Let’s no beat roon the bush – the Scots leid is haein a richt wee Renaissance tae itsel the noo. The leid’s presence in leiterature, poyetry, clessrooms, newspapers, social media, an the public consciousness is growin bi the day.
Fir the first time, thair’s a growin public awareness o the leid. Foosty, fauchlin debates aboot languages versus dialects ur getting mair faur an few atween. Insteid, fowk’s stertin tae think aboot baulder questions wi mair beirin oan oor lives, like whit tae dae wi Scots in oor modren Scotland, hoo we treat it, an why.
Dinnae doot it – thon’s hoo social chynge sterts tae happen.
Bit jist as a fire in an ingle needs oxygen tae breathe, social chynge aften needs correspondin poleitical action gin it hopes tae haud breathin an growin. An in the case o Scots, thair’s anely sae muckle progress we cin bring aboot wioot proper coordination an fundin. Efforts tae heize up Scots urnae jynt up eneuch tae coordinate across sindry airts an pairts an lack the siller tae roll oot across the hail kintra or emplye fowk fou-time.
Sae Scots needs political action tae bring aboot a coordinated an weel-fundit approach tae promotin an proteckin the leid.
Bit poleitical action disnae jist appear oot o nocht wi a puff o stoor. The onus is oan oorsels, the Scots community, tae mak oor case tae government decision-makkers an the public fir tae big up momentum an support fir whit we’r wantin duin.
Thon’s whare Oor Vyce steps in.
Oor Vyce is a grassroots campaign cawin fir this kinna poleitical action. It brings thegither awbody an onybody wi a personal or professional interest in Scots, fae academics tae sangsters, aw wi the common cause o bringin Scots issues tae politeicians an makkin the case fir action.
Whit action daes Oor Vyce want taen, ye speir?
Oor aims include the recogneition o Scots as yin o Scotland’s offeicial languages, formal speir fir it, mair proveision fir it in public spaces, an a government body gien the ettle o promotin it.
An hoo wad we dae aw thon? Wi legislation – a Scots Language Act thit recognises Scots as an offeicial language an sets up a Scots Language Board o experts an stakehauders tae act as the leid’s custodian oan the Government’s behalf.
Thon’s no onything ower faur fae the ordinar in Scotland – it’s a sib template tae the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. An it cuid weel be whit Scots needs tae tak its Renaissance intae tap gear.
The intricacies o an Act or a Board will be ironed oot in due coorse. Whit maitters the noo is thit we capitalise oan the social chynge gaun oan an turn it intae poleitical chynge. Bi gaitherin a braid rynge o Scots vyces thegither, Oor Vyce is weel-placed tae dae thon.
An tae gaither a rynge o vyces, we need aw the help an contributions we cin get! Gin ye’r wantin tae len yer haun in the fecht, email oorvyce@gmail.com tae indicate yer interest.
Fir the first time, a Scots Language Act is oors fir the takkin, sae let’s jyne thegither an get Scots recognised, protectit an promotit! Haud forrit!
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