A Shindig for Burns Night
Hello English language learners and friends of Blue Noun Language Hub in Crieff, Scotland. Today we’re sharing our recent English language school social event with you.
Due to Covid, we couldn’t go as mad as last year, but we still marked this important date in the Scottish calendar.
Rabbie Burns – The Archivist
In his lifetime (which ended early due to hard-drinking) he not only wrote his own poetry and songs but also understood the importance of recording for posterity the songs around him.
Burns was a huge contributor to James Johnson’s publications of the Scots Musical Museum, for which he travelled (unpaid) around Scotland transcribing the local verse that made up such an important part of Scottish culture.
English Language School social event – we have regular whisky tastings.
A Wee Dram
English Language School Social Event | Sharing Our Culture
“It’s likely some of which only exists thanks to the foresight of the people collecting it whilst it was still current language: perhaps even Burns himself played a part in the ones we were looking at.”
Ruth, 2021
Homeschooling the Bard
It’s likely some of which only exists thanks to the foresight of the people collecting it whilst it was still current language: perhaps even Burns himself played a part in the ones we were looking at.
Wait, I thought you spoke English in Scotland?
For those who don’t know, Scots is the collective name for the Scottish dialects – also known as ‘Doric’, ‘Lallans’ or by local names linked to place – ‘Dundonian’, ‘Glesca’ and ‘Shetland’.
It has been spoken in Scotland for many centuries and is still spoken in many parts of the country, including the East and South, Highlands and Islands. It’s one of our three national ‘home’ languages (English and Gaelic being the other two).
Around Burns Night, most Scottish schools take at least a cursory dip into Scottish poetry and song. The Three Craws is a widely known song for nursery-aged children.
While the song has not changed in my lifetime, appreciation and respect for the ancient languages certainly have.
Scottish schools still teach generic English language skills to their students, but now less at the expense of erasing away accents and dialects – and it less assumed that regional patterns of alternative grammar are ‘wrong’. It’s more helpful to point out the differences between English and Scots as formal and informal language. Undoubtedly everyone still needs the language skills to speak English correctly in certain contexts, but now it is more acceptable to create and express yourself in your own tongue.
English Language School social event – we have regular whisky tastings.
“Undoubtedly everyone still needs the language skills to speak English correctly in certain contexts, but now it is more acceptable to create and express yourself in your own tongue.“
Ruth, 2021
“Be proud of the beautiful language you inherit from your ancestors – whichever language and culture that may be.“
Ruth, 2021
At Blue Noun we love chatting about all things art and celebrate having excellent, talented people all around us to do it with. We facilitate real cultural and creative exchanges happening, whether it’s in our language learning space – the Blue Noun Hub – or out and about visiting studios and workshops.
We also love showing off the beauty of Perthshire and the food and craft produce that is making it world-famous. Our whisky tastings are legendary!
Our business is also intended to be of benefit to the artist/maker economy of Perthshire. We bring our international creative guests into studios for a genuine exchange of cultures and art-making. Yes it’s an English lesson, but it is so much more! (Plus we pay all our artists and guest speakers for their time)
Come and join us for an English language learning holiday and grab a taste of Perthshire!
Your English Language Challenge
We hope you’ve enjoyed your English Language School talking Scots poetry.
We have lots of books to wow English learners – and we cover a broad range of topics in our blogs – some a lighthearted look at Scotland, others an in-depth look at art and culture.
There’s something for every creative! You might want to read:
Are Books Still Good Resources for English Language Class?
Your English Language Challenge | Reading comprehension
It’s a reading challenge this week!
The National Trust for Scotland has a great website introduction to our national drink here.
If you want an overview of Scottish whisky’s history, regions and manufacturing, read this webpage – and then come join us for a dram!
Let us know your favourite whisky in the comments below!
“Tell us your favourite whisky”