Articles categorised as Regional

Nort Atlantik Drift - photography and poems from Shetland

Well known Shetland writer Alan Jamieson's latest collection of poems was launched in December 2007. In Nort Altalntik Drift, from Luath Press, Jamieson mixes mythology, autobiography and history...

The Bonnie Lass o Fyvie

A favourite from the North East, this is another of those love songs with a tragic ending. Performed by the Joe Gordon Folk Four, this video is from the old BBC TV programme, The White Heather Club.

Shetland Cultural Conference

The Elphinstone Institute (University of Aberdeen), in conjunction with the Millennium Institute’s Centre for Nordic Studies (University of the Highlands and Islands) and Shetland Museum and...

Robert Burns Anniversary Conference

To mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, the Centre for Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow is hosting a three-day conference to celebrate the many aspects of the...

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	"titlescots" => "Buiks, fitbaw an ithir blethers",
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	"copyscots" => "Hello aw, I howp ye hae aw been weil this week past.

Gin ye byde in Edinburgh, ye cuid hae duin waur this week nor poppin intae St. Andrew's an St. George's Kirk on George Street tae tak a keik at the Christian Aid Buiksale.  This finisses the day, haein staritit on Monday, an is a braw wey tae spend a lot time an no a lot o siller.

There wis sum Scots buiks there (a puckle fewer efter I haed been there nor afore) - maistly poetry an a hantle copies o Lorimer's New Testament.  In fack, I picked up a copy tae send tae a frein o mine in Finland an an aulder cheil cam up tae me an stairtit bletherin awa about whit a braw buik it is - In Scots, o course.  

He telt me that he uissit tae wark at the kirk, an wad whiles pit swatches frae the Scots New Testament on the buirds on the outer waws fer fowk passin by tae read.  Maistly fowk wis positive anent this, tho he telt me he aince heard an aulder cheil manin that ''That's no hou the Bible wis wrutten doun.''  Na, I hear St. Paul wis weil kent fer his skeilly uisse o 17t Century Inglis!

On tae the rest o week, it wes a wee bit o a shame tae see Rangers get beat in the UEFA Cup Final, tho no nearly sic a shame as tae see the cairry on o sum o the fans wi the polis!  I'm no a Rangers fan ava, but gin they'd won it wad hae gied Scottish fitbaw a guid heeze.  Ach weil, nae dout the players wul hae picked up guid experience that they can cairry intae the naitional team's qualification campaign fer the Wurld Cup.  

That, o course, is a wee wey aff, an fer ma team, Airdrie United, the season's ower.  We didna win in tae the first diveison, tho gin Gretna fauld (as enspecktit) we cuid be up on a technicality.  No a nice wey tae dae it, but wad it no be ironic fer Airdrie tae win a better place in Scottish fitbaw thanks tae Grenta's daith? 

An nou tae settle intae the lang simmer o fitbaw-less Saturdays...I'm shair sum gairdenin'll be duin.  Hooray.

Tip o the week - Check out Korpiklaani on YouTube.  Nou there's a braw band; heich octane fowk-metal - aw in guid speirits an a guid avalanche o fiddle an accordion gies it a heize that gars e'en non-metal fans like thaim.  Tap yer fit or band yer heid, it's guid stuff.

God Bless ye aw, an come back fer mair blethers neist week,

Dunc
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Buiks, fitbaw an ithir blethers

Hello aw, I howp ye hae aw been weil this week past. Gin ye byde in Edinburgh, ye cuid hae duin waur this week nor poppin intae St. Andrew's an St. George's Kirk on George Street tae tak a keik...

Names for the Scots Language

The Scots language has been known by several alternative names during its history. The variety of names reflects both changing fashions, and local dialect loyalties. For the unwary, such a variety...

Scots Leid Forum

Heya aw, howo ye'r aw daein weil. I hae faimily comin up frae Kendal the day, sae the hous is aw in an affy fankle an I ainlie hae time for a wee blog the nou. The heidmaist thing I'm...

Scots Theatre

Hello aw, howp ye's daein weil. I stairtit readin David Lindsay's "Thrie Estatis" the ithir day, certaint ane tae be recommendit tae aw fowk (that's not fashed by sweiry wurds an laich...

