Scotland and the Scottish Diaspora
"It's part of me, Scotland. I'm still immersed in it even though I am not there." -- Irvine Welsh (1958 - ), Scots novelist, short story writer, playwright, author of Trainspotting among many other works).
All my life I have been interested in the history of Scotland and the profound consequences of the Scottish diaspora throughout the world. Scotland and the Scots are appealing in so many ways -- the beauty of the land- and seascapes, the food and drink, the extraordinarily resourceful and creative people, the dramatic history from antiquity to the present, the great literature and history and philosophy and religion. The subjects are themselves enough to inspire writing, but there is great satisfaction in the fact that the Scots have lived up to the subjects on their own writ.
Over many years I have researched the history of Cumberland Valley, and I have often talked about the Scots, the Scots-Irish, and the settlement of this part of the New World by these willing and not-so-willing exiles. In recognition of the history and significance of the Scots to our area, I fly the Saltire and carry these books and cds. I am always on the lookout for more.
P.S. Due to listing limitations, I have moved Ian Rankin and Denise Mina, two fine writers of the Scots Noir movement, over to our International Mystery page.
Scots-English Dictionary
Scots-English Dictionary
Once the national language of Scotland, Gaelic was gradually
overtaken by Scots and in the nineteenth century its use was
actively discouraged. At one time it even seemed possible that
Gaelic would become extinct. There is now a strong revival of
interest in Gaelic with Gaelic schools and more people learning the
language.
The Gaelic English English Gaelic Dictionary is a fascinating and
useful guide to the Celtic language of the Western Highlands and
Islands of Scotland. Once the predominant language of the area,
Gaelic has survived the vicissitudes of reformers and Anglophones
to become once again an important part of Scotland s culture.
Contains:
Notes on the Spelling system and pronunciation
Notes on Stress and initial vowels, and softening (lentition)
Gaelic-English Dictionary
English-Gaelic Dictionary