1.6 Scots leid: the future

Activity 9

You will now read a short text about the future of the Scots language – in Scots. This may be the first time you have read non-fiction Scots writing – perhaps even your first time reading any Scots language. As this course goes on you will learn and read more and more Scots language.

Part 1

First of all, we suggest you read the text without taking any notes – simply let the language speak for itself.

Scots leid: the future

The Scots leid is at a sinderins. The gate Scotland wales for it noo micht see it at last roadit ontae safer grund or wandert intae a daurker mair drumlie airt awthegither.

By 2050, Scots could be as muckle a pairt o Scottish society as Català is in Catalonia, Fryske in Friesland in the Netherlands and even Welsh in Wales. Or thirty year fae noo, Scots micht weel be a leid wi a puckle speakers tint in society's shaddas and a generation fae deein oot.

Ae wey tae bigg siccar foonds for the future wid be tae gie Scots parity wi Scotland's ither leids. Bringin Scots up fae third cless tae first in the mind o the Scottish public through mair fundin, resources and legislation wid finally gie Scots speakers in Scotland the respect that society tae noo seems tae hae been haudin back fae them. If Scotland's 1.6 million Scots speakers are a wee thing blate tae spier government for mair and better provision for their mither tongue, democracy and social justice cry oot for it.

The ither possible gate tae tak is gey similar tae if no exactly the same as the ane Scots is on the noo. It's aw aboot a third o the haill nation bidin and dargin and peyin taxes in ilka pairt o Scotland but wi ainly sma gear fae the state for its leid, lauched at by its media, pouked by society for no speakin richt. If aye left as the puir neebor o Scottish culture, likely Scots speakers winnae care a docken and shaw the lave the thrawn resistance that's keepit Scots alive through waur nor this. But wee leids the warld ower are cowpin unner the wecht o fower or five global languages and it micht be gey hard for Scots tae jouk this trend.

But for the lack o some heavy liftin by the Scottish state, Scots speakers could awready be lookin forrit tae a bricht and mair hopefu future for their leid. Yet Scots could juist as easy stacher on and finn itsel at the end up jawin doon history's cundy.

Part 2

As a second step, you could read the text and listen to the recording of it at the same time. Hearing the Scots words might help you understand their meaning as well.

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Part 3

As a next step, you might want to go through the text and highlight words or phrases that appear to be key to understanding the meaning of the text, and which you can then look up in the Dictionary of the Scots Language or other sources.

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1.5 Heid: current state provision

1.7 What I have learned