The origins of the Scots language - in Scots

An introduction to the tongues, peoples and events that shaped the earliest history of the Scots language.

Please note, the Scots subtitles are listed as "Esperanto", as YouTube does not currently provide Scots as a language option.

Credits:

Production/Animation: Laura Bowles

Script: The FITS team (Rhona Alcorn, Vasilis Karaiskos, Joanna Kopaczyk, Bettelou Los, Warren Maguire, Benjamin Molineaux)

Voiceovers: Rhona Alcorn (Scottish English) and Hamish MacDonald (Scots)

Scots Translation: Derrick McClure

Music: “Pentland Hills” by James Oswald (in arrangements by Alistair Hardie and David Johnson) performed by Alistair Hardie.

[neekerbreeker]

That's beautiful. I'm in the US, and our Appalachian region was populated in the 19th century by Scottish immigrants. I grew up near there (but I'm not Scottish, sad to say!) and when I listened to Appalachians speaking, I always thought they had a pretty sing-song, rhythmic pace to their sentences. Not meandering but politely asking or suggesting: "You'uns a-fixin' to go..." or "If it wouldn't discomfit ya none, ya might could..." I might be imagining things but I feel as though I hear some of that sing-song quality here.

[jimmyplayscds]

The Scots language (or dialect) is intriguing. I hope it stays alive.

[KGSEnglish]

Superb - like this Scots voice over very much!

[gustavovillegas]

Amazing video! I myself would love to learn Scots :) I'm trying to even hoping to bring it on Duolingo

[fenghualiu]

This video effectively makes me put U of Edinburgh on top of my list of where to study linguistics!

[WhatsWrongWithTheStreet]

A brilliant presentation. Well done and understood perfectly.