Weel duin tae The Carrying Stream 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 Paul Malgrati o The Carrying Stream thae speirins.
Tell us aboot yersel or yer ootfit.
Eh am a Franco-Scots makkar an scholar, brocht up near Paris yet haein spent maist o ma life as a growen man in Scotland. Syne 2023, Eh've lecturt on Scottish literatur an cultur at the University o the Hielands and Islands. Afore that Eh scrieved a PhD on "Robert Burns and Scottish Cultural Politics" at St Andraes (2016-2020) — syne furthset as a beuk wi Embro University Press. In 2022, Eh also publisht ma first poetry quair, "Poemes Ecossais" wi Blue Diode Press: yon's the first beuk o poems in Scots by a body wha hasna got Scots or Inglis as mither tungs.
Nou, in 2026, alangside ma wurk as scholar an scriever, Eh stertit "The Carrying Stream: a Podcast for Scottish Words an Ideas". It's a monthly, lang-form blether wi guests wurkin in Scottish literatur, makkardom, or cultural history. Scots an Gaelic are muckle pairts o it: sae faur, Eh've had fehv episodes oot o nine wi a Scots focus, fae Episode 2 wi the week-kent Billy Kay an Episode 3 on Burns's mental weal tae Episode 4 wi on Scottish fowk sangs, Episode 6 on Scotland's multi-tungit literatur, an Episode 8 on Dundee poetry. Gaun forrit, ma aim is tae uphaud a modest, yet fittin space fur intellectual mense an lang-heidit conversations anent Scotland, its cultur, literatur, an languages.
Whit wis it got ye involvit wi the Scots leid?
In 2013, when A first landit in Scotland, as a French student keen on ma ain kintra's literatur an cultur, A wis fair astoondit when airtin oot the sheer braidth an mense o Scottish scrievin, fae Dunbar tae Burns tae Kathleen Jamie. At first, Eh cuidna mak sense o muckle avaa. But a hantle o elements — nae least ma involvement wi a Dundonian lass an the cultural fettle o the 2013-14 Indyref — gart me tae stick at it. Whan Eh cam back in 2016 tae be wi ma lass an stert wurk on Burns, Eh thocht it was time tae dae things properly: tae lairn the grammar, read the scrievers, lug in tae fowks' blethers in cafes, pubs an busses, syne ettle an owerset Scots verse intae French an, at last, scrieve ma ain bits intae the leid itsel. That's hou it stertit.
Why dae ye feel it is important tae use Scots in everyday life?
While Eh'm keen on ma beuks, Eh ken it's primordial fur a tung tae be tungit: fur it tae breith its wye intae the souch o aa kinna fowks — an nae just the wheen. Eh ken it's a sair fecht: schuils, siller, an communities can dae a muckle guid, but anely sae muckle wioot a braider political upsteer tae ding doon the almichty letters o Inglis on Scotland's (an the warld's) mercat cross.
Dae ye hae a favourite Scots phrase or saying?
Is there a Scots speaker who inspires you?
Do you hear Scots spoken regularly in your local area? Have you noticed any changes over time?
Ony particlar career heighlichts
Apairt fae launching The Carrying Stream in Januar 2026, the furthsettin o ma Franco-Scots poetry beuk, "Poemes Ecossais", in 2022, wis a gey prood achievement fur a lad that wasnae born in Kyle, but in the Val d'Oise.
Wha’s yer plans fir the days aheid?
Eh'm plannin tae release Episode 9 o The Carrying Stream wi Scottish eco-poet, Garry Mackenzie, a wheen o days afore the award ceremony. Eh'll also yaise this braw nomination tae mak a sang an daunce awa aboot the podcast. Apairt fae those, Eh'm reddin up fur a new term at UHI, teachin Scottish literatur an cinema, an Eh'm also scrievin bits fur ma neist academic beuk on "The Caledonian Antisyzygy".
Read more about The Carrying Stream
https://pod.link/1865430519
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584869140049
X / Twitter: @
Instagram: @thecarryingstream
TikTok: @
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.