AUTHOR, broadcaster and Scots activist Billy Kay delivered a historic speech to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, focusing on the importance of the language.
Kay thanked SNP MSP Emma Harper for inviting him to deliver the Chamber’s “Time for Reflection” message in his mother tongue – marking the first time the segment had been given entirely in Scots.
The writer gave several examples of Scots words “perfit” for debating; such as speir, jalouse and threap, before explaining the international links of some of the most commonly used Scots phrases.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon's support for Scots language teaching welcomed
Kay also gave examples of Scots speakers who had achieved great things in history, from Hugh MacDiarmid to Keir Hardie, and spoke on the need for Scots to be included in the curriculum.
You can watch the clip below and read the transcription that follows.
MSP Harper MSP said the speech had shown the "vital importance of promoting Scots".
“Jackie [Dunbar] and I have pressed the parliament to improve its approach to using, and promoting Scots on the Parliament campus, and we have met with the Scottish Government to discuss the Scots Language Act which was committed to in the SNP 2021 Manifesto," she said.
“I again thank Billy for his fantastic Time for Reflection address and I encourage everyone to watch it and to play their part in helping to raise the profile of one of our national languages.”
Dunbar added that she wants "tae dae onythin" to preserve Scots Doric.
“Emma and I will continue to do all we can to see Scots supported and promoted throughout Scottish society and I join Emma, and others, in encouraging people to use Scots and all its wonderful dialects," she went on.
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Thenk ye, Presidin Officer, for giein me this honour o addressin oor National Pairlament.
I’ll stairt wi a kenspeckle quote fae Hugh MacDiarmid, ane o the skeeliest makars in Scots leiterature’s thoosan year history:
Tae Be Yersel’s an tae mak that worth bein/Nae harder job tae mortals has been gien.
It’s maybe even harder for MSPs – for you cannae jist be yersel for yersels – but for aw the sels, aw the sowels, aw the brither an sister Scots fae Maidenkirk tae Johnny Groats and ayont, that ye represent, amang whilk theres ower 1.5 million Scots speakers.
Noo’s the day an noo’s the oor tae rax oot an bring their words scrievit on the waws ootside the pairliament intae the hert o this chaumer, words perfit for debate like
SPEIR inquire THREAP assert JALOUSE suspect, TAK TENT take care OR IT’S TINT its lost, OR gin ye dinnae want tae be douce ye can hae a FLYTIN – for it’s a leid hoatchin wi gleg insults - glaikit gawkit gowk
In daein sae ye’ll raise the international profile o this airt wi words fae fremmit leids that touch us hame - French se facher - dinnae fash yersel – Dutch hunkers, Scandinavian lugs, an Latin dispone.
Ye’ll be howkin as weel fae a gowden seam in yer ain histories
MacDiarmid wis a foundin faither o the National Pairty
Fellae makar Cunninghame Graham an his frien Kier Hardie the labour Pairty
The chiel wha first defined oor democratic intellectualism wis the Conservative Walter Elliot….
The Liberal Gladstone – wis oreiginally Gled Stane, Gled bein Scots for the bird o prey the kite.
An the Greens are thirled tae oor ayebydand land whaur Scots words like smir, caller, haar or gloamin seem tae arise oot the yird itsel an haud oor herts.
But mair important than thon ye’ll gie a signal tae weans in the schuil that the culture o their hame is valued bi fowk electit by their mithers an faithers.
Bairns like the quaet wee lass in P2 in Fawkirk wha ran an lowped intae her teachers airms lauchin an greetin wi joy when she furst heard her mither tongue in cless, or the sweirt learners in Dundee, dour teenage boays wha gaed tae the tap o the cless for the first time when the langage they yaised ilka day cam intae the schuil in books they then devoured…an never luikit back. Scottish weans transformed learnin a Scottish leid.
A nation whaur naebody’s excludit and awbody kens they belang – shuirly, dear Members o the Scottish Pairliament, thon’s weel worth bein yersel for
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