Scots-language literature

873: 716: 1245: 437: 3096: 418:, with the addition of elements from Gaelic and French. Although resembling the language spoken in northern England, it became a distinct dialect from the late fourteenth century onwards. It began to be adopted by the ruling elite as they gradually abandoned French. By the fifteenth century it was the language of government, with acts of parliament, council records and treasurer's accounts almost all using it from the reign of 970: 1189:(1771–1832), the leading literary figure of the era began his career as a ballad collector and became the most popular poet in Britain and then its most successful novelist. His works were largely written in English and Scots was largely confined to dialogue or interpolated narrative, in a model that would be followed by other novelists such as 886:

of the Bible. In 1617 interpreters were declared no longer necessary in the port of London because Scots and Englishmen were now "not so far different bot ane understandeth ane uther". Jenny Wormald, describes James as creating a "three-tier system, with Gaelic at the bottom and English at the top".

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The Scottish Renaissance increasingly concentrated on the novel, particularly after the 1930s when Hugh MacDiarmid was living in isolation in Shetland and many of these were written in English and not Scots. However, George Blake pioneered the exploration of the experiences of the working class in

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provided a Scots counterpart to the work of Scott. However, popular Scottish newspapers regularly included articles and commentary in the vernacular and there was an interest in translations into Scots from other Germanic languages, such as Danish, Swedish and German, including those by

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The loss of the court as a centre of patronage in 1603 was a major blow to Scottish literature. A number of Scottish poets, including William Alexander, John Murray and Robert Aytoun accompanied the king to London, where they continued to write, but they soon began to

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their written language. James's characteristic role as active literary participant and patron in the English court made him a defining figure for English Renaissance poetry and drama, which would reach a pinnacle of achievement in his reign, but his patronage for the

203:. After his accession to the English throne, James VI increasingly favoured the language of southern England and the loss of the court as a centre of patronage in 1603 was a major blow to Scottish literature. The poets who followed the king to London began to 1278:(1898–1943), who pursued an exploration of identity, rejecting nostalgia and parochialism and engaging with social and political issues. Some writers that emerged after the Second World War followed MacDiarmid by writing in Scots, including 1003:(1724–37) contained poems old Scots folk material, his own poems in the folk style and "gentilizings" of Scots poems in the English neo-classical style. Ramsay was part of a community of poets working in Scots and English. These included 807:, published in 1584 when he was aged 18, was both a poetic manual and a description of the poetic tradition in his mother tongue, to which he applied Renaissance principles. He became patron and member of a loose circle of Scottish 222:(1686–1758) is often described as leading a "vernacular revival" and he laid the foundations of a reawakening of interest in older Scottish literature. He was part of a community of poets working in Scots and English that included 1341:(born 1947) also explored the lives of working-class people of Glasgow, but added an appreciation of female voices within a sometimes male dominated society. She also adapted classic texts into Scots, with versions of 1270:" (1936), developing a form of Synthetic Scots that combined different regional dialects and archaic terms. Other writers that emerged in this period, and are often treated as part of the movement, include the poets 489:", but which are not known to have existed until they were collected and recorded in the eighteenth century. They were probably composed and transmitted orally and only began to be written down and printed, often as 519: 71: 290:, the leading literary figure of the early nineteenth century, largely wrote in English, and Scots was confined to dialogue or interpolated narrative, in a model that would be followed by other novelists such as 793:

when they invaded in 1547. With the increasing influence and availability of books printed in England, most writing in Scotland came to be done in the English fashion. Leading figure of the Scottish Reformation

983:(1686–1758) was the most important literary figure of the era, often described as leading a "vernacular revival". He laid the foundations of a reawakening of interest in older Scottish literature, publishing 1450:(1989) were among the first novels to fully utilise a working class Scots voice as the main narrator. In the 1990s major, prize winning, Scottish novels that emerged from this movement included Gray's 3337: 270:. Scottish poetry is often seen as entering a period of decline in the nineteenth century, with Scots-language poetry criticised for its use of parochial dialect. Conservative and anti-radical 882:

Having extolled the virtues of Scots "poesie", after his accession to the English throne, James VI increasingly favoured the language of southern England. In 1611 the Kirk adopted the English

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pioneered the exploration of the experiences of the working class. Lewis Grassic Gibbon produced one of the most important realisations of the ideas of the Scottish Renaissance in his trilogy

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Scottish poetry is often seen as entering a period of decline in the nineteenth century, with Scots-language poetry criticised for its use of parochial dialect. Conservative and anti-radical

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sprang up around Scotland, filled with poets who fixated on the "Burns stanza" as a form. Scottish poetry has been seen as descending into infantalism as exemplified by the highly popular

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From the 1980s Scottish literature enjoyed another major revival, particularly associated with a group of Glasgow writers focused around meetings in the house of critic, poet and teacher

