Why Scots Matters

This revised and updated edition of a fascinating study puts Scots firmly into its proper place as one of the great vehicles of European literature and explains why the language retains its importance for the people of Scotland.Why Scots Matters details the origins and history of the language, and discusses the influences and events which have shaped its use. Derrick McClure's work encompasses the differences between dialect and language, and the great works of literature written in Scots - Barbour's Bruce, James I's Kingis Quair, the superb poetry of Henryson and Dunbar, Lindsay's triumphal Ane Satire of the Thrie Estaitis and, of course, the work of Robert Burns and Hugh McDiarmid.The importance of Scots as a record of political and social change is also examined, as the influence of the Norse, English, French and the Gaels had an impact on Scots vocabulary as well as Scottish history. In conclusion, the author argues that the Scots language should be used and encouraged, not only because of its contribution to human achievement in the past, but because it is a unique mark of the distinctive identity of the Scottish people.J. Derrick McClure is Senior Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Aberdeen.