Scotspeak

About the Book: 

This invaluable addition to the study of urban Scots dialects opens up the field of linguistics to the general reader.

Combining the expertise of linguist Christine Robinson and voice coach Carol Ann Crawford, this comprehensive and accessible guide to pronouncing urban Scots will dispel any narrow preconceptions of what Scots is.

Starting with a general overview, the authors then explore the specific sounds of Scots, looking at pronunciation in Aberdeen, Edinburgh,

Glasgow and Dundee. These cities are connected by Scots but all have distinct linguistic traits.

With particuar attention to the pronunciation and sounds of modern urban Scots, and with accompanying downloadable recordings of native speakers, this guide is ideal for those studying for theatrical purposes who want to honour unique regional accents, for those studying language and linguistics, and for anyone interested in learning more about the way Scots is spoken today.

Reviews: 

This is a gem of a book: an authentic, accessible guide for actors who need to perfect a Scots accent. I have used it myself and recommend it highly. JEANNETTE NELSON, Head of Voice, National Theatre

A braw buik... one I can recommend to anyone interested in reading, writing or speaking Scots, however defined. MICHAEL HANCE, Former Director, Scots Language Centre

About the Authors:

CHRISTINE ROBINSON MA PhD has taught Scots at the Universityof Edinburgh for many years. She lectures on Scots for the University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute and is Director of Scottish Language Dictionaries (SLD). SLD is the organisation dedicated to the lexicography of Scots and Scottish English with stewardship of the Scottish National Dictionary, A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue and the online Dictionary of the Scots Language www.dsl.ac.uk. In addition to lexicographical work, SLD has a lively outreach programme, supporting Scots in the community and in education.

Brought up inPerth, of Kincardineshire parents, and now living inWest Lothianshe has first hand knowledge of a range of Scots dialects and has carried out a number of dialect research projects. She also has an interest in Older Scots. She is a committee member of the Scots Language Society, a Trustee of The Scots Language Centre, Chair of the Association for Scottish Literary Studies Language Committee, a member of the Literature Forum and a regular attendee at the Parliamentary Cross Party Group on Scots.

CAROL ANN CRAWFORD has worked as a Voice & Dialect Coach since training at The Central School of Speech & Drama. She was recently awarded a B.Sc. in Speech Therapy. Her work includes Kidnapped for BBC TV and a forthcoming feature film, which was shot in New Zealand. She works regularly in theatre as both an actor and dialect coach.