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Document 613

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.

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APA Style:

Dipper: 01 - Authors' Preface. 2024. In The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow. Retrieved 13 October 2024, from http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=613.

MLA Style:

"Dipper: 01 - Authors' Preface." The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow, 2024. Web. 13 October 2024. http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=613.

Chicago Style

The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech, s.v., "Dipper: 01 - Authors' Preface," accessed 13 October 2024, http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=613.

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 613

Dipper: 01 - Authors' Preface

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 Speak Read Write Understand Circumstances
Danish No No No No A little
English Yes Yes Yes Yes Home, socially, at work
French Yes Yes Yes Yes Holidaying in France
Norwegian No No No No A little
Scots Yes Yes Yes Yes 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 Speak Read Write Understand Circumstances
English Yes Yes Yes Yes Home, socially
French Yes Yes Yes Yes As necessary
Scots Yes Yes Yes Yes Home, socially

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