent on consultants in thon pyntless exercise, they cuid a haen a guid wheen twa-leidit signs pitten up an that thae fowk wisna takin the maitter sairiously an wis juist ettlin tae pit hinders in the wey o whit wis a gey wicelike speir.

Cooncillor Foxley brocht up ither maitters whan he gaed on tae say that the cooncillors wad tak thaim tae coort unner Airticle 10 o the European Chairter for Regional or Minority Languages. Thon says that the Government, that haes ratified the Chairter, maun allou the uiss or adoption, if necessar alang wi the name in the offeecial language(s), o tradeitional an richt forms o place-names in regional or minority languages.

Eurolang wis telt howanever, bi law lecturer Rob Dunbar frae the Univairsity o Glesca, that the'r nae wey they can tak thaim tae coort, for thon wad need Scots or UK hameart legislation first.

The likes o this gars mair quaistens anent the wirth o the Chairter. For exemplar, hou muckle haes cooncillors an ceevil servants been telt aboot pittin the Chairter intae effeck an the monitorin o onie heidwey. Sae faur, sax month efter the UK Government's ratification o the Chairter, the Scottish Executive haesna taen onie stieve action at aw tae forder Gaelic.

~~~~~ooooo~~~~~
Juist like leukin in the Scots leid mirror is it no?

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)

Some Sneckins frae the Media
JUIST ane or twa wee exemplars o Scots sneckit frae programs an adverts in the media thae days. Ye'll ken thaim yersel.
"Hey, Lavy-heid! You're gettin it!"
"Juist a penny chew then mistur."
Some guid Scots dialogue in the new "Scottish Blend" tea advert.
Mair Scots dialogue in "Offside", "Taggart" an the "Live Floor Show".

Astronomers?
Twa wifies in Fifeshire, efter giein the pigs thair supper ae nicht, stopped at the loan-heid for a bit twa haundit crack.

"Losh, Peggy, wumman," said the ane tae the tither, "A hear tell the'r a man i thon muin."
"Och ay," said Peggy, "A've heard aboot him; but he canna be aw that fond o his ain wife, for he's aye glowerin this wey."

Makar's Neuk
Ane doolie seasoun to ane carefull dyte
Suld correspond, and be equivalent.
Richt sae it wes when I began to wryte
This tragedie, the weader richt fervent,
When Aries, in middis of Lent,
Shouris of haill cam frae the north discend,
That scantlie frae the cauld I micht defend.

Yet nevertheless within mine orature
I stude, when Titan had his beamis bricht
Withdrawin doun, and sylit under cure
And fair Venus, the bewtie of the nicht,
Upraise, and set unto the west full richt
Hir goldin face in oppositioun
Of God Phebus, direct discending doun.

Robert Henrysoun ( c. 1420-1490)

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The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document.

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APA Style:

Scots Tung Wittins 100. 2024. In The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow. Retrieved 28 March 2024, from http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=1751.

MLA Style:

"Scots Tung Wittins 100." The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024. http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=1751.

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The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech, s.v., "Scots Tung Wittins 100," accessed 28 March 2024, http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=1751.

If your style guide prefers a single bibliography entry for this resource, we recommend:

The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. 2024. Glasgow: University of Glasgow. http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk.

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Information about Document 1751

Scots Tung Wittins 100

Text

Text audience

Audience size N/A

Text details

Method of composition N/A
Word count 2370
General description monthly newsletter

Text medium

Leaflet/brochure (prospectus)

Text publication details

Published
Publisher Scots Tung
Publication year 2002
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 Speak Read Write Understand Circumstances
English Yes Yes Yes Yes At work
German Yes Yes Yes Yes In Germany to communicate with two grandsons
Scots Yes Yes Yes Yes Wherever Scots is understood

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