Guide to
Regional Varieties of
Scots Language
BORDERS SCOTS
In this document examples of Scots from the Scottish Borders have been
organised into film clips, songs, poetry and prose. The internet links will take you
to websites where there are more examples such as these, not only for the Borders
but for many regional varieties of Scots.
Like other areas of Scots-speaking Scotland, the regional variety used in the Scottish Borders
has traditionally been known as Scots or Scotch. However, because this region covers the
greater part of the Borders the dialect is also commonly called Borders Scots, or even just
Borders.
Go to the Scots Language Centre website to listen to sound clips, understand characteristics
of Borders Scots, read a short history and discussion of this regional variety of Scots, as well
as find examples of prominent writers and speakers:
http://www.scotslanguage.com/articles/view/id/4046/type
FILM
Interview with Kevin Patterson of Tweedswood Fishing. Hear all about fishing, Melrose,
Robert the Bruce’s heart and the Romans all told in a fine Borders accent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73uATsa8y5Y Click here to watch the video on youtube
SONG
The Rolling Hills of the Borders by Matt McGinn. This song is one of many sung brilliantly by
Carmondean Folkscene of Carmondean Primary School, Livingston.
http://scotssangsfurschools.webs.com/rollinghillscarmondean.htm Click here to also read
the words on the Scots Sangs fur Schools website
The Flowers of the Forest. This version of the song is performed by Up!, a Plockton group,
with Holly Bessant (singing) and Clare Lynas (pipes), Kimberley Mackay (fiddle), Kirsten
Macleod (accordion) and Ruairaidh Campbell (piano and synth). The group writes, 'The
pipe tune is well known to anyone who has attended a Remembrance Day service in
Scotland, but the song is all too seldom heard nowadays.' It is a lament for the army of
James IV, the flower of Scottish manhood, slain with their king on the field of Flodden,
September 1513.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/scotlandssongs/secondary/genericcontent_tcm4572
881.asp Click here to read the words on the Scots Sangs fur Schools website
The Border Queen by James Thomson. This recording is sung by a group of children,
supported by a male voice. The words are by James Thomson (1827–1888), music by John
Rutherford (1838–1914). Thomson wrote many other well-known songs, including 'Up Wi'
the Banner' and 'The Star o Rabbie Burns'. 'The Border Queen' has been sung at every
Colour Bussing (part of the Hawick Common Riding) since 1887.
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/85241/1 Click here to listen to the song
on the Tobar an Dualchais (Kist o Riches) website which contains over 34,000 oral recordings
The lassie o the morning by Archie Fisher. A love song describing a woman's beauty in the
context of a mountain hike. Archie Fisher gives a humorous introduction before singing the
song, telling an audience about how he learned the song over the telephone.
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/93071/3 Click here to listen to the song
on the Tobar an Dualchais (Kist o Riches) website which contains over 34,000 oral recordings
AUDIO
Teribus introduced by Jimmy Macbeath. The Hawick motto 'Teribus ye teri odin' starts the
song, which is sung at Hawick Common Riding. Jimmy Macbeath's idea of the Battle of
Flodden introduces the song.
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/48887/1 Click here to listen to the song
on the Tobar an Dualchais (Kist o Riches) website which contains over 34,000 oral recordings
TEXT: Poetry
Thaim that socht eftir me by Ian McFadyen. After an original by Sir Thomas Wyatt, this is a
tender poem about what is left when something leaves.
http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poems/thaim-socht-eftir-me Click here to
read the poem on the Scottish Poetry Library
The First Hoolit’s Prayer by Ian McFadgen. 'The First Hoolit's Prayer' started one autumn
night with the arrival of some tawny owls in a sycamore tree near the author's home. They
were noisy and appeared to be arguing over whose tree it was. It is both fun and serious all
at once.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/k/kistscotslanguage/texts/firsthoolitspray
er/index.asp Click here for the text, an audio recording, and learning resources from
Education Scotland’s Kist Anthology
Chaunticleer’s Prayer by Ian McFadyen. It will only take a few seconds to read this
especially short poem, but its meaning stretches out like a peacock’s tail.
http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poems/chaunticleers-prayer Click here
to read the poem on the Scottish Poetry Library
Kilmeny by James Hogg. Most famous for his psychological novel ‘The Private Memoirs and
Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824) James Hogg was also a talented poet.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=S084AAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA178&ots=qlny9xrRlI&dq=kilm
eny%2520james%2520hogg&pg=PA176&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false
Click here to read the text on google books
TEXT: Non-fiction
Interview with David Purves. Read a transcription of Scots writer David Purves’ relationship
with Scots language throughout his life.
http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=905 Click here to read a
transcription on the Scottish Corpus of Texts and Speech website