"A Scots Mist Weel Wet an Englishman to the Skin"

[Berlin-Bob]

I found this article in the Ancestry Daily News (http://www.ancestry.com/dailynews )

Ancestry Daily News, 13 July 2004

A Scots Mist Weel Wet an Englishman to the Skin
 – Sherry Irvine, CGRS, FSA (Scot)

"No, there is no spelling mistake in the title. It is an expression, no doubt interpreted differently by those of Scots and English descent, and it seems an appropriate beginning to a brief introduction to the Scots language. No matter how you look at it, manner of speech, sayings, and single words can obscure meaning in a heavy mist.

The Scots language is not Gaelic--that is the Celtic language, closely related to Irish, spoken in the Highlands and Islands. Roots of the Scots language and influences upon it were diverse, from Old Northumbrian (out of northern England), to Gaelic, Norse, Dutch, Latin, and French.  ...... "

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The full article exceeds the 5500 character limit for messages, but you can read it here, at: http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=8778

It includes two URLs for scottish dictionaries and various references for further reading.

Non subscription source acknowledged - Copyright Editor

[RJ_Paton]

The Scots language is said to be from Brythan .... the language of the britons who formed Strathclyde (amongst other areas) although different scholars will give different answers. 

However given the heavy (handed  )  approach to education much of it has been taken out of everyday usage just as little of Scots history was taught in our schools ....... as they say the victors write the history 

It is very similar to the regional accents and dialects which were diminished by the version of english initially broadcast by the BBC and supposedly adopted as "The Queens English" (or Kings if of that generation). ironically even that english is under threat with the ease of modern communication and the growing americanisation of things and latterly text messaging is developing its own language.

[RJ_Paton]

 The Scottish Executive have created a website which is in a number of languages including Scots.

Gin it is important for ye tae see Pairlament at its darg, ye’ll be wantin tae visit on a business day when ye’ll can gang til the public galleries for tae watch a comatee meetin or a meetin o the fu Pairlament in progress. It is aye better tae book aheid for a gallery ticket. Tickets tae see Pairlament in action is free.

 

There are similarities to parts of English and it is probably this that gave credence to the "educationlists" of the day that it was a corrupted version of the language and should be discouraged..