Weel duin tae Claire White wha hae bin nominatit in Scots Language in the Media (sponsored by Corrie Campbell Communications) in the Scots Language Awards. Vote now!
The 2026 Scots Language Awards tak place on Saturday 19th September at the iconic Discovery Centre, home of the RRS Discovery Ship (1pm). Reserve yer ticket here.
The awards will be a daytime event this year, making them as inclusive and accessible to as many award nominees from across Scotland as possible.
We askit Claire White o Claire White thae speirins.
Tell us aboot yersel or yer ootfit.
A’m Shaetlan Scriever d’year, supported bi da National Library o Scotland an Creative Scotland ta mak new wark in an aboot Shaetlan language. A’m played Shetland fiddle music fir forty year an hiv written sangs i’da Shaetlan language fae 2010. A’m hoopin ta come up wi anidder album’s wirt o material d’year an document da research process ta luck fock inta laernin mair aboot da noo internationally-recognised Shaetlan language. Da feenished sangs’ll feed intil da storytellin an music sessions I run i Shetland scöls ta help bigg linguistic an creative confidence hameaboot.
In 2022 da BBC Radio Shetland Editor axed me ta come up wi a evenin programme aboot Shaetlan language an da result is Midder Tongue at A’m produced an presented fae syne. Hit’s a oor’s yarnin at voar an hairst aboot da Shaetlan language at inspires wis – be it poetry, prose, guddicks, sang, performance or onythin idder! Da stars o da show is mi studio guests, Shaetlan language spaekers o aa ages an backgrunds at gies wis der favourite wirds, idioms, tochts an mair. We aye hae interestin an lichtsome spaeks aroond da Pitt Lane studio table, an listeners’ll stop me an contributors eftirwirds ta tell der ain language stories. Hit’s a graet pleasure ta mak dis content fir a community I love, an hoopfully hit helps in some peerie wye ta keep wir language alive an relevant.
Whit wis it got ye involvit wi the Scots leid?
I wis brocht up spaekin Shaetlan bi a Mam dat’s prood o quaar shö bides. I likit listenin ta her, Granny an idder elderly relatives speak o der lives dat stretched back tae da aerly twintieth century ösin wirds fae dat time an on. Quaan I laerned wir traditional fiddle tüns at eicht year aald da book I wrocht fae introduced dem aa in Shaetlan language an da titles wis fu o interestin descriptive wirds, some o dem nae langer spokken. Readin an performin Shaetlan prose, poetry an sang wis aye a pleasure wi dis linguistic backgrund ahint me, an laernin German in scöl felt familiar an aa. Tourin internationally wi wir fiddle group, Shetland’s Young Heritage, fae da da age o 14 shaepit wis inta cultural ambassadors, sharin wir wirds an music wi care. Dat set up a lifetime o performance, an noo da role o passin linguistic riches on tae da neest generation.
Ony particlar career heighlichts
Aa o it, an espeeshily dis past twartree year quaan A’m kinda whet knappin an bön mair fully mesel. Dat’s quaan da richt life fins you!
Wha’s yer plans fir the days aheid?
Read, write, mak, tink an spaek!
Read more about Claire White
https://www.clairewhite.info
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaireWhiteShetland
The Scots Language Awards are in Dundee on the 19th September at 1pm. There wull be some grand entertainmint includin a recitals fae Yvonne Tait an Hugh Macmillan alang wi musical performances fae Iona Fyfe and Scott Gardiner.
To attend the Scots Language Awards there are a few tickets remaining. Click here to reserve your tickets.
Join Elfie Picket Theatre for the Scots language nicht BLETHER, fur a nicht o music, poetry and stories aa celebratin Scots Leid & culture. We hae twa special guests jynin us and a wee open mic. Leadin us intae a big Dundee Fringe Ceilidh! Startin at 6pm, tickets £10.
If you would like to support Hands Up for Trad in their work with Scottish language please consider donating here.