A Scots Dictionary of Nature

by Amanda Thomson

Scotland is a nation of dramatic weather and breathtaking landscapes - of nature resplendent. And, over the centuries, the people who have lived, explored and thrived in this country have developed a rich language to describe their a uniquely Scottish lexicon shaped by the very environment itself. A Scots Dictionary of Nature brings together - for the first time - the deeply expressive vocabulary customarily used to describe land, wood, weather, birds, water and walking in Scotland. Artist Amanda Thomson collates and celebrates these traditional Scots words, which reveal ways of seeing and being in the world that are in danger of disappearing forever. What emerges is a vivid evocation of the nature and people of Scotland, past and present; of lives lived between the mountains and the sky.

Genres: Scotland, Nature, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Amanda Thomson is a Scottish visual artist and writer who lives and works in Glasgow and Strathspey. Much of her work in art and writing is about the Highlands of Scotland, its landscape and nature, and how we are located (and locate ourselves) in the world. Her first book, A Scots Dictionary of Nature, was published by Saraband Books in 2018.

Reviews

[Damian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you know what timmer-breeks are? Or the north-dancers? And what’s a shoggle? The answers are all in the first ever Scot’s Dictionary of Nature. Written by a visual artist who lives and works in Glasgow and Strathspey. Amandamakes prints and photographs and video and sound and this is her first book. Her work is about landscape and nature and how we locate ourselves in the world. So, it’s also about how we might lose ourselves too. I would give it five starts if it was even longer and I'd lvoe to get more of Amanda's story but I suppose that would make for more of a memoir than a dictionary but still..this book is great and it took me back to the jy of word for their own sake!

[Haeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essentially a coffee table/perusal type of read, but nevertheless entertaining and excellent as it is.

[Morvie Fik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is both fun and important. We need to protect our language, and putting it into bite sized pieces like this is genius for younger generations.