LL-L: "Language politics" LOWLANDS-L, 17.JAN.2000 (01) [E]

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From: Colin Wilson [lcwilson at iee.org]
Subject: LL-L: "Language politics" LOWLANDS-L, 15.JAN.2000 (01) [E]

At 13:24 15/01/00 -0800, Reinhard/Ron wrote:

>Most certainly, it is predominantly Highland
>culture that is shown as "Scottish" to the world outside the British Isles,
>and I would be surprised to hear that Scotland herself did not have a hand in
>this also.

If you want it in a nutshell, the state promotes Highland culture
throughout Scotland as a subtle way of telling the majority that
we don't have one.

Colin Wilson.

**********************************************************************
                               the graip wis tint, the besom wis duin
Colin Wilson                   the barra wadna row its lane
writin fae Glesca              an sicna soss it nivver wis seen
                               lik the muckin o Geordie's byre
**********************************************************************

----------

From: Colin Wilson [lcwilson at iee.org]
Subject: LL-L: "Language politics" LOWLANDS-L, 15.JAN.2000 (01) [E]

At 13:24 15/01/00 -0800, Braw1 wrote:
>Again, history tells us that the Scots speakers (mostly
>lowland Scots) luiked doon on the highland Gaelic speakers as Chouchters
<--sp
>
>elt right?-meaning hill billy. And most Scots speakers regard them as foreign
>as Irish, though kin. Chouchters wid call the lowlander a saussanch <--spelt
>right? -literally a Saxon, meaning an Englishman.

Just for the record, the word "teuchter" (that's the usual spelling)
isn't only applied to Gaelic-speakers. It can mean anyone that the
person speaking considers to display an excessive degree of rustic
Scottishness. For example my secondary school, in the 1970s, had a
mixture of kids from the affluent suburbia where it was located, along
with others bussed in from the surrounding rural areas. Members of the
former group sometimes used the word "teuchter" for members of the latter.
For another example, it's a name that people here in Glasgow call me if I
use Scots with them, which is partly why I mostly use English. It isn't
really a hate word, but it *is* derogatory.

As for "Sasunnach", a Gael wouldn't use that word for a Lowlander, but
it does mean "English". The word in Gaelic for a Lowlander is "Gall":
when spelt "gall" without a capital, it means an outsider or stranger.

Guidwull tae aw,

Colin Wilson.

**********************************************************************
                               the graip wis tint, the besom wis duin
Colin Wilson                   the barra wadna row its lane
writin fae Glesca              an sicna soss it nivver wis seen
                               lik the muckin o Geordie's byre
**********************************************************************

----------

From: Colin Wilson [lcwilson at iee.org]
Subject: LL-L: "Language politics" LOWLANDS-L, 15.JAN.2000 (01) [E]

At 13:24 15/01/00 -0800, Andy Eagle wrote:
>Gaels have traditionally called both Scots and English 'beurla' oh! -  I
>just looked in my Gaelic dictionary  to make sure I spelled that right and
>also found the following:
>
>beurla Albannach - The Anglo-Scottish
>a' bheurla leathan, a' bheurla mhór - the broad Scotch
>a' bheurla Shassunnach - pure English.
>
>Well. That shows that the Gaels are aware of the linguistic difference
>between Scots and English.

I recognise these definitions as being from Dwelly's dictionary,
which was compiled about hundred years ago, and they might have been
quite antiquated even then.

Today's Gaelic speakers generally use "Beurla" to denote both Scots
or English, and if you ask what they mean by it they won't say "English
or Scots", they'll just say "English".

Colin Wilson.

**********************************************************************
                               the graip wis tint, the besom wis duin
Colin Wilson                   the barra wadna row its lane
writin fae Glesca              an sicna soss it nivver wis seen
                               lik the muckin o Geordie's byre
**********************************************************************

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