BBC hauds Doric is Scotland’s fourth ‘language’

Scotland’s little-known fourth “language”

“Slaverin, slubberin, gibberin, gabberin, roon wi a wallop, a sklyter, a sweel,” recited the poet. “Yonder’s the burn – in its bairnhood, it’s blabberin. Heich-lowpin puddock, wi virr in its heel…” Sheena Blackhall, a celebrated laureate from Garthdee, a suburb south of Aberdeen, was in her element performing the opening stanza of her poem.

The BBC maks the orra claim that the Doric (aka North East Scots), is “Scotland’s little-known fourth ‘language’ after English, Gaelic and Scots”. This was pit up on FB, the poster wrote, “Fit’s aabdy’s opinion on Doric bein cried Scotlan’s fourth leid an considered distinct tae the rest o Scots? ‘Is airticle disna actually caa Doric a leid in its ain richt (cries hit a “subset” o Scots) bit as ye can see the title suggests it. We hae a stranger position wi ae muckle vyce (i.e. Oor Vyce) nor a wheen a smaa eens fae aa ooer Scotlan an NI – bit the body o literature we hae in NE Scots, the sheer nummer o fowk fa spik it ilka day an the fact it’s nae eywis intelligible tae ither Scots dis leyn itsel tae Doric bein treatit as a leid in its ain richt? On ae side I widna waant ilka byleid o Scots tae diverge an us nae tae recognise we aa jist spik Scots – bit on ‘e ither side I widna waant tae replace Inglis wi Scots fae the central belt an discourage newspapers / NHS / business fae screivin or braidcastin in Doric fir fowk in ‘e NE. Fit dis aabdy hink ‘e best wye tae staan thegither as Scots leids activists is files nae suggestin ‘at Doric is jist a “byleid” an ‘e leid fit will be eesed for aathin official is Scots fae the central belt?

A commentit “Weel, A steyed in Aiberdeen for 4 year. As a Central Scots speaker, A fund the Doric wisna aw that different at aw. Ae problem wi aw this is that fowk dinna hear ither forms o Scots frae just doon the road, sae think, unnerstaunable-like, that their ain speak is unique.