938:, went to great lengths to get rid of every Scotticism from their writings. Following such examples, many well-off Scots took to learning English through the activities of those such as 1201:(1770–1835) worked largely in Scots, providing a counterpart to Scott's work in English. Popular Scottish newspapers regularly included articles and commentary in the vernacular. 1371:(1935). Lewis Grassic Gibbon, the pseudonym of James Leslie Mitchell, produced one of the most important realisations of the ideas of the Scottish Renaissance in his trilogy 1317:(born 1942), whose work has often seen a coming to terms with class and national identity within the formal structures of poetry and commenting on contemporary events, as in 789:

of Southern England due to developments in royal and political interactions with England. The English supplied books and distributing Bibles and Protestant literature in the

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have been seen as creating a golden age in Scottish poetry. In the late fifteenth century, Scots prose also began to develop as a genre. The first complete surviving work is

473:. The work was extremely popular among the Scots-speaking aristocracy and Barbour is referred to as the father of Scots poetry, holding a similar place to his contemporary 1266:(the pseudonym of Christopher Murray Grieve, 1892–1978). MacDiarmid attempted to revive the Scots language as a medium for serious literature in poetic works including " 1159:' life and work and poets who fixated on the "Burns stanza" as a form. Scottish poetry has been seen as descending into infantalism as exemplified by the highly popular 330:

that combined different regional dialects and archaic terms. Other writers that emerged in this period, and are often treated as part of the movement, include the poets

860:(published in London in 1603), are isolated examples of surviving plays. The latter is a vernacular Scots comedy of errors, probably designed for court performance for 839:(1570–1627). By the late 1590s the king's championing of his native Scottish tradition was to some extent diffused by the prospect of inheriting of the English throne. 354:

is chiefly remembered for this translations into Scots from the German and Danish ballad traditions into Scots. Writers who reflected urban contemporary Scots included

2614: 1101:. Some of his works, such as "Love and Liberty" (also known as "The Jolly Beggars"), are written in both Scots and English for various effects. His themes included 908:, worked largely in English, only using occasional Scots for effect. In the late seventeenth century it looked as if Scots might disappear as a literary language. 1027:(1750–1774), a largely urban poet, recognised in his short lifetime as the unofficial "laureate" of Edinburgh. His most famous work was his unfinished long poem, 872: 3543: 1391:, 1934), which mixed different Scots dialects with the narrative voice. Other works that investigated the working class included James Barke's (1905–1958), 57:

may date back to the thirteenth century, but were not recorded until the eighteenth century. In the early fifteenth century Scots historical works included

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that was sometimes overtly political, and explored marginal areas of experience using vivid vernacular language (including expletives and Scots dialect).

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was an academic and poet, but is chiefly remembered for this translations into Scots from the German and Danish ballad traditions into Scots, including

900:(1585–1649), and he largely abandoned Scots for a form of court English. The most influential Scottish literary figure of the mid-seventeenth century, 896:

in his own Scottish tradition largely became sidelined. The only significant court poet to continue to work in Scotland after the king's departure was

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in 1540, which satirised the corruption of church and state, and which is the only complete play to survive from before the Reformation. The anonymous

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In the late fifteenth century, Scots prose also began to develop as a genre. Although there are earlier fragments of original Scots prose, such as the

604:(c. 1448). Dunbar produced satires, lyrics, invectives and dream visions that established the vernacular as a flexible medium for poetry of any kind. 2434: 1210:

Popular Ballads And Songs From Tradition, Manuscripts And Scarce Editions With Translations Of Similar Pieces From The Ancient Danish Language

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may date back to the late medieval era and deal with events and people that can be traced back as far as the thirteenth century, including "

2170: 380:. From the 1980s Scottish literature enjoyed another major revival, particularly associated with a group of Glasgow writers that included 582:(c. 1505) provides evidence of a wider tradition of secular writing outside of Court and Kirk now largely lost. Writers such as Dunbar, 3656: 926:

and the shift of political power to England, the use of Scots was discouraged by many in authority and education. Intellectuals of the

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and short sonnets, for narrative, nature description, satire and meditations on love. Later poets that followed in this vein included

758:(r. 1567–1625), cultural pursuits were limited by the lack of a royal court and by political turmoil. The Kirk, heavily influenced by 113:(1490). There were also prose translations of French books of chivalry that survive from the 1450s. The landmark work in the reign of 1171:(1810–1872). This tendency has been seen as leading late-nineteenth-century Scottish poetry into the sentimental parochialism of the 3035: 2636: 1487: 1204:

There was an interest in translations into Scots from other Germanic languages, such as Danish, Swedish and German. These included

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was accused of being hostile to Scots because he wrote in a Scots-inflected English developed while in exile at the English court.

