Scots Language Awards 2023: Mither Tongue

Weel duin tae Mither Tongue wha hae bin nominatit in Scots Business o the Year in the Scots Language Awards. Vote now!

The Scots Language Awards are in the Johstone Toon Ha, Johnstone on 16th September at 7pm. Tickets fir the ceremony are available tae buy here: https://handsup.link/SLA-BuyTickets.

We askit Marguerite Cruickshank o Mither Tongue thae speirins.

Tell us aboot yersel or yer ootfit.
A’d aye tinkered wi writin Scots rhyme as a bairn, an bein in ma early fifties wi the bairns up an wirkin, wis lookin for a change fae office wirk. It struck me ae day that A didna ken o oniewey faar ye cwid buy cairds or giftware in Scots, so thocht A’d hae a go, writin the verses masel. A puckle business stertup courses later, Mither Tongue wis up an rinnin, although hame-based until 2008 fan the thocht o the 250th anniversary o Burns (Hamecomin Scotland 2009) gart me track doun shop premises in the toun centre. We’ve been here iver since.

Whit wis it got ye involvit wi the Scots leid?
It’s ma mither tongue, spoken bi masel, aa freends an faimily, an aabodie that cam tae veesit fan A wis a bairn, an like maist littlins o that era in this airt, A’d heard little English until stertin schuil. As weel as that, at aboot the age o aboot ten or so, A fell in wi a wee buikie on ma grannie’s buikbink an there began ma life-lang luve affair wi oor braw poet – Rabbie Burns.

Why dae ye feel it is important tae use Scots in everyday life?
Communication’s important for aabodie, an gin ye’re judged bi the wey ye spik, it’s jist wrang. Scots wis unnaturally educated oot o Scotland’s bairns, an needs tae be educated back in so it becomes natural tae use it in aa circumstances in the oncome. It’s in the hairts, heids an mous o ower a million an a hauf Scots, an they need tae feel comfortable spikkin it aa the time, instead o switchin tae English fan they feel it’s mair appropriate. Gin it’s nae used, it’ll jist dwine awa an dee. (Ma understandin is that Scots is nou an element o study in senior schuil, bit still nae accepted as a full course in literacy an comprehension).

Dae ye hae a favourite Scots phrase or saying?
Twa!
“Follae me an yer tackets’ll nivver roost” an
“Contented wi little an cantie wi mair”, pinched fae Rabbie Burns.

Is there a Scots speaker who inspires you?
A puckle!
Billy Kay
Michael Hance, Dauvit Horsbroch, baith o the Scots Language Centre
Matthew Fitt
Alistair Heather, Jack Capener, Len Pennie – upliftin tae hear it spoken consistenly bi younger fowk.

Do you hear Scots spoken regularly in your local area? Have you noticed any changes over time?
Ma hame toun o Keith is midwey atween Aiberdeen an Inverness, an is prood tae hae won the braw accolade o Scotland’s First Scots Toun back in 2014, an award bi the Scottish Government an Scots Language Centre for communities that celebrate an promote the leid (See this link for mair info . .
https://www.scotslanguage.com/Keith_Scots_Toun/Keith_wins_Scots_language_award). Scots is widely used here an it’s upliftin tae hear’t as ye walk doun the toun. Hooiver, A’ve kent a big difference on the wey bairns spik ower the past 20 year or so, as sadly, maist o them seem tae prefer English . . even ootside schuil.

Ony particlar career heighlichts
A puckle!
2023 Bein nominated as Business o the Year for the Scots Leid Awards 2023
2019 Bein nominated as Business o the Year for the Scots Leid Awards 2019
2013 Bein awarded fower-star gradin bi VeesitScotland
2010 Finalist – Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards

Wha’s yer plans fir the days aheid?
A’ll seen be 77, an considerin slowin doun a thochtie. The loose thinkin is tae look intae Mither Tongue becomin a social enterprise or community interest company, bit we’ll see hou it goes.

The Scots Language Awards are in the Johnstone Toon Ha, Johnstone on 16th September at 7pm. Tickets are available to buy here: https://handsup.link/SLA-BuyTickets There wull be some grand entertainmint oan the nicht tae, includin a recital fae Renfrewshire’s poet laureate Shaun Moore,wha wis appointit as the region’s Tannahill Makar last year. talks fae weel regairdit Scots scrievers Cat Cochrane an Shane Strachan, alang wi musical performances fae celebratit multi-instumentalist brithers Euan and Lewis McLaughlin, an sangster Iona Fyfe.

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