Scottish Government
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Can you speak Scots?
A website has been launched to help people in Scotland answer a question in the 2011 Census about language ability.
This year, for the first time, people in Scotland will be asked in the population survey if they can understand, speak, read and/or write Scots, which is the collective name for Scottish dialects such as Glaswegian, Doric, Buchan, Dundonian, or Shetland. The question also asks about the same abilities in English and Gaelic.
The Aye Can website contains information to help people decide if they use the language including examples of written and spoken Scots.
Visitors to the site, which was developed by the Scots Language Centre, can listen to recordings of the mither tongue from different parts of the country.
Michael Hance, director of the Scots Language Centre, said:
"Many people speak Scots every day but may not realise they are doing so, thinking that it is slang or even bad English. This website, which allows people to listen to recordings of Scots words and phrases and distinct regional pronunciations, should clear up any uncertainty and help people work out how to answer the Scots language question in the census."
Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop said:
"Scots is a key part our nation's heritage and culture. It is also a living language and this question in the census will provide us with a valuable insight into how the Scots language is being used today.
"The results of the census help inform government policy and spending, which is why it is so vital that people are able to provide consistent answers. The Aye Can website is a fabulous tool which explains exactly what is meant by the Scots language and will help people decide how to answer the census question."
The Scots Language Centre encourages and promotes the use of Scots by communities and organisations and has the world's largest collection of Scots language resources. For more information visit www.scotslanguage.com
The census is Scotland's biggest population survey. It takes place on Sunday March 27 and everyone is included in the once-a-decade count.
