Weel duin tae Doric Books CIC – Wirds o Banff wha hae bin nominatit in Scots Bairns’ Book o the Year (sponsored by the Scottish Government) 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 Jackie Ross o Doric Books CIC – Wirds o Banff thae speirins.
Tell us aboot yersel or yer ootfit.
Doric Books CIC is a community-interest publisher based in e North-East o Scotland, wi a passion fur gettin Doric (North-East Scots) intae print, especially fur bairns an young fowk. We wint thim tae see an hear thir ain language in e beuks they read, an tae ken aat e wye they spik is somethin tae value an be prood o.
We’re fair trickit tae aat Wirds o Banff his bin nominated fur Best Bairns’ Beuk. It’s a creative, pupil-led beuk, screived an illustratit bi young fowk at Banff Academy, bringin igither Doric wirds fur beasties, birds an flooers. Fae e hoolet tae e scurrie, e beuk explores foo oor local wirds cairry soons, story an place – an foo, fin we lose e wirds, we can lose a bittie o oor connection tae e natural warld aroon us inna.
Iss beuk represents jist fit Doric Books is aboot: makin oor mither tongue visible, accessible an enjoyable; celebratin oor local culture; an, maist importantly, giein young fowk e confidence tae see Doric as thir ain leid – somethin livin aat they can eese, enjoy an cairry forrit.
Whit wis it got ye involvit wi the Scots leid?
We wint tae pass it on.
We wintit oor bairns an grandbairns tae grow up hearin, spikin an readin e language aat we grew up wi. Doric wis aye ere in everyday life, bit ere jist wisnae enough o it in e beuks oor bairns were readin.
We wintit tae mak oor mither tongue accessible in print an tae celebrate e wye we spik an e culture an communities aat sit ahin it. An noo, seein young fowk themsels screivin an illustratin Doric beuks like Wirds o Banff feels like aat circle comin roon – they’re nae jist inheritin e language, they’re makin somethin new wi’t.
Why dae ye feel it is important tae use Scots in everyday life?
Because it’s e wye we spik! It’s oor language, oor culture an pairt o fa we are.
We need tae eese Scots in ilka situation – at hame, at wirk, in skweel, in beuks an oot in e community. E mair folk hear it an see it bein eesed naturally, e mair normal it becomes.
Sometimes folk aye feel they need “permission” tae spik Scots, or aat ere are places an situations far they shud switch it aff. We’d love tae see aat disappear. Folk shud feel empowered tae spik thir ain leid wi confidence an pride, nae feel they need tae change thir voice tae be teen seriously.
Dae ye hae a favourite Scots phrase or saying?
“Haud gaun!”
It says an affa lot in jist twa wirds. Keep at it, dinna gie up, cairry on – an aat probably sums up oor attitude tae Doric an aa!
Is there a Scots speaker who inspires you?
E folk we hear spikin it ilka day.
E fairmers, e fisher fowk, e bairns, oor parents an grandparents, an ordinary folk across e North-East fa spik thir mither tongue as a maitter o course.
Ere’s somethin pooerfu aboot hearin a body spik Doric naturally, athoot thinkin they need tae perform it or explain it. They’re jist spikin thir ain language.
An mair an mair we’re inspired bi e young fowk we wirk wi inna. Seein bairns an teenagers discover wirds, ask questions aboot thim an syne mak e language thir ain is a rare reminder aat Doric disnae jist belang tae e past – it belangs tae e next generation inna.
Do you hear Scots spoken regularly in your local area? Have you noticed any changes over time?
Ay, especially fin we spik it oorsels!
It’s amazing foo often spikin Doric tae a body seems tae gie thim aat bittie “permission” tae spik it back. Ye can hear e change as they realise, “Och, I can jist spik e wye I normally spik here.”
Ere probably are fewer bairns spikin broad Doric naturally than ere wur in previous generations, an we canna ignore aat. Bit ere are encouragin signs inna. Mair skweels are deein wirk wi Scots an treatin it as somethin worth learnin aboot an celebratin, especially in skweels like Banff Academy.
Projecks like Wirds o Banff, far young fowk are actively collectin, screivin, illustratin an explorin thir local leid, gie’s plunty reason tae be optimistic.
Ony particlar career heighlichts
Seein mair an mair folk wintin tae create an publish beuks fur bairns in North-East Scots – an bein able tae gie thim a haun tae dae it.
Fin we startit, a big motivation wis simply wintin mair Doric beuks fur bairns. Noo we’re in a position tae help ither writers, illustrators, communities an young fowk get thir ain wirds an ideas intae print, an aat feels affa special.
Wirds o Banff is a perfeck example. Tae see a beuk screived an illustratit bi young fowk, celebratin e Doric wirds connected tae thir ain landscape an natural warld, an syne tae see aat wirk recognised wi a Scots Language Award nomination – aat’s rare an maks us feel real prood.
Wha’s yer plans fir the days aheid?
Haud gaun!
We’ll cairry on publishin mair beuks fur bairns an young fowk in Doric, an keep helpin ither folk tae get thir ain beuks an ideas oot intae e warld.
We’d love tae see mair bairns readin Doric, mair young fowk screivin it, mair teachers an families feelin confident tae eese it, an mair folk realisin aat thir ain leid is somethin wirth valuin.
Cos e mair Doric we hear, read, spik an share, e stronger it’ll be. We dinna jist wint tae preserve it – we wint folk tae eese it.
Read more about Doric Books CIC – Wirds o Banff
http://www.doricbooks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DoricBooks
X / Twitter: @booksdoric
Instagram: @doricbooks
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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.
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