Letters to the Editor on the Subject of Burns

Scots as it wis thocht tae soun

AT the risk o bein accused of fillin valuable letter space wi a fremit language that nane can unnerstaun bar those who speak in tungs, I think that Tom McLeod's hertfelt plea in his letter (December 26) deserves a reply.

His problem in no kennin whether tae say dight or dicht, bright or bricht, typifies the swither faced by some Burns recitationists - or mair sae the modern lack o lear in some airts o the richt wey o speakin Scots words. This wis juist the pynt I wis tryin tae pit across in my ain letter.

Robert Burns haes a pairt tae play in this dilemma for he himsel wis pit unner the same pressures twa hunner year syne tae uise English, if he wis tae mak ocht o his life. By the age o seiven he had been introduced tae the warks o Shakespeare, Milton, Dryden, Addison, an Gray - an the King James authorised version o the Bible that wis the only book available for maist common folk tae read.

His formal education lastit nae mair nor three year, durin which he never read a word of the Scots tongue he spoke. It wis only as a young man that he read Allan Ramsay an Robert Fergusson, an wis steirt by their uise o screivit Scots tae write: ``I have not that command of the language that I have in my native tongue - in fact I think that my ideas are more barren in English than in Scotish (sic).''

Sae wi nae Scots Concise Dictionary aside him Burns had tae write Scots as he thocht it wad soun, an uised a wheen o English spellins like bright and dight, but pronounced them bricht an dicht, uisin the same Scots/Germanic guttural lang syne tint by the southern English in siclike words as licht, sicht, wecht.

The English hae corruptit thae words, no the Scots. In fairness, frae time tae time Burns uised a bit o poetic licence as weel, an whaur an English word wad fit a wee rhyme he wisnaw sweirt tae uise it. But let Tom McLeod tak hert, Ayrshire folk still dicht their nebs the same wey as Brechiners, an in the kintraeside still uise the language o Burns, an they wad grue at onybodie that daurd tae say dight insteid o dicht when daein The Address tae the Haggis.

Dr J A Begg, 19a Ewenfield Road, Ayr.

Wed 03-Jan-1996

A dozen programmes could work wonders

WE witnessed on TV a very poor New Year's Eve masquerading as Hogmanay. Scottish TV's programme was disappointing, the BBC's offering nothing short of disgraceful. Plenty of ear-splitting noise but only a token Scottish garnish from the wee country that invented New Year.

TV is uniquely placed to help reverse the catastrophic decline in traditional Scots culture to which it has so largely contributed. It was good to read The Herald's extracts from Ian McIntyre's Burns biography, but the press, and especially the more popular press, could do much more.

How many people, I wonder, realise that the editor of The Glasgow Herald led a campaign 90 years ago to repair the Auld Brig of Ayr in homage to Robert Burns?

The sum of #10,000 was raised, at today's prices a cool #1m!

My prayer is that the TV companies will pay ample tribute in 1996 to our young poet with the generous heart, and thus repay a small part of the debt they owe the Scots. A series of a dozen programmes would not be too many but could work wonders. The Burns Festival would then not merely take off but soar.

As the public service broadcaster, the BBC has a plain duty to mark the important events in the national life of Scotland.

The programmes themselves could be first-class for there is no more fascinating tale than the Burns story and the BBC has shown itself in the past capable of standards that are the envy of the world.

``Too late,'' I hear them cry. A convenient excuse. Then dare I ask what's planned for January 25, as nothing of note was done last year? May we have more than a few crumbs in this special Burns year?

Iain R McEwan, Old Church House, Kirkconnel, Sanquhar.

Wed 03-Jan-1996

Advice wanted on authentic pronunciation

AS the 200th anniversary of the death of Robert Burns approaches, many like myself are preparing readings of the Bard's work. My own previous experience has been limited to Addressing the Haggis and I was strongly criticised for what the critic considered to be the wrong pronunciation of ``dight'', ``sleight,'' and ``bright''.

My response at the time was to inform the critics (others joined in) that it would be far more natural for me as a Brechiner to use the ``icht'' version but that Burns whose father was a native of nearby eastern parts and may well have dichted his nose, would have written ``dicht'', etc, if that is what he preferred.

Fairly extensive investigation of his writings has failed to show any use of this vernacular - ``nocht,'' yes, but not ``nicht''. Somehow A Cotter's Saturday Nicht does not ring true.

Over the years I have heard many fine renderings of various Burns works, some with one pronunciation, some with the other, each without detraction of sense or quality.

However, I would be interested to have your opinion, or that of your resident Burns aficionados, as well as responses from Burns scholars who may care to advise me on this matter.

Tom McLeod, 16 Carrick Drive, Mount Vernon, Glasgow.

Tue 26-Dec-1995

Burns bicentenary events are well in hand

IN response to the recent press reports concerning the International Burns Festival and in particular the remarks attributed to Brian Donohoe, MP, I write to clear up the obvious confusion.

I am delighted to report that all of the official events to mark the bicentenary in 1996 of the death of Robert Burns are well in hand.

As Burns is buried in Dumfries it was left to the local Burns clubs under the auspices of the Burns Federation, and greatly assisted by our local councils, to organise the official events surrounding the bicentenary of his death, and a fully funded programme is now in place. The important parade on Sunday, July 21, is being generously supported by ScottishPower and the full day's programme will ensure lasting memories for all visitors to the town. Seats for the commemorative dinner, the same evening, are filling quickly and many other interesting events are taking place throughout the year, commencing with a lantern parade through the town on January 20.

The International Burns Festival was a body set up by Ayrshire and Dumfriesshire local authorities to organise a series of high-profile Burns-related events, mainly in west central Scotland. Although it is regrettable that the IBF plans are under pressure this in no way affects the grassroot celebrations in which Burnsians from home and abroad will take part next year. You are all welcome to join us.

Anyone wishing a copy of the programme for the 1996 Burns events in Dumfries should write to Dumfries & Galloway Tourist Board, Campbell House, Bankend Road, Dumfries DG1.

Graham I Davidson, President, Burns Howff Club, 63 Kirkland Road, Calside, Dumfries.

Tue 26-Dec-1995