@scotslanguage.bsky.social
Email info@scotslanguage.com for enquiries or to let us know about your work with Scots! https://www.scotslanguage.com/ Scots Language Resource Centre Ltd is a Scottish Charity, SCO21747, regulated by the Scottish Charities Register (OSCR)
“The late David Kaye recalled hearing a snatch of conversation on the street in the Gorbals … in the 1950s. In response to a neighbour’s question, Ach, are you weel?, came the response: Oy, vay’z mir, ich hob ayn gey sair heid”
—via @scotslanguage.bsky.social
www.scotslanguage.com/articles/nod...
The Pest W. R. Darling Oh ye, wha in your oors o ease, Are fashed wi golochs, mauks, an flees, Fell stingin wasps an bumble bees, Tak tent o this: There’s ae sma pest that’s waur nor these To mar your bliss. They hing ower hedges, burns, an wuds, An dance at een in dusky cluds; Wi aw your random skelps an scuds, They’re naeweys worrit: Gin there’s a hole in aw your duds, They’ll mak straucht for it. I’ve traivled wast, I’ve traivled east; I’m weel aquaint wi mony a beast; Wi lions, teegers, bears – at least I’ve kent their claw: I’ve been the fell mosquito’s feast – But this cowes aw. Auld Scotland, on thy bonnie face, Whan Mither Nature gied ye grace, Lown, birken glens an floery braes, Wild windy ridges, To save ye frae deleerit praise, She gied ye midges.
Oh ye, wha in your oors o ease,
Are fashed wi golochs, mauks, an flees,
Fell stingin wasps an bumble bees,
Tak tent o this:
There’s ae sma pest that’s waur nor these
To mar your bliss…
—W.R. Darling, “The Pest”
Oor Mither Tongue: An Anthology of Scots Vernacular Verse (Alexander Gardner, 1937)
‘Bible Talk’ By James Robertson We were oot for oor usual dauner roond the toun, Tam and me, and had stopped for a pech at the tap o the hill, whaur they’re plannin tae build eichty new hooses if naebody objects, and probably even if they dae. We had got ontae the Bible, some wey or ither. “In anither thirty year,” Tam said, “maist folk willna ken the Bible. No like we dae. Naebody’ll ken the language, the stories, the allusions. I honestly dinna ken hoo they’ll mak sense o the warld. Literature, for instance. Hoo can ye read literature if ye dinna get aw thae allusions? No that I’m religious masel, ye ken that. I canna mind the last time I set fit in a kirk if it wisna for somebody deid or gettin mairrit. Why else wid ye thole a minister deavin ye wi his nonsense? “But the Bible, it’s second nature tae the likes o us. Ye say, ‘the prodigal son’, or ‘water into wine’, or ‘David and Goliath’, and we aw ken exackly whaur ye’re comin fae. Ye mention the road tae Damascus, or Daniel in the lions’ den, or turnin intae a pillar o salt, and we get the reference. ‘Consider the lilies’, ‘I shall lift up mine eyes to the hills’, ‘let this cup pass from me’. Ye hear whit I’m sayin? It’s in oor banes, man.” Below us the toun swithered in the heat. A scooter bizzed up the brae like a wasp. There wis claes hingin on lines, cooncil mowers cuttin the gress, folk gaun their messages. “Tam,” I said, “ye’re haiverin. Nane o them doon there’s considerin the lilies or liftin their eyes tae the hills. They hivna got the time.” He looked at me as if I wis an eejit. “Christ,” he said, “ye hivna heard a word I’ve said, hiv ye?”
We were oot for oor usual dauner roond the toun, Tam and me, and had stopped for a pech at the tap o the hill, whaur they’re plannin tae build eichty new hooses if naebody objects, and probably even if they dae …
—James Robertson, “Bible Talk”
#FlashFiction
www.thebottleimp.org.uk/2008/05/bibl...
These favourite words from the Scots language include everything from 'moger' to 'skelf'.
29.06.2025 03:05 — 👍 4 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
Afro-Scottish Poetry Event 2025
25 July, Glasgow. Tickets £0–£10
A multicultural evening of poetry, music, & storytelling that celebrates African & Scottish identities through powerful performances. Created & curated by Chisom Okoronkwo with U Belong Glasgow
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/afro-scott...
