A popular and informative guide to the Scots language. Contains words and phrases from both literary and everyday language, this is the perfect wee dictionary of Scots for native and non-native speakers alike.

A highly popular and informative guide to the Scots language in an attractive format. Contains words and phrases from both literary and everyday language, this is the perfect wee dictionary of Scots for native and non-native speakers alike.

The modern Gaelic alphabet has 18 letters - Gaelic simply needs a smaller alphabet to make its sounds. To pronounce Gaelic words correctly you need to know what the sounds of the letters are, particularly the sounds of combinations of letters. Using his knowledge of the conventions of the language and not a little humour, George McLennan offers a straightforward guide to the Gaelic alphabet. Placenames and surnames are used to illustrate particular pronunciations, in the expectation that most people will be familiar with them. Each letter is discussed separately. Combinations of consonants, eg chd, are dealt with or referred to under the first letter. The vowels are then done in alphabetical order as are groups of vowels. Like its sucessful campanion volume Scots Gaelic an introduction to the basics, A Gaelic Alphabet will be of great help to learners and speakers of the language.

Danger: This book contains adult language and may offend your sense of good taste. Do you want to find out what the gaeilgeoir means when he/she uses the Irish words for "nerdy," "well-hung," "effing and blinding," "slimeball," or "drop-dead-gorgeous"? It's all there, with numerous entries under the letters C and F. Already a cult hit, Kiss My... will appeal to the Irish-language student and the open-minded traveler alike.

Unravel the meaning, origin, and usage of over 6,000 phrases from book and film titles, idioms and cliches, to nicknames, slogans and quotations with this modern and entertaining guide to wonderful phrases by one of the world’s best-known wordsmiths.

This book analyses the development of Modern Scots orthography and compares the spelling used in key works of literature, showing how canonical writers of poetry and fiction in Scots have blended convention and innovation in presenting Scots.

The Scots language is the hidden treasure of Scottish culture. For many of us it is still how we speak to each other, how we express our feelings, our humour, even our Scottishness. It not only connects us to our communities at an emotional level but also links us to our past. Scots was created by millions of voices coming together to share words, phrases and jokes; to understand, act on (and often laugh at) the world around them. Aye, but what exactly is 'Scots' anyway? Usually spoken in a mix with Scottish English, at least nowadays, is it really a language at all? Was it ever? And what about its future? Dr Clive Young embarks on a quest to learn about the secret life of the language he spoke as a bairn. Along the way, he encounters centuries of intense argument on the very nature of Scots, from the first dictionaries, through MacDiarmid, The Broons, Trainspotting and on to present-day Twitter rammies. (And of course, endless stushies about how to spell it.) Some still dismiss Scots as 'just' a dialect, slang or bad English. Behind this everyday disdain Dr Young uncovers a troubling history of official neglect and marginalisation of our unique minority language, offset only by a defiant and inspiring linguistic loyalty. A refreshing counterbalance to the usual gloomy prognosis of Scots' supposedly 'inevitable' demise, Dr Young sketches out a practical roadmap to revitalise Scotland's beleaguered tongue and simple ways we can all keep it 'hale an hearty' for future generations. Acause if you dinna dae it, wha wull?