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Document 1776

Scots Tung Wittins 125

Author(s): Robert Fairnie

Copyright holder(s): Name withheld

Text

Nummer 125
April 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.

Official Status No Eneuch For Leids
"The estaiblishment an the media isna gaun tae stert uisin Scots as a language till efter the Scots leid upsteerers daes"
VIVIANE Reding, the European Commissioner for Education an Culture, wis speakin tae the Irish Times raicently aboot the Irish Government's campaign tae hae Irish Gaelic gien official status athin the EU an aw its institutions. She didna think that gittin official status wad be the salvation o Irish an telt the paper, "You know what you should do in Ireland? Speak Irish, write Irish, be proud of Irish, use Irish in everyday language and show Irish culture to the 24 nations around you. But making it an official language doesn't bring you a thing."

Thae's wyce words this wumman wis speakin, words that cuid be airtit at the kinches facin the Scots language an aw. If awbody in Scotland apairt frae the Gaels spoke Scots as thair ilka-day language, the leid wad be in nae danger o deein oot. If aw the Scots leid upsteerers spoke Scots as thair ilka-day language, the weird o the Scots language wad leuk a guid sicht bonnier nor it daes the day.

It's hard for a body tae sell somethin that they winna uise thairsels an customers aye kens when the salesman comes ower as bein ashamed o the product he's sellin. The Scots language haes been stigmatised for a lang while noo an its thon stigma that gits in the wey o maist o the goals that upsteerers wants for the language; goals like Scots signage in the pairlament, Scots uised as a language in the media an ither sic like things. Athoot the stigma, maist o thae things wad faw intae place nae bother. Sae thon stigma shuid be the first target tae be dingit doon bi aw thaim that threaps tae uphaud the Scots language. It's nae guid tho juist gaun tae the pairlament or the estaiblishment an speirin thaim tae dae this thon an the nixt thing tae help lift the stigma frae the Scots leid afore aw the Scots leid upsteerers redds oot the stigma they cairry in thair ain heids anent thair ain Scots language. When they can shaw tae the estaiblishment an the warld that they really are twa-leidit an can uise Scots as a language in public as weel as English an athoot ony embarrassment, then there mair chance that the estaiblishment an the warld micht gie a thocht tae buyin whit they're tryin tae sell.
In the words o Mistress Reding, "Ye ken whit ye shuid dae in Scotland? Speak Scots, write Scots, be prood o Scots, uise Scots in yer ilka-day language an shaw yer Scots culture tae the warld aboot ye."

The English speakin estaiblishment cairries its ain English coccoon aboot wi it an isna exposed tae spoken Scots, no even frae its ain peers that's professed Scots leid upsteeerers, sae it's nae wunner they think Scotland is an English speakin country an ony Scots spoken at aw, maun juist be bi a puckle o the warkin clesses that they dinnae hae muckle contact wi. Whit thae folk needs maist is exposure tae spoken Scots, particular bi thair ain peers. The estaiblishment an the media isna gaun tae stert uisin Scots as a language till efter the Scots leid upsteerers daes.

Polish Sodger Bear
[NOTE: image here in original]
THE time o WW2 thare wis Free Polish forces fechtin in mony theatres o the war an ane logistics unit o the Free Polish airmy wis stationed in the Middle East alang wi its ain mascot, a broon bear cried Wojtek (pron. Voytek). Whan times wis quiet, Wojtek liked naethin better nor haein a freendly warsle wi his fellae sodger fieres an when thare wis ony logistics wark tae be duin, he liked tae dae his bit wi helpin tae cairry ammunition or ither supplies tae whaur they war wantit.The Division wis sent tae jyne up wi the 8th Airmy in Italy an managed tae capture Monte Cassino efter ither units haed tried umpteen times. The Polish flag wis hystit abuin the monastery ruins on the tap o Monte Cassino an Wojtek wis gien muckle praise for helpin tae cairry the ammunition. Efter thon, the division wore a shoother badge on thair sleaves shawin a bear cairryin an artillary shell in its airms. The Division focht in Normandy, Belgium, Holland an Germany, feinishin aboot 350 mile short o the Polish border when the war feinisht.

Efter the war, Wojtek wis retired tae Edinburgh Zoo an dee'd at the age o 21. A statuette o Wojtek wis pitten in a shop near the Zoo but efter it haed its inside re-biggit, the statue wis gien tae the Sikorsky Museum in London whaur it can be seen alang wi a full size model o the Sodger Bear.

