The Scots language is the hidden treasure of Scottish culture. For many of us it is still how we speak to each other, how we express our feelings, our humour, even our Scottishness. It not only connects us to our communities at an emotional level but also links us to our past. Scots was created by millions of voices coming together to share words, phrases and jokes; to understand, act on (and often laugh at) the world around them.

Aye, but what exactly is 'Scots' anyway?

Usually spoken in a mix with Scottish English, at least

nowadays, is it really a language at all?

Was it ever?

And what about its future?

Dr Clive Young embarks on a quest to learn about the secret life of the language he spoke as a bairn. Along the way, he encounters centuries of intense argument on the very nature of Scots, from the first dictionaries, through MacDiarmid, The Broons, Trainspotting and on to present-day Twitter rammies. (And of course, endless stushies about how to spell it.) Some still dismiss Scots as 'just' a dialect, slang or bad English.

Behind this everyday disdain Dr Young uncovers a troubling history of official neglect and marginalisation of our unique minority language, offset only by a defiant and inspiring linguistic loyalty.

A refreshing counterbalance to the usual gloomy prognosis of Scots' supposedly 'inevitable' demise, Dr Young sketches out a practical roadmap to revitalise Scotland's beleaguered tongue and simple ways we can all keep it 'hale an hearty' for future generations.

Acause if you dinna dae it, wha wull?

About the Author

DR CLIVE YOUNG is an Edinburgh-born educational consultant now living in London. He is now the Head of Programme Development at University College London and taught as an Associate Lecturer at the Open University for a decade. He created one of the first websites dedicated to the Scots language in 1996, coining the word 'wabsteid' on the way. While studying language and linguistics at the Open University he began to work on what is now scotslanguage.info, a searchable archive of Scots news from press and social media.

Reviews

I'm ready to declare it the essential book of our times for understanding our relationship with Scots - packed with real world relevance. STEVE BYRNE, Director of TRACS Scotland

Dr Young has just published a very readable and thoughtful book called Unlocking Scots in which he thrashes out some of the real and concocted stushies around the language. DAVID LEASK, The Herald

Lang-time screivar, speirar an steerar, Dr Clive Young, a body that mony in the Scots warld will ken o, haes noo set furth a buik cryed Unlocking Scots that we doot will mak a rare read for aw thaim wi an intress in the culture an politics o the Scots leid. SCOTS LANGUAGE CENTRE

Book Information
ISBN 9781804250495
Author Clive P L Young
Format Paperback
Page Count 348
Imprint Luath Press Ltd
Publisher Luath Press Ltd