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Friday, 5th September 2008

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Mind your Burns language



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THE first thought that jumped into my mind when I read the article 'Scots wha' hae the Burns badge will make the best of a Bard job' (June 29), was: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" (Who watches the watchmen?)
When I saw the part about an actor representing Burns, I shuddered. My memory went back to a film recovered by Professor Ross Roy, where 'Dr Cameron' of Dr Findlay fame acted as Robert Burns. It was hilarious. Will this one be the same?

The visual presentation at the Tam o' Shanter Experience is very good. The language is absolute rubbish. Frankly, I expect this to be comparable. It will be done in the best Sconglish, as also will be the Scotch poems. I feel sure that nothing will be done in Burns's own Scotch. I have heard Burns enthusiasts complain about Auld Lang Zyne, and go on to mispronounce four out of the five words in the first line.

As far as I can gather, nobody involved in this enterprise has the foggiest idea of how to pronounce Burns in his own dialect.

By the way, before someone jumps in to say that the word "Scotch" is wrong, I shall tell him not to try to teach his granny to suck eggs.

Robert Pate, Minnigaff





The full article contains 218 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 05 July 2008 7:37 PM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
 
1

Beth Boyle,

Rural NY 06/07/2008 06:22:51
I say contact Billy Kay for advise he will set them straight! He wrote an excellent book called: Scots: The Mither Tongue!
http://www.billykay.co.uk/
2

EWB,

UK 06/07/2008 07:05:07
Mr Pate, you are quite right to scotch the wrongly held belief that "Scotch" is wrong. You've obviously got a guid Scotch tongue in yer heid.
3

EWB,

Bromley 06/07/2008 07:06:36
Cutty Sark, a brand of Scotch whisky, is labelled Scots whisky. If the old Scots surname Inglis means English, and was presumably thus pronounced, surely "Scots" would have been pronounced "Scotch".
4

Colin Wilson,

Aberdeen 06/07/2008 09:03:24
Because of the unionists' policy of eradication, the language and its phonology are being lost.

The Scottish Government should take urgent action to address this.

 

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