Wojtek Gardela, a Polish university student o the Scots language that's howpin tae be at Edinburgh University suin, tells hou the English meanin o Wojtek frae the Slavonic Wojciech, is "happy warrior" or as they say in Scots, "a bonny fechter." Ay, Wojtek the Sodger Bear wis weel named richt eneuch.

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
Monday 26 Aprile 2004
7.30pm tae 9.00pm
Comatee Room C. or if no available,
in the restaurant on the grund flair.

Pairlament fit for the Nation?
Upside-doon stairheids wi the sichtless wheelhoose windaes o a thoosand deid or deein Scots fishin boats. No a bonny sicht
[NOTE: image here in original]
Shuid hiv gaed tae Specsavers

Dictionary of the Scots Language
Dictionar o the Scots Leid
THE abuin Dictionar o the Scots Leid haes juist been furthset on the wab at the follaein address:- http://www.dsl.ac.uk

This online dictionar project haes been brocht oot bi Dundee University pittin thegither the 12 volumes o the Dictionar o the Aulder Scots Tongue an the 10 volumes o the Scottish National Dictionar. It haes been descrived as the maist comprehensive an accessible graith o its kind an the project producers howps it'll be uised bi students, lecturers an ither interestit fowk frae aw the airts o the yird. The DSL taen three year tae pit thegither wi fundin o £320,000 frae the Airts an Humanities Research Buird (AHRB).The DSL haes includit wee bits o speeches frae the hinnermaist session o the Scots Pairlament o 1707 an some o the words uised at the Declaration o Arbroath in 1320.

The project high heid anes says that for gey near a hunder year, editor efter editor o the DOST an the SND chauvit awa tae fetch oot a historical an cultural record o Scots, frae 1200 tae 1976. The 22 volumes haes hunders o thoosands o quotes descrivin aw kin kinna life an noo throu a kinna virtual integration, the Dictionar o the Scots Leid brings aw thair linguistic, historical an cultural records thegither an maks it easy for fowk tae breenge thair wey throu thair contents.

Some Leids Isna Blate At Comin Forrit
CORNISH upsteerers is fechtin for the richt tae be taen as an ethnic minority an haes stertit up a legal challenge in London's High Coort agin the British Government. Thae campaigners frae the civil richts NGO, Cornwall 2000, chuisit St. Pyran's Day, the patron saint o Cornwall, tae pit forrit judicial review ongauns agin the Hame Office.

Parents haes been frustered at the Government's refuise tae rax the provisions o the Cooncil o Europe Framework Convention for the Protection o National Minorities on tae the Cornish folk. Ae civil richts upsteerer frae Bodmin, said that the scuils haed missed oot on millions o punds o extrae siller tae forder the Cornish language an culture. There been times an aw whan Cornish bairns haes been punished at the scuil for daurin tae say that they war Cornish an no English.

The abuin upsteerer telt the press that folk, the likes o the Ulster Scots an Gaels, haes haed millions o punds gien tae thair cultural groups an education systems tae forder thair language, history an culture an the Cornish folk haes haed naethin. He said an aw that this wis the first time the Cornish haed taen the lead in takin action agin the Government. The Cornish folk haes haed tae dree the dunts o litigation frae the central Government afore but this is the first time they've taen thon gate thairsels an this action wis bein brocht forrit unner the human richts legislation an the Race Relations Act.

He gaed on tae say that the Hame Office is still aye conterin the Cornish frae kennin the guid o the mony educational an cultural richts accorded tae national minorities bi the Framework Convention an there nae legal justification for thon. A solicitor, speakin for the parent's group, telt the press that the Cornish wantit recognition unner the Convention but forspeakers haes been telt that this winna happen cause the Cornish haesna been recognised as an ethnic group bi the British coorts.The campaigners haes haed words areddies wi the Commission for Racial Equality whaur they debated discrimination anent the providin o education an cultural fundin as weel as maitters tae dae wi hooses an jobs. This legal ongaun is like tae gie a rid face tae the Hame Office in the verra same year the Government is behauden tae pit forrit its saicont Framework Convention Compliance Report tae the Cooncil o Europe. The legal ongaun speirs the Hame Office a nummer o important questions anent the formulation an cairryin oot o British race policy. Campaigners says that there guid evidence that leavin the Cornish oot o the convention is unlawfu.Parents fechtin for thair bairns' richts tae hae the Cornish language, history an culture learnt in the scuils, tendit a forgaitherin in London, the hinneren o Februar. The for-gaitherin gaed hail heidit on the Government's obligement tae the Cornish wi regaird tae laws that wis meant tae conter an stop the marginalisation an forced swallaein up o cultural minorities.