YA DANCER

YA DANCER! Ther's monie wurds in Scots that we aw luve, that's mair expressive (tae us) nor their Inglis equeivalents - dreich, snell, braw, crabbit; awbodie's got their favourites, an ther's...

A hantle new Edinburgh wurds?

This is sumthing I hae been ettlin tae pit up for wee while, but jist no got roun tae. It's jist a wee hanlte o wurds that I hear yung Edinburgh fowk no sae deifferent frae amsel uisin, but I...

Thochts

Hello aw, howp ye haed a guid Christmas an Hogmanay an ye'r aw daein weil i the wunter cauld. I haed a wee bit cauld masel, but I'm ower it the nou. It wis guid seein faimily an there wis guid...

MSP Spreads Scots from Aberdeen to Argentina!

Dr Bill Wilson, SNP MSP for the West of Scotland, shared his love of the Scots language with primary school pupils aboard The Reading Bus on Friday 16th January. Dr. Wilson read two Scots poems...

Snaw or lectures?

Snaw or lectures. snaw or lectures? Hehehe, I turn intae sic a bairn whan it snaws... Seein the wurd o the week is "thrang" - the Gaelic for "busy" is "trang" - "Tha mi ag obair gu trang" (I'm...

New fundin, internet, Dictionars

Weil, first o aw, I maun say weil duin tae the fowk at the SLC an the Dictionars that haes at lang an last got the govrenment tae fund thaim direckly raither nor through the Airts Council. Gin ye...

Scunnered...

Been a wee while syne I wis last able tae blog on here (hou maun Uni wark get i the wey o whit I'm wantin tae dae?), but a story I saw a week or sae back fair got me thrawn an I thocht I'd let ye...

Scots an Dutch

Weil, I wis fair scunnered efter watchin the fitba on Setterday nicht. Scotland wis outclassed, nae quaystion. Whan ye'r up agin a side that can pit players like Snijder on the bench ye ken...

Easter

Hey aw, wissin a guid Easter tae aw o ye. It's guid tae see the new front page o the site takkin shape, I maun say it luiks braw, daes it no? Guid tae see the YouTube channel an picturs...

Parochial smarochial...

I jalouse like maist o ye I wis mair nor a wee bittie bemused by David Starkey's comments on the telly a couple o days syne. Offendit? Na, no ralley, jist a bit dumfounerit. Mainly I wis...

New book on Cromarty Scots

Am Baile – the cultural and historical website of Highland Council – has produced a beautiful little book about the Scots dialect of the fishing community of Cromarty. The book is divided into...

Flittin, Nae Mince etc.

Weil, I'm back on bloggin efter a wee whilie awa. Jist flittit twa week syne, sae aye trying tae redd out a nummer o fankles that's no richt just yet. It's guid tae see thon veidio "Nae...

Nps n tatties

Ok, back again - been a while syne I wis at this... Been that thrang wi this an that, ne'er got time tae sit doun tae ma blog. First, I'd like tae gree wi Bill Wilson an wir verra ain Iain...

Neologisms

...weil, I haed tae blog on it suiner or later, jist be gled it's no spellin... Ane o first things a bodie rins up agin in Scots writin is the nummer o wurds ye see that dinna resemble the...

A Sober Student Looks at MacDiarmid

Weil, first aff I maun say "weil duin" tae Billy Kay on gettin his honorary degree frae the University of the West of Scotland (read about it i the news section o the site). He ralley deserrs...

Moray author launches census petition

A Moray author is campaigning for the Scots language to be given equal status with Gaelic by having it included in the 2011 national census, reports the Press and Journal. Marguerite...

Falkirk Pupils learn about Scots

A Falkirk primary school is taking a new approach to the use of Scots in the classroom, The Falkirk Herald reports. Pupils at Nethermains Primary have been working with well-known Scots writer...

Jist Yarnin - writing from Margaret Tong

Margaret Tong's articles from her "Jist Yarnin" series were written for the Buckie & District Fishing Heritage Centre's quarterly newslatter. We owe thanks, firstly to Margaret for allowing us to...

The Cyard's Kist

'There's nae guid comes A's wrack, fin the Cyards are here Wi a birn o bairns at their back An their hawkin gear.'Bit the lassie didna listShe wis mad tae lift the sneck On the cyard's kist.There...

Hedgehogs

A bourich o preens That's quick tae fleg; Twa bitticks o' een An a wee, wee neb;Come scooshlin oot, wi the starry mune Fin whins are dark an the walks are teem.Far they come frae, naebody kens,...

The Cyard's Coortin'

He hawked a puckle pots an' pans,Till — scunnered o' the wark,He timmered up the kindlin'Till the swat ran doon his sarkSyne he wat his whussle freelyFrae a coggie keepit handyAn' thochties turned...

Images

If I gaed blin the mornThere's sichts, like draps o dew, Wid bricht the dark...Wippet an warm, safe within, An' niver tyned.I can mak Winter, Spring;Fin I've a mind.Lyin, stibble-chaffed, i' the...

Lost Youth

As I gaed ower the stormy muir The sky was riven like the sea;The muir-fowl fled the onding's rage, Aroon the sleet fell cruelly.'Whaur are ye gaun on sic a nicht?'The reeshlin bracken seemed tae...

The Tryst

Twa lovers trysted bi the birk,The lass had munelicht in her een, Bit creepin saftly throw the mirk The waukrife lad had nane.Warm was his kiss an' strang his airm, The blin-sicht mowdie turned...

A Guid New Year

Fin e're the auld year hirples oot In ilka hame the toast is raised An yet, ahin the Season's cheer Hidden awa, the hint o' fearFor the Past is safe ahin us:A barn, wi the hairst stap-fu;Fit lies...

Homecoming

The salmon swims tae the lochan's briest, The bees win hinney frae the muir, Sae 'tis wi me a tug at the hairtAn it's sair, man, sair...Tae stan at the mou o' the quate hoose Whaur ilka room is...

Glen Muick

The skies drift doon — a dreepin' blur That maks o' Ben an' brae a shroud As if grown weary o' the lan' The mountain coories i' the cloud An' naething steers within this warld 0' stormy lift, an'...

Sklaik

'Ye dinna tell me — damn the bit —' (A glimmer lichts the ee, Syne a the sklaik comes scalin oot, Like midden oozin bree.)It's pintless, syne, tae quanter them —Their argument's entire; 'There's...

Hist ye back

The howlet, teetin' frae the wid Jeloosed the moosie's track A dainty nippicky o' furA tasty hist ye backThe yowe gaed stytrin' throw the whin Oer oot-rigs lang, an' black;As hunkrin' doon, wi'...

Mither Tongue

Written on hearing the Rev. Lamont's Service in Scots,  Denburn Parish Church ’Twis a gey stammygaster, a meenister spikkin’ like yon — Nane o’ yer peely wally affairs, that hae ye hodgin’ i’ the...

The Dominie

The dominie thocht it an unca thing, The Mither tongue.Like Sabbath braws, he glorified gentility An’ hauled ma kail daily throw the rick Dubbin’ the Doric orra, coorse, ill-fared A peer realtion...

Sunday School Picnic

At first peep o’ the whussle we were aff — Hyterin by whins, a tattie wummlin’ on my speen, Pechin tae win the line.Chae cam first — a sleekit limmer o a loon, Swickin, his tattie held doon, firm,...

Hen’s Lament

It’s nae delight tae be a hen, Wi’ clooks an claws an caimb. Reestin wi the rottansIn a hen-hoose for a hame.Nae suner div I sattle doon,My clutch o’ bairns tae hatch;The fairm-wife comes — a...

Halloween

Fin nichts draw in an fires burn high An antrin bogies glower inbye An leaves gang tapsalteerie ower... Canny! Yon’s the witchin hour.Lift the neeps frae yont the dyke. Howk them oot wi muckle...

A Sair Miss

For A.J. Blackball, World Barley Champion Set doonWi the wecht o years at his back,A sklyter o yird flung ben,As a last fareweel.The mourners staun like hoodie craws Ower near the mou o the grave...

The Bogie

The Bogie bides abune the brae As queer as cannel-licht,For in a dwaum, I spied him there, Ae ghaistly, gurley nicht.His heid is hapt wi’ stringly web He hirples back an ben,A muckle humfy-backit...