'Whit a wonder it wud be, fur young Scots tae hae thir ain wey ae talkin (ae bein) validatit ootwae the confines ae the iver-ignored literary sphere.'
From Colin Bramwell's report, 'Oan Scots and Respair', published in PN Review 283: www.pnreview.co.uk/archive/oan-...
Here lies our land Kathleen Jamie Here lies our land: every airt Beneath swift clouds, glad glints of sun, Belonging to none but itself. We are mere transients, who sing Its westlin’ winds and fernie braes, Northern lights and siller tides, Small folk playing our part. ‘Come all ye’, the country says, You win me, who take me most to heart.
Here lies our land: every airt
Beneath swift clouds, glad glints of sun,
Belonging to none but itself…
—Kathleen Jamie, “Here lies our land”
A poem commissioned in 2014 to mark the 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn – fought #OTD, 24 June, 1314 – & inscribed on the Bannockburn monument
Here's a link to the poem:
auldnorse.wordpress.com/2025/01/18/m...
Colin Mackenzie (@dgplacenames.bsky.social) recently was a joint winner of the Scots Language Society's "Hugh McDiarmid Tassie" for his #alliterative #poem, "Merry Dancers".
#alliteration #poetry #drottkvaett #poetrysky #poetrycommunity #alliterativeverse www.facebook.com/groups/82376...
NEW TODAY! - Ahead of tonight's launch event @byleaveswelive.bsky.social, @paulmalgrati.bsky.social reviews 'Esther', a new poetic play by David Kinloch and another milestone in the recent Esther Inglis Revival. Read the full review here - wp.me/p3nrhP-jwo
26.06.2025 07:12 — 👍 11 🔁 10 💬 0 📌 1
Haem Tochts T. A. Robertson (“Vagaland”) Der a ön o haet ida gairden here, Whaar da sun-flooer proodly staands, An dark-red roses trowe da green Laek da lowe fae fiery braands. Da fruit hings ower da aipple-trees And da riggs is white wi shaeves, Fir dis is a place at da Hairst comes til Or ever da Simmer laeves. Bit I come in mind o a far-nort Isle An shön A’ll be settin sail Til a laand whaar Simmer hoids her face Wi a silver, asky veil – Whaar da kokkilurie faas asleep As da dew at da hömin faas, An da sea is singin a lullaby Ida Simmer Dim in Waas. Whin da lift is black wi thunder-lumps An da vaanloop sokks da laand, I kroag inside da window-peen Wi a book ita my haand. Da trees is greetin wi da rain An I tink I wid redder be Whaar I can see da Sooth-aest wind Come tearin ower da sea, Wi da grey lift hingin ower his head An da flekkit sea below, An his haands at da reins o da froadin waves At he’s drivin in da voe; Whaar you hear da roar o da Sooth-aest gael An da soond o da brakkin baas, An da air is filt wi brimmastyooch Far in ower da riggs in Waas. You can waander below a röf o trees At shalters da English laand, An you can tramp da ceety-streets Or draa you in an staand Athin a kirk, an watch da licht Trowe da graet rose-window dere; An aa da past is afore your een – Da strife, da toil, an prayer. Bit da rose an gold o da sunset sky Is abön your head at haem, An da glimmerin mist seems ta say ta you At da wirld is jöst a draem, An naethin sall staand at Ragnarök, Whin da seevent whirlwind blaas, Bit da kindness an love in human herts In London – or in Waas.
Der a ön o haet ida gairden here,
Whaar da sun-flooer proodly staands,
An dark-red roses trowe da green
Laek da lowe fae fiery braands…
—T.A. Robertson (“Vagaland”), “Haem Tochts”
published in The Collected Poems of Vagaland (Shetland Times, 1975)
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/haem-to...
✨SCOTLANDSFEST 2025✨
👤Clive Young
📍St Columba's by the Castle, Edinburgh
📆 4 August
⏰ 3pm
🎟 buff.ly/1buT6pt
#EdinburghWhatsOn #ScotlandsFest25 #Fringe #EdinburghFringe
Queerness in Scotland has always existed, hidden in medieval manuscripts, coded in Jacobite poetry, or expressed through the arts. In the first of a 3-part series, @nationalgalleries.bsky.social explores queer artforms & artists from Scotland, past & present
#Pride 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKBC...