At the St. Pyran celebrations, the Grand Bard Rod Lyon o the Cornish Gorsedh, a cultural organisation, spoke oot agin the on-gaein cultural an political swallaein up o Cornwall intae her muckle neibour England.
(Taen frae Eurolang report bi D. Hicks)
Things micht be different in Cornwall but it's no easy tae see ony cleek atween language an ethnicity in Scotland. No aw Gaelic speakers is o ethnic Scots/Celtic origin an no aw Scots speakers is o ethnic Scots/Anglo-Saxon origin. There a lot o guid Scots speakers o ethnic Asian origin. But for aw that, the Cornish is tae be admired for punchin weel abuin thair ain wecht an in some weys they micht hae a thing or twa tae learn the Scots leid campaign.

The BBC's Cornwall wabsteid threaps "Each week on the BBC Cornwall website you can hear the news in Cornish". Forbye that, spoken Ulster Scots can be heard on the BBC Northern Ireland wab-steid an aw sae whit wey can Scots no git the same on the BBC Scotland wabsteid?

Whit wey no gie a visit tae Scots Tung's new wabsteid at:-
http://uk.geocities.com/rfairnie@btinternet.com/
or juist dae a wab search for Scots Tung?

Signs o the times?
THE Registers o Scotland threaps in thair wabsteid on http://www.ros.gov.uk that thair Profile Document can be gotten in Gaelic an Urdu forbye the standart English vairsion. They threap an aw that this information can be fendit in ither leids forbye.

Efter bein speirt bi Scots Tung for a Scots owersettin o the abuin document, pyntin oot that it wad be nocht but richt unner the tairms o the European Chairter for Regional or Minority Languages, Pairt I, Airt.2.1 an Pairt II, Airt.7.1.d an Airt.7.2, the follaein repone wis gotten frae [CENSORED: emailaddress]

Thank you for your e-mail asking if I have Registers of Scotland's Profile Document in Scots. ............I will gladly arrange for a version in Scots to be provided. I will let you know when it is available. With Regards, Kathy McNeil, Customer Relations, Tel: [CENSORED: phonenumber].

Airly speirins anent this document brocht a repone that it wisnae in Scots cause there nae demand for it an onywey, Scots speakers can unnerstaund English nae bother. (juist as Gaelic speakers can an aw but thon's no the pynt.)

Big up a demand bi speirin a copy for yersel. Ye can contact ony o the follaein:-
Kathy McNeil
Customer Relations
[CENSORED: postaladdress]
Tel:- [CENSORED: phonenumber] or [CENSORED: phonenumber]
Fax:- [CENSORED: faxnumber]
e-mail [CENSORED: emailaddress]
Customer Services
[CENSORED: postaladdress]
Tel:- [CENSORED: phonenumber]
Fax:- [CENSORED: faxnumber]

Makar's Neuk
O MAN AN DUG

Kneelin, he held yir heid
As you lay deein, quate
An still, sensin the need,
O euthanasia's barbiturate.

At peace, your frame relaxed,
Ti mercy's needle-prick.
The dignity you asked
Frae him wis gien,
You gied his haun a lick.

He's sweir ti own the tear,
Or bare the sair hert-tug
Ti ithers, should they speir,
For he's a man
An you were jist a dug.

But secret an alane,
A tear draps ti the rug
Unbidden, when again
The mindin surfaces,
O man an dug.

Frae A Puckle Poems
bi Davie Kerr

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APA Style:

Scots Tung Wittins 125. 2024. In The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow. Retrieved 29 March 2024, from http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=1776.

MLA Style:

"Scots Tung Wittins 125." The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024. http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=1776.

Chicago Style

The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech, s.v., "Scots Tung Wittins 125," accessed 29 March 2024, http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=1776.

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 1776

Scots Tung Wittins 125

Text

Text audience

Audience size N/A

Text details

Method of composition N/A
Word count 2412
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 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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