LL-L: "Standardization" LOWLANDS-L, 28.AUG.2000 (08) [S]

[Lowlands-L]

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  L O W L A N D S - L * 28.AUG.2000 (08) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "Standardization"

> Thae problems is onlie sae difficult as ye mak thaim. Nae easy
solutions?
> Is
> the wey A (an monie mair forby) write Scots difficult?

Andy, the wey you (an mony mair forby) writes Scots _is_ difficult.
What is't that gars enthusiasts pit a -ie at the end o vernear every
wird insteed o -y? A'v read the bit on yer site aboot spellin an
altho ye gie twaethree different weys o spellin this kin o thing,
ye dinna gie ony raeson for ony o them, ither than that it's
"traditional" - but this is a sicht mair "16th century traditional"
than onything that wad concern us.

This micht seem a bit o a niffle, but A'm uised wi lattin ma folk
see different kins o printit Scots an A ken that the'r naething a
ordnar Scots spaeker finnds mair aff-pittin than leukin at a page
o "enthusiast" Scots an seein that the spellin's obviously based
on the kin o writin system they learned at the schuil, an yet every
twaethree wirds haes been chainged ti mak it different for nae guid
raeson they can see. Whiles a body could be forgien for leukin at
"late 20th century" Scots an comin ti the conclusion that Scots is
little mair nor English spelt wi twice as mony letters! It's this
kin o spellin that jaups the hale page and scomfishes Scots as a
langage that its spaekers can recognise as their ain, obscures the
fact o what different it raelly is fae English.

Can you or ony ither enthusiast or academic gie me ae guid raeson
for writin -ie at the end o aa thae wirds? Dinna say the Makars
did it - that's irrelevant nou. Dinna say they did it in the 18th
Century - they wis aa inconsistent aboot it. Dinna say the Victorian
revivalists did it - they didna.

Ae guid raeson for makkin yer written Scots haurder nor it haes ti be?

Nou Andy, yer Scots orthography is aboot as guid as it can be in a
traditional system - nae surprise considerin the time ye'v pit inti
investigatin this kin o thing. Ma ain spellin is likely shot throu
wi things that wis first thocht on bi yersel, even tho it wis John
Magnus tocht me maist things, sae A canna ken what anes is yours!
But the ar this ae thing that ye hinna lat lowss o that's shot aa
throu yer ain writin an gars ordnar readers grue. Sae A'm settin
ye a challenge here - _aither_ chainge this ae thing in yer ain
writin ti mak it aa mair kenspeckle ti the ordnar Scots spaeker,
_or_ convince me o a raeson ti chainge ma ain!

An ye'd went an rested yer case...!

Sandy
http://scotstext.org
A dinna dout him, for he says that he
On nae accoont wad ever tell a lee.
                          - C.W.Wade,
                    'The Adventures o McNab'

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