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wrote elegiac narratives, romances and satires. From the 1550s cultural pursuits were limited by the lack of a royal court and the

782:'s (?1520–82/3) use of short verse designed to be sung to music, opened the way for the Castilan poets of James VI's adult reign. 2876: 2871: 832: 2861: 431: 531:. They were probably influenced by Scots versions of popular French romances that were also produced in the period, including 1214: 2622: 3030: 2246:

J. Corbett, D. McClure and J. Stuart-Smith, "A Brief History of Scots" in J. Corbett, D. McClure and J. Stuart-Smith, eds,

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J. Corbett, D. McClure and J. Stuart-Smith, "A Brief History of Scots" in J. Corbett, D. McClure and J. Stuart-Smith, eds,

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J. Corbett, D. McClure and J. Stuart-Smith, "A Brief History of Scots" in J. Corbett, D. McClure and J. Stuart-Smith, eds,

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J. Corbett, D. McClure and J. Stuart-Smith, "A Brief History of Scots" in J. Corbett, D. McClure and J. Stuart-Smith, eds,

1179:(1799–1848), whose his "A chieftain unknown to the Queen" (1843) combined simple Scots language with a social critique of 2866: 779: 710: 170: 722:

in 1585, aged 19. He promoted poetry in his native Scots but abandoned it after he acceded to the English throne in 1603

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became the dominant language of Scotland in the late Middle Ages. The first surviving major text in Scots literature is

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of Scotland and a major figure in the Romantic movement. As well as making original compositions, Burns also collected

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their written language and only significant court poet to continue to work in Scotland after the king's departure was

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In the 1580s and 1590s James VI strongly promoted the literature of the country of his birth in Scots. His treatise,

1267: 1012: 231: 3585: 1290:(1920–2010) became known for translations of works from a wide range of European languages. He was also the first 2451: 1020: 897: 876: 239: 208: 2051:

N. Rhodes, "Wrapped in the Strong Arm of the Union: Shakespeare and King James" in W. Maley and A. Murphy, eds,

3396: 2806: 2785: 2736: 2715: 2694: 2670: 2590: 2556: 2535: 2514: 2488: 2371: 2350: 2329: 2276: 2180: 2144: 2123: 2102: 2018: 1997: 1976: 1868: 1572: 1540: 1031:(1773), dedicated to the life of the city. His borrowing from a variety of dialects prefigured the creation of 966:. Scots remained the vernacular of many rural communities and the growing number of urban working class Scots. 655:(1490). There were also prose translations of French books of chivalry that survive from the 1450s, including 2881: 1235: 1004: 883: 848: 223: 191: 2464: 3651: 3646: 3344: 3118: 3076: 2822: 1428: 762:, also discouraged poetry that was not devotional in nature. Nevertheless, poets from this period included 750:, was a prolific poet. He wrote elegiac narratives, romances and satires. From the 1550s, in the reign of 715: 338:. Some writers that emerged after the Second World War followed MacDiarmid by writing in Scots, including 3603: 3015: 2932: 1946:

T. van Heijnsbergen, "Culture: 7 Renaissance and Reformation (1460–1660): literature", in M. Lynch, ed.,

1456:(1992), which investigated the capitalist and imperial origins of Scotland in an inverted version of the 1205: 827:(c. 1550 – 1598). They translated key Renaissance texts and produced poems using French forms, including 524: 304: 1738: 636:

concerns and classical sources into his poetry. Much of their work survives in a single collection. The

414:, often simply called English, became the dominant language of the country. It was derived largely from 3615: 3531: 3020: 2989: 1258:

In the early twentieth century there was a new surge of activity in Scottish literature, influenced by

1126: 987:(1724), a collection that included many major poetic works of the Stewart period. He led the trend for 820: 314:

In the early twentieth century there was a new surge of activity in Scottish literature, influenced by

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J. Corbett, "Past and future language: Matthew Fitt and Iain M. Banks" in C. McCracken-Flesher, ed.,

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and resurgent nationalism, known as the Scottish Renaissance. The leading figure in the movement was

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who attempted to revive the Scots language as a medium for serious literature, developing a form of

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L. McIlvanney (Spring 2005), "Hugh Blair, Robert Burns, and the Invention of Scottish Literature",

1219: 893: 770:(fl. 1530–75), who wrote allegorical satires in the tradition of Douglas and courtier and minister 308: 3548: 644:(1545–1608) around 1560 and contains the work of many Scots poets who would otherwise be unknown. 388:

were among the first novelists to fully utilise a working class Scots voice as the main narrator.

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heavily discouraged poetry that was not devotional. Nevertheless, poets from this period included

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T. van Heijnsbergen, "Culture: 9 Renaissance and Reformation: poetry to 1603", in M. Lynch, ed.,

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of Lethington (1496–1586), who produced meditative and satirical verses in the style of Dunbar;

422:(1406–37) onwards. As a result, Gaelic, once dominant north of the Tay, began a steady decline. 3277: 3025: 2912: 1471: 1433: 1194: 950:

at a time (about £200 in today's money,) they were attended by over 300 men, and he was made a

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both made use of vernacular language including expletives and words from the Scots language.

351: 227: 186: 173:'s use of short verse designed to be sung to music, opened the way for the Castilan poets of 98: 2663: