LL-L "Songs" 2003.03.06 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 06.MAR.2003 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Allison Turner-hansen <athansen at arches.uga.edu>
Subject: LL-L "Songs" 2003.03.05 (06) [E]

Oh yes, Ron et al,
Scottish songs are greatly loved by many in the southern U.S.
Once I attended a Burns night, and so many came that there was standing
room only.  We all sang along, experiencing a couple of hours of perfect
happiness.
My own first name was selected by my dad from a book of Scottish
ballads, and has nothing to do with "Peyton Place."

Allison Turner-Hansen

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Songs


Oh yes, dear Allison et al.! (And it's a nice name whatever it's origin may
be.)

Scottish songs are greatly loved not only in the Southern U.S. -- up here in
the Pacific Northwest as well, what with Oregon, Washington and British
Columbia having gezillions of folkmusic associations and hosting famous,
large annual folkmusic events with British Isles (and East European)
predominance (unfortunately with hardly any other Lowlands representation).
Back in Australia, with its strong Scottish roots, Scottish (and Irish)
music is big and is standard fare at any better Friday night pub
get-together (drawing in even non-drinkers), and Australian folkmusic, like
folkmusic of Appalachia and Bluegrass country in the U.S., is firmly based
on Scottish (and Irish) music and is definitely nothing to sneeze at either
(has a LOT more to offer than "Waltzing Mathilda"). Why, even in
non-Anglo-Celtic Europe there is a huge following of folkmusic of the
British Isles, particularly Scottish and Irish music, and Southeastern U.S.
States music as well. In Germany, this started in earnest in the 1960s.

However, unfortunately, despite all this interest, it seems that there is a
lot of ignorance with regard to Scottish songs, even within countries with
Anglo-Celtic roots. I feel that in most circles (other than specific
Lowlands-focused ones) too little attention is afforded the Scots language
aspects. Sure, all types of Scottish traditional music undoubtedly have
strong Celtic roots or influences, but I somewhat resent the commonly held
notions that Gaelic songs are "pure" Scottish and that Scots language songs
are some sort of Anglicized versions, "broad" Scottish English. In other
words, I feel that the Scots language isn't given a fair shake, is not yet
universally recognized as uniquely and thoroughly Scottish as is Gaelic.
This is something that I believe requires a lot of education. Of course, we
here on Lowlands-L try to be a part of this in our own modest way. I think
that the large numbers of Scottish music and culture associations (with
their Highlands obsession) ought to be the first target of such an education
campaign. Also, I suggest that we all do our part in educating our local
library and bookstore staff. They constantly mix Scots material (if any) in
with English material when otherwise they separate material by language, or
they catalog Scots material under "Gaelic." At any rate, I find it annoying,
and I am having a long-standing battle with the person in charge of language
books at our university bookstore. He keeps filing Scots books under
"Gaelic," and he doesn't like people telling him how to do his business.
Recently I just wrote to his boss suggesting that they stock Our Colin's
textbook* and that he make a lasting decree that Scots material be filed
neither under "English" nor "Gaelic" but under "Scots." Let's see what
happens. Why be such a stickler? Scots will never be internationally
recognized and respected if we don't insist on it being given its own niche,
just as Lowlands Saxon ("Low German") will never be respected (or even
known) if it keeps being treated as a negligible appendage of German or
Dutch.

Cheers!

Reinhard/Ron

* Wilson, L. Colin (2002): _The Luath Scots Language Learner_, ISBN 0 946487
91 X, with CDs (ISBN 1 84282 026 5 CD RRP); Edinburgh (Scotland): Luath
Press. http://www.luath.co.uk/acatalog/Language.html

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