Eternal Record

‘Pit yer penny on the plate,’ said Ma o’ rectitude, a pillar —(My need wis greater nor the kirk’s It AYE wis wintin siller.) ‘An dinna glower at me like yonWi’ sic a gurley look The Lord is...

Pet Shop

A hingin-luggit rabbit baps its feet, Its loupin’ snibbit in,Yarks its snoot, teetle the pen, Syne bauchles back, doup doon, Duntin the cage, in bye-gaun, Wi’ its croon.Heezin up abaneA squatter o...

Bairn-Sang

There’s a hole i’ the sky,At the back o’ the dayTae gang til’t naebody daursFor there, like a barfit bairn, stauns nicht Wi his neive stap-fu o’ starsThe day creeps oot, wi a hirplin’ gait A...

Shuffled Pack

There’s been misdeals, aboot the antrin pair A queen o’ hairts, his sattled wi’ a joker. Bit Matrimony’s an unchancy thingA gamble, like a skeely game o’ pokerThe bairns are trumps — I ken the...

Teem Slate

A tousie heid booed ower her latest trock (The cheapest wylins frae the sweetie shop) Bairn-pleased, an naethin blateWi twa, three, sticks o’ chalk,An’ a teem slate.A half-oor saw it cast aside...

In Absentia

‘Mak the maist o’t noo — Ye’r a lang time deid.’ Jokin’ like, the auld sang... Ay, bit it gars ye think An’ its nae sae wrang.I widna be comfyLoupin aboot wi muckle wings, Face as shiny’s a...

The Sodjer

Heatherin eerin orin aye,The drums are dirlin lood ootbye; Hiddledum diddledum deitherin deist, The pipes are willin the lads tae list.Too roo rantin reeHine awa an ower the sea; Hudderin heiderin...

Pastoral

Toun-fowk, wi' their cant o' couthie fairms O' reid-cheek't bairns, an hamely fare O' reemin brose bowls, sickle an the seed, Hinna the stab o' the plooIn their hairt's bluid.Like rattens i' the...

Dispossession

“See yon bit fairm on the brae-heid Stracht’s a cock’s caimb? Craw-wheeled biggins, cauld as leid, Reid, in the sun’s flame? Wir fowk aince vrocht yon lan, Kent ilkie stick an steen, Dour,...

Land Hunger

A dreep on the trough faas doon,The gate o’ the cattle- coort wallops ajee,The herdsman’s hishin the latchy kye till the byre, Sottar an tyauve, are the terms o’ a fairmer's fee.The plyter...

Dork's No Dodo

 For Cuthbert Graham Fowk spik aboot Scots Ay, wir ain Doric leid As if 'twis a dodoWha'd drappit doon deid!As mad tae conserve an preserve the auld wirds, As a gleg taxidermist, wi putrifeed...

Horse Hurl

for Andrew Watt, Farmer, New Deer “Ye'd sic a hurl on him, as far's the gate? Ah weel, he's foonert noo, an quate.”A hard-vrocht haun, scrat-fu o girse an straeHeistit me hine ower whin an dyke,...

A Mither Tint

Isobel Booth, Hillhead of Cairnie, SkeneThe mistress o' Tipperton, couthie and kind, She winted fur naething that siller cud gie, Wi only her chuckens, an calfies till tend, There's nane hid as...

The Spae Wife

Hidden awa, in a neuk o' the fair,Slicht, an sleekit, an sly,The spae wife sits, in the spae wife's tent, Watchin the fowk gaun by.Hidden awa, in her lang-luggit lair, Her skill, the gift o' the...

The Gowk and the Star

His kyte's weel happit, Fed an wattered reg'lar; His sheen are blaiked,His galluses are buttoned. He kens tae pairt his hair, If there be wint, that wint, Is nae fur claes.It's Reason, that he's...

Fishie's Van

Aladdin's cave, the fishie's van, Lions hug the seerip tin,Jars, wi pearly clouds o' bubble Pickelt ingins, soor as sin.The fishie's fuskered like a walrus,Hauns as steeny-cauld's a hake, Een like...

Dalriggin

Dalriggin wis sleekit — he'd teeth like a meer's,A snicher tae match them — a tongue like a shears, That'd clip ye tae size — he'd the braidth o' yer claith, Ye'd be thrimmles an thrummles afore...

