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Study of Scots language
22/01/2008
A study of current Scots language provision is to be undertaken to see how the profile and use of the language may be increased.
Minister for Culture Linda Fabiani said:
"Scots is part of our identity and our heritage as a nation. We must encourage confidence in the use of Scots in all its forms and create opportunities for it to thrive.
"The Scottish Government is committed to increasing awareness
of the Scots language, literature and song.
"Schools have a particularly important contribution to make to ensure as many young people as possible have the opportunity to enjoy works of literature by Scots authors.
"Our national languages have been suppressed and oppressed over the centuries but they should be as valued as any other language spoken in the world.
"As a signal of this government's support for the language, I have instructed my officials to commission an audit of current provision and seek recommendations on how we ensure Scots flourishes for future generations."
As part of the Scottish Government's commitments to increasing awareness of the Scots language and its literature, we support the introduction of a question on Scots in the Census and will work to ensure that European obligations to develop the language are honoured.
A Scots language question was tested in the Census test in April 2006 and, subject to satisfactory test results, may be included in the next Census in 2011.
Under Part II of the European Charter for Minority or Regional Languages, the Scottish Government is committed to a number of undertakings to promote and develop the use of the Scots language. These relate to education, the media, legal and administrative contexts, economic and social life, cultural activities and trans-frontier exchanges.
Within the current curriculum review, A Curriculum for Excellence, the document Building the Curriculum 1: the contribution of curriculum areas recognises that 'Scotland has a rich diversity of language, including Scots' and clearly states that teachers should strongly encourage and promote the use of the language the child or young person is using to communicate. It also says that "the guidance will encourage schools to support children in maintaining their own first language." The draft outcomes for English, which include references to Scots, are due to be released for engagement next month.