LL-L: "Orthography" LOWLANDS-L, 07.OCT.2001 (01) [E/S]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 07.OCT.2001 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "Orthography"

A fair while back we haed a discussion on Lowlands-L anent what kin o
spellin correction is acceptable whan presentin texts in Scots on a wabsteed
the likes o ScotsteXt. It wis generally agreed that writers in Scots haes
uized English spellins even whaur they meant the wirds tae be soondit the
Scots wey, an that thir should be redd up.

The new vairsion o ScotsteXt is nearhaun ready for pittin up nou an aa the
texts haes been redd up in this wey, chaingin, eg "night" tae "nicht",
"he'rt" tae "hert", "writin'" an "writing" tae "writin" &c.

This kin o trouble is caused wi writers uizin English spellins insteed o
Scots tae mak their style leuk mair literary or educate or something ower in
that airt. Houanever, A'm come on the opposite an aa, writers that wants tae
soond humorous uizin spellins that's mair Scots-like than need be. Here a
example fae "Mrs Goudie's Tea-Pairty", a novella bi a chile as caad hissel
"Uncle Tom", whaur a effort haes been made tae lat fowk hear the short,
closed Scots "o" (tt that this is a redd up vairsion the like o A mentioned
abuin, hence the want o apostrophes &c):

<quote>

"Folks that keep a shope maun hae a winderfu lot o patience, do you no
think?" remarked Mr Goudie to Mrs Blane, wha sat beside him at the table.

"Patience, did ye say, Mr Goudie?--patience! The trials o Job wid be
naething to whit puir hard-wrocht shopkeepers has tae staund nooadays. I
could tell ye something aboot that, Mr Goudie."

"Jist go on then, Mrs Blane. I'm shair the compny wid like tae hear
something aboot your experiences in a worl' where everybody expects tae get
everythin for naething an something thrown in for a luckspenny."

"Weel," says Mrs Blane, "the War hadna lang been on the road when wan o oor
customers, a Mrs Porter--her that ran awa tae America because she forgot tae
pey the rent--she cam intae oor shope, an she says: 'I wid like some bit toy
for Toammy. Whit wid ye recommend? The moarn's Toammy's birthday, an I never
like to forget Toammy's birthday. Something aboot a penny for a laddie o
seven I wis thinkin. Whit are the jumpin jakes at?' 'Oh,' I says, 'there's a
big rise in jumpin jakes; they are up to threepence-happny, an them in the
kilts is fowerpence. Kilts is very poplar since the War begoud; I hiv twa
nephews in the Glesca' Heelanders masel.

</quote>

Ye'll A noticed the spellins "shope", "Toammy", "maorn" bein uized, an yet
the likes o "shopkeeper", "no", "Job" an "wrocht" is left tae theirsels. A'm
no richt shuir o the warth o this - gin it's meant tae be humorous, A'd say
the writin's gey funny itslane, athoot wantin help fae silly orthography.

The question's the same as in the aulder discussion - wad onybody hae ony
objections tae this kin o thing bein redd oot?

A should pynt oot that whatanever ye think o the spellin, this wee beukie
haes some o the best grammar A'v seen in a while - maist o the time! The
passage abuin disna start aff sae guid: "Folks that keep..." should likely
be "Folks that keeps..." an "wha" should be "that", but ance Uncle Tom gits
gaun, his grammar turns gey clessic: "they are up to threepence-happny, an
them in the kilts is fowerpence", braw! An altho it says "an I never like to
forget Toammy's birthday" abuin, itherplace we come across "I never likes
tae mak step-bairns o the neebors that's sae freendly tae us", excellent!

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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