“...”

What then of the use of Scots in online contexts? Do these newer media text types such as blogs provide a context where the use of Scots might flourish? With blogs and other types of online discussion forums, we are still dealing with Scots in the written mode but arguably it is a rather different type of written mode with a different set of conventions and mores of appropriateness. The often-made assertion that the language of blogs is much closer to speech than writing is rather simplistic and misleading, but certainly we can say that it is generally a very distinctive sort of writing which allows for much greater linguistic freedom. Much of this is because blogs are essentially seen as a representation of the voice of an individual rather than the product of institutional discourse. This means that the unwritten rules on what is and is not acceptable look decidedly different.

When compared with its functions in newspapers, the use of Scots in blogs and discussion forums has some similarities but also some interesting contrasts. Yes, there are blogs written in Scots discussing the state of the Scots language and issues associated with it, and there are blogs on archetypal Scottish subject matter which may also use Scots as the medium in some of their postings. The Scots Language Centre has a facility whereby people are encouraged to blog in Scots. Interesting as such innovations are, the use of Scots within them seems to be adhering to the same sorts of conventions as we noted in newspapers. What is perhaps more noteworthy, are those blogs where the use of Scots seems to transcend these traditional boundaries, where Scots is used as the medium of expression to discuss everyday matters that are not concerned with things expressly Scottish or linguistic.

Some of the message board postings on sites such as 'The Knowhere Guide' show Scots being used to discuss things well outside the expected canon of Scots language topics. 'The Knowhere Guide' is a fairly informal website largely aimed at young people and originally especially skateboarders, which gives the low-down on towns from an insider perspective. It covers topics ranging from 'hook-up spots', 'famous residents and ex-residents', 'favourite building' and 'demolish it now building' to 'the best things' and 'the worst things'. This is hardly traditionally Scottish fare and is contained within a UK-wide site to boot. To get a flavour of the sorts of Scots writing that this media type can generate, look at some of the entries under the Balloch or Port Glasgow message boards for examples of people using Scots (generally urban and colloquial forms but Scots nevertheless) often to talk about decidedly non-traditionally Scots topics. The subject matter is eclectic to say the least but generally these postings do not seem to be written to service a linguistic agenda.

Presumably because things like spelling are often seen to matter less in such environments, people feel less inhibited about writing using non-standard and/or local forms which to some extent reflect the way they speak. These are apparently real Scottish people writing in the way that they want to, relatively unencumbered by considerations of correctness or even appropriateness of linguistic form. Yes, of course by writing in this way they are performing some sort of linguistic identity and are probably aware of this, but arguably they are doing something quite new and exciting and in a relatively public arena.

Scots, it is claimed, has become increasingly restricted in its domains over time and many of those who speak it seldom write it; indeed, they may not even consider themselves capable of doing so. Given the fact that many people are worried (erroneously but nevertheless significantly) about Scots being 'bad English' or 'slang', its relative paucity in many written environments is predictable. And even if people have embraced their varieties as 'good Scots', there is still the whole problem of how to go about writing, and spelling, a variety which many of them have only encountered in the written mode once a year for the annual Burns fest. Effectively many Scots are disenfranchised from using Scots language (which they may well speak) in writing. Remove these worries about correctness and appropriateness and the language may well flourish. Certainly the blogs' evidence suggests that these new media types might have exciting potential to give ordinary Scottish people their distinctive voices back.

The Bottle Imp http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/Scot

ASLS http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/Scot

Fiona Douglas http://www.leeds.ac.uk/english

direct link to Fiona's article on the Imp website http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/Scot

Fiona Douglas
Lecturer in English Language, School of English
University of Leeds
F.M.Douglas@leeds.ac.uk