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A Scots Grammar: Scots Grammar and Usage
In this revised and extended edition, David Purves argues that the Scots language has lost prestige as a direct result of Scotland's loss of independence. As it has always been closely related to English, it has been possible to represent it as an incorrect or corrupt dialect, rather than the language of a people.
This book sets out the grammatical and idiomatic features of Scots, quoting examples from literature, proverbs, songs and colloquial speech to provide a resource for teachers and students of Scotland's linguistic heritage.
This book sets out the grammatical and idiomatic features of Scots, quoting examples from literature, proverbs, songs and colloquial speech to provide a resource for teachers and students of Scotland's linguistic heritage.
160 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1997
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About the author
David Purves
61 booksDavid Purves was a Scottish biochemist, playwright and poet, and a champion of the Scots language.
He joined the staff of the East of Scotland College of Agriculture in 1956, where he worked with the agricultural advisory service on problems associated with trace-element deficiencies and toxicities, and published a series of research papers on these problems over the period 1966 to 1986. This work was distilled in a scientific monograph entitled Trace-Element Contamination of the Environment, published by Elsevier in 1977 (with a revised edition in 1985). The book highlighted the implications for society and the biosphere of allowing metals to be dispersed beyond recovery, as environmental contaminants.
He was committed to the cause of the Scots language, taking a special interest in Scots spelling and grammar. His book, A Scots Grammar, published by the Saltire Society in 1997, was the first guide to Scots grammar to appear in print since 1921. A revised and extended edition was published in 2002.
Purves was elected Preses of the Scots Language Society in 1983 – holding the position until 1986 – and served as editor of Lallans, the only journal published entirely in Scots, from 1987 to 1995.
Two collections of his poems in Scots have been published: Thrawart Threipins in 1976, and Hert’s Bluid, Chapman, 1995.
Three plays in Scots, The Puddok an the Princess, The Knicht o the Riddils and Whuppitie Stourie, have been produced. The Puddok an the Princess won a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1985 and subsequently ran to eight productions, including two tours of Scotland by Theatre Alba.
A translation and adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth into Scots (The Tragedie o Macbeth) was published in 1992, and was produced by Theatre Alba at Duddingston Kirk during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2002.
Read more: http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituari...
Follow us: @TheScotsman on Twitter | TheScotsmanNewspaper on Facebook
He joined the staff of the East of Scotland College of Agriculture in 1956, where he worked with the agricultural advisory service on problems associated with trace-element deficiencies and toxicities, and published a series of research papers on these problems over the period 1966 to 1986. This work was distilled in a scientific monograph entitled Trace-Element Contamination of the Environment, published by Elsevier in 1977 (with a revised edition in 1985). The book highlighted the implications for society and the biosphere of allowing metals to be dispersed beyond recovery, as environmental contaminants.
He was committed to the cause of the Scots language, taking a special interest in Scots spelling and grammar. His book, A Scots Grammar, published by the Saltire Society in 1997, was the first guide to Scots grammar to appear in print since 1921. A revised and extended edition was published in 2002.
Purves was elected Preses of the Scots Language Society in 1983 – holding the position until 1986 – and served as editor of Lallans, the only journal published entirely in Scots, from 1987 to 1995.
Two collections of his poems in Scots have been published: Thrawart Threipins in 1976, and Hert’s Bluid, Chapman, 1995.
Three plays in Scots, The Puddok an the Princess, The Knicht o the Riddils and Whuppitie Stourie, have been produced. The Puddok an the Princess won a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1985 and subsequently ran to eight productions, including two tours of Scotland by Theatre Alba.
A translation and adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth into Scots (The Tragedie o Macbeth) was published in 1992, and was produced by Theatre Alba at Duddingston Kirk during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2002.
Read more: http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituari...
Follow us: @TheScotsman on Twitter | TheScotsmanNewspaper on Facebook
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April 15, 2016
AS a Gàidhlig learner I found this book a little bit disappointing, however, when you are interested in Scots this is a very good book, very organized and clean. Find my entire review here: https://gaidhligwonderland.wordpress....
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