Talking and listening: Video playlist

Rab Wilson relates his use of Scots to his East Ayrshire upbringing and his time working in coal mines. He notes that if you “ask people to write in Scots, they wouldn’t be able to do it.” He explains the derivation of the words ‘mawdelit’ and ‘maun dae’. ‘Mawdelit’ is an unusual word as it specifically means feigning an illness in order to not go to a court appearance. ‘Maun Dae’ relates to an anecdote about a hammer which is equal to the task in hand.

As this clip introduces the topic of “the language used by local poets and rhymers for centuries“, students could research old Scottish poems like those by Sir Patrick Spens and recite interesting verse in Scots. The parlour game ‘Call My Bluff’ could be revised and students could be encouraged to play against each other. Using ‘Mawdelit’ as the example, students could research other unusual Scottish words and create one genuine definition in conjunction with two invented suggestions. The clip could also contribute to discussion of where words come from. ‘Mawdelit’ is just one example of a word that relates back to the Auld Alliance between Scotland and France.