🌟 Exciting news! 🌟
Cat Wumman, the second short story collection by Gerda Stevenson, is coming this September! 📚✨
Explore contemporary Scottish life through the rich Scots language, inspired by folk tales from Scotland, Japan, the Mississippi swamps and Inuit culture.
#CatWumman #ScotsLanguage
The Council of Europe's Charter for Regional or Minority Languages recognised Scots as a minority language in 2000 and the UK Govt ratified Scots as such in 2001 under Part II of the Charter. So now Strasbourg, Edinburgh & London all see Scots as a language.
www.coe.int/en/web/europ...
🗳️ Politicians in #Scotland voted this week for new powers to encourage greater use of Scots and Gaelic - and to make them official languages. It's quite a landmark vote! 🏴 (pinging @leaskyd.bsky.social at the start of the thread as we've chatted about this before!) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
18.06.2025 15:59 — 👍 17 🔁 5 💬 3 📌 1
Plans tae forder and uphaud the uise o Gaelic and Scots hae been passed by the Scots Pairliament.
www.gov.scot/news/scottis...
The motion tae pass the Scottish Languages Bill is bein pit afore MSPs in the Scottish Parliament's main chamber the day.
Ye kin watch stage 3 o the proceedins in Holyrood efter 2pm here:
www.scottishparliament.tv
Leafing through the Scottish National Dictionary and I think ‘scroosh’ really needs to make a comeback…
15.06.2025 21:30 — 👍 68 🔁 18 💬 4 📌 1
FAO teachers!
There's still time tae enter yer pupils' wirk intae the @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social Young Scots Writer o the Year competition.
www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-...
Grateful for the TLS for this chance to compare Dunbar and Henryson to The Krankies and Bovril and pie, in a piece on the religious tradition in Scottish poetry.
www.the-tls.co.uk/literature/p...
In front of a blurred bookshelf background a hand holds a red paperback book - Poyums by Len Pennie. There is a minimalist illustration on the cover of a burning match, in black and yellow. The title and author text is white and a quote from Lemn Sissay reads ‘A poet who redefined what poetry is and who it is for’.
For existing poetry fans, but also for anyone who’s ever felt that poetry isn’t for them, do give Poyums by @lenniesaurus.bsky.social a try.
Bold, honest, often funny, and deeply relatable, this is a bookseller and customer favourite!
#poetry #funny #feminist #booksky #scottish #scots #fierce
Dear Mr Leonard A. C. Jacobs I wonder whether you'd be Interested, But one Saturday afternoon During the course of a religious discussion An aunt of mine remarked to me: ‘Ah’m no froom Bit whan Ah see them Ee’in the trayfi meat It scunners me.’ I found this very striking And it occurs to me You could use it In one of your poems. Anyway, you might want to Think about it.
An aunt of mine remarked to me:
‘Ah’m no froom
Bit whan Ah see them
Ee’in the trayfi meat
It scunners me.’
I found this very striking.
—AC Jacobs, “Dear Mr Leonard”
5/6
Make a splash in our new 50 Word Fiction competition for June. 💦 What lengths will you go to with prizes from @literarygifts.bsky.social and @leughleabhar.bsky.social up for grabs!
29.05.2025 08:00 — 👍 4 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 1
#ScottishPoetryEvents
Fri 30th May, 7pm
Locavore, Victoria Rd
Glasgow Southside
Hosted by Carla Woodburn & Christie Williamson
Open Mic. BYOB. Raffle. Cake.
Free.
There seems to be a very welcome increase in poetry events around Scotland. We'll list as many of them as we hear about: under #ScottishPoetryEvents
Main focus will be regular poetry nights, open mics, slams, festival events, group readings. Let us know if you're organising or taking part.
Authors Dr @kerriandrewsuk.bsky.social & Merryn Glover discuss how Nan Shepherd has inspired their own walking & writing, followed by a book-signing & the matinee performance of Nan Shepherd: Naked & Unashamed
11 June @pitlochryft.bsky.social – £3
www.pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com/whats-on/mer...
Old map with the words "Online Tickets Available" on it
Place-names make a unique contribution to our understanding of how we humans have interacted with our environment over the centuries.
Join us for six lectures exploring Scottish place-names, sponsored by Ordnance Survey.
Free online tickets are still available: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rhind-lect...