Balmennie's Nell

She'd a lip wi' a mowser,Balmennie's wife Nell,Wi' a tongue that gaed clack,Like the haimmers o' Hell.A pirn-taed, obstreperous deem, Wi' her dander sae easy caad up, Like the stoor frae a...

Noah

The Lord looked doon on Noah, Said “Turn ilkie stick an stane, An capture ivery kind o' beast Afore it sterts tae rain.”They nippit up the gang plank, Strippit, spottit, black, an broon, Syne Noah...

Jist Dan

Stringin the wirds thegither, Like a blin man threidin beads, Fu's a puggie, hyterin happily Breeks bumshayvelt, spayver lowsedAe fit forrit, three steps back: Deef, tae peety or blame.Abody's...

Halloween

A chap at the door — a lichtit neep Rikken o' cannel-flame.The pitterin-patt o' feery feet; Guisers, thrangin the lane.The fleggit myowt o' a lanely bairn, Wha kens that aa's nae richt,Wis yon a...

Twa Bairn Days

Ile on Troubled WatterFive years auld.He caa'd me "Wee pudden"I caa'd him ower,Neived his wirds intil a ticht knot, Knuckled wi' Biblical accuracy, Richt intil his left ee.It moved, a jeely...

Wirds

Crusty, compact as a crabThe thorn o' wir hale confab, We canna lay hauns on't easyNiver say dab.Ruggin compliments frae us Is nae mean feat — Pairtin a sookin bairn Frae its mither's teat.Awkward...

Ophelia

Watter ay jives, leaves nae untidy seam. A salmon loup's bit a haun's clap, The neives knit ticht thegither,Haudin sic thochts! Derk, as Excalibur.Cast in a random steen,A muckle, gapin wound,...

The Reiver

Gin I cud haud the peesie in her flichtAn catch the sang that hovers in her throatGin I cud track the leverick ben the nichtAn reive the liltin limmer o' her noteI'd hae a sang wirth singin.Gin I...

Doon an Oot

A doon-an-oot. A wino. Her face wis minkit. Lord, she stank tae High HeavenTart's nails, beetroot reid,Braith, sickly sweet, Fit scaffie's binForgot tae pit the tin Lid on her?I tell ye I hid tae...

Condemned Building

Peint wirks winners, Happen a crack here,A death-watch beetle there ...The "For Sale" sign's doon, Naebody'd buy. Structurally spikkin,It's nae in a guid wye.It niver wis soun, i' the first place....

The Thwarted Suitor

That ony quine sud bring me doon, I' faith — it's maist provokin, I'm saft's a bap fin Belle's aroon, She disna gie a docken!I'd like tae fauld her tae ma breist, (An muckle mair beside)Bit dour's...

Tinker's Sang

The tinker sang aneth the meen,O' Love gaen wrang, the auld lament, O' aathing tint, an aathing taen, As if its sorra he hid kent.As birdies wheeple roon the gean, An pree the cherries frae the...

Miss McBrodie

Hard on the meenit-heid She snibs her buik.Her schule-marm suit,Sterched stiff, in Bible black, Nae fripperies o' stertlin fite For the bairns' distraction.Perjink — "Ye'll write yon oot...

Breem Beddit

The wids are wide, the heather's thick, It wraps her roon, a bonnie plaidie, The bracken winna clype nor cheep, The lea-lang nicht, he held her steady.An fin auld age creeps in twa-fauld, Maks o'...

Narcissus

Gin Narcissus hid bin human,(Insteid o' a wee powder puff o' whimsy) He'd nae been mesmerised b' mirrors. Mebbe the chiel wis real eneuch,Findin Reality a thochtie teuch, Forgot tae dicht his...

Lot's Wife

Luikin back, she saw her maiden-sel; Her sma breist, warmIn the palm o' his langin,The sliddery girse, the broon yird Movin aneth them.Twa in ain,A Beltane jinin,Makkin a wumminOot o' a trimmlin...

Winter Wooin

Smoorichin saftly throw the fir A wooer in a silken veilIs the sleety smirr,The doon-scud, i' the burnie's dreel, Dird-dirlin roon frae tap till tail, Is the fiddler's reel.The birks staun...