Gavin Douglas i modren claes

Posted by Duncan

Weil, I’ve fair got a bad cauld the nou – ma heid’s beelin an ma thrapple’s tichter nor Scrooge’s neive.  Ech, this is nae guid ava...

 

Like maist fowk I wis sad tae read about the deith o John Law the ither week.  I didna ken him, haein ainlie met him at meetins, but he wis a richt freinly cheil, an (as monie fowk haes said) wis gey guid at encouragin fowk tae get involvit wi warkin tae furder Scots.  Certes he made me feel walcome whan I spake tae him.  Twa-thrie week syne I wis takkin a keik on his wabsite an funn this airticle: http://www.airt.co.uk/html/staunpynt.html whilk is weil wurth a butcher’s.

 

Ane o the projecks he wis warkin on wis on breingin out a modren version o Gavin Douglas’ Eanados.  I ralley howp this comes tae be, for like monie fowk I finn aulder Scots texts tae be a sair fecht tae read – wi aw thae Ys an Ks an sae on it can be sum darg.  I’m shair nae richt-thinkin bodie coud objeck tae Shakespeare an Chaucer kythin i modern Inglish orthography, sae I’m shair the same gaes for Douglas an the lave o wir aulder makkars.  I mind sum years syne readin a beuk (wis it the Oxford English Poetry?) that haed modrenised versions o medieval Inglish poems, but Dunbar’s Lament for the Makkaris wis aye obscured by the editors no takkin the time tae gie it the same treatment as the lave. 

No that I’m for chyngin the aulder wurds for new anes – faur frae it.  Glosses an sic things can keep ye richt wi auld-farrant wurds ye dinna ken, but the haill text wad shairly be a guid deal mair accessable tae modren fowk gin it kythed i modren claes.  An shairly sic a traisur o wir naitional leiteratur haes byded ower lang i the daurk – it’s time tae get re-acquent wi it.

 

That’s aw for the nou,

Dunc

 

Sang o the Week: Queen – Another One Bites the Dust.

 

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