Scots Language Centre

Christmas Day

The Scots Language Centre is marking the Advent season with a series of specially selected readings
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St Andrews day

Scotland has a rich and diverse culture.

We’ve come from aw airts an pairts but as the saying goes we’re still ‘aw Jock Tamson’s bairns’.

Let's celebrate Scotland on St Andrew's Day and all the people who live here.

Crackin aboot Politics

Ever since John Barbour put quill to parchment in the 1370’s, people have been debating and discussing political matters on paper through the Scots language, and long before that era, in Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse.

New interactive learning materials

The Scots Language Centre have produced a new range of online, interactive learning materials for use by learners aged 3-18, teachers and parents.
Try them out in our new Scots Learning Centre

Hamish Imlach - The Calton Weaver/Nancy

I'm a weaver, a Calton weaver I'm a rash …
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woodworking in da Shetland dialect

Local Shetland broadcaster Phil Goodlad wa…
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The McCalmans - Twa Recruitin Sergeants

The McCalmans: Twa recruitin sergeants…
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Ronnie Browne --- The Floo'ers O' The Fo

"The Flowers Of The Forest" from Ronnie's …
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Luke Kelly: Battle Of The Somme/Freedom

Roch the win i the clear day's dawin Blaw…
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William Soutar & Scots language

The Perth poet William Soutar wrote in English and in Scots, many of the poems forming a collection of Bairn Rhymes still used in schools today.

Dialect

West Central

This dialect covers a large area known as West Central Scots, though speakers usually call their dialect Scots or Scotch which are the traditional names for the language.

Ness Hoose

This hame is cryed Ness Hoose an is in Johnshaven in the Mearns. A ness is a heidland or neb o land. The Soothron for hoos…

Haver

A puckle words quotit fae the sang 500 Miles bi The Proclaimers, seen on the wa o a office somewey in Glesca ('Glasgow'). …

Bairns play centre

This ane wis taen at the bairns play centre in Sumburgh airport or flicht haven in Shetland. In Scots oor affspring is ca…

Lads

This cludgie sign hings in Murrayfield rugby grund in Embra ('Edinburgh'). The word lads - or lauds - daesna belang jist S…

Auld hat

This haunbill wis for a sang nicht in Perth in 2016. Auld Hat, New Heids or in the Soothron "Old Hat, New Heads."…

Airms o Thirsa

The airms o the burgh o Thirsa in Caitnes (' Thurso, Caithness') grantit in 1952. Ablow is the words 'Wark to God' sprung …

Clatterin Brig Tearoom

Clatterin Brig is in Angus. A brig is a biggit wark that cairries fowk ower a body o watter or a cleuch or glen. Onything…

Fair Morn

The Fair Morn o Lybster in Caitnes ('Caithness'). The Inglis for morn is either "tomorrow" or "following m…

Ramstam an Crambo

Thir words bides on a wa in the Rabbie Burns museum in Allowa ('Alloway') in Ayrshire. Tae gae ramstam is tae breenge in a…

Ma Horns

This wee sign is at Murronside ('Muiravonside') kintra park in Stirlinshire. The Soothron is "Watch out for my horns.…

Mind

Whiles the news this week hae been taen owre by the weather an reporters gien oot dire warnins

Numbers and Time

Just as the year is divided into seasons, months and days, the day is divided into hours and times. Scots, like other languages, has its own way of expressing these concepts..

What is Scots?

Scots is one of three native languages spoken in Scotland today.
Scots is spoken by old and young alike and can be heard in both cities and country areas …

December 2018 marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new one with the departure of Michael Hance as director of the Scots Language Centre. Michael was originally appointed director back in 2002 in succession to Stuart McHardy at which time he was an employee of the Scottish …
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Scots Proverbs

bide

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Bide weel, betide weel

Everything comes to he who waits

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Word of the Week

dicht

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Dicht

DICHT v wipe, clean, …

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Scots New Testament

3rd Sunday of Advent

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3rd Sunday of Advent

On the …

Podcast - Episode 55

Wiv reached oor 5th Birthday – an wiv a special Christmas edition – wi gu
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Poetry - Yallow by Betty McKellar

Betty McKellar has lived in Lochwinnoch for over 50 years, as a sheep farmer’s wife and local teacher. She is a well known and now elderly …
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Scots Language Centre Centre for the Scots Leid