The Lang Sidlin o Scots: Cultural Revisionism in Bilingual Roadsigns

*there's an English translation of this article below the Scots.

The leid o Scotland’s Lawlands is under threat—no fae English, but fae a myth o Celtic uniformity that haes niver existed. Here's why the rise o Gaelic in the east is nae revival, but revisionism...

It’s a queer irony that whiles Scots, a native Germanic tongue wi deep ruits in the Lawlands an the Borders, is dwynin frae neglect, Gaelic, lang syne confined tae the Hielands an western coast is bein foocefu owerset as the leid o modren Scotland by urban politickers in Embra. This has led tae the daft sicht o bilingual roadsigns in Gaelic sproutin up across the Borders, Lothians, an East Fife, airts whaur Gaelic wis niver the leid o the fowk.

This isnae cultural revival, it’s cultural reinventin: an ettle tae whitewash a richly weaved linguistic an ethnic heritage wi a political fairytale o “Celtic unity.” Scots, the livin leid o Robert Burns, o the Scottish Reformation, the Union o the Crouns, an muckle o Scotland’s literature, is treatit wi snash or sneers, e’en by them in pooer, whiles it’s bein systematically shoved oot o schuils, the media, an public life.

Yet linguistically, Scots has mair in common wi Anglo-Saxon nor modren English, haein grown straicht frae the Auld Northumbrian tongue. It wis yince the leid o parliaments, poetry, an law. Its dwynin isnae juist happenin, it’s bein deliberately sidelin’d.

It’s aye worth mindin that Scots an Gaelic baith cam intae Scotland roond the same time—durin the early medieval centuries, efter the Roman collapse. Gaelic cam ower frae Ireland wi the Scots o Dál Riata, settlin in Argyll an the western isles. But at the same time, the Angles o Northumbria, speakin a form o Old English, spread north o the Humber an into what’s noo the Lothians, Borders, an east coast. The leid that wad become Scots took root there centuries afore there wis any clear political entity cried “Scotland”. So this notion that Gaelic is somehow native an Scots is foreign is pure political blethers—a myth conjured tae serve a romantic, monocultural identity that disnae match oor real past.

A body can be baith a Gaelic speaker an a staunch defender o Scots. Scotland’s real heritage is in its plurality: Pictish, Norse, Brythonic, Angle, an Gaelic threed thegither in the makin o oor fowk. But tae flatten that rich an rowthie history intae a wan-leid political myth is a wrang against truth, and against the speakin fowk that are bein pushed tae the side.

Share this piece if ye believe Scotland deserves linguistic honesty, no nationalist fairytales. The survival o Scots will depend no juist on preservation, but on pride—and speakin it oot loud.

English Translation:

The Long Sidelining of Scots: Cultural Revisionism in Bilingual Roadsigns

by CJ Strachan

The language of Scotland’s Lowlands is under threat not from English, but from a myth of Celtic uniformity that never existed. Here’s why the rise of Gaelic in the east is not revival, but revisionism…

It’s a strange irony that while Scots, a native Germanic language rooted in the Lowlands and Borders, is dying from neglect, Gaelic, once confined largely to the Highlands and western coast, is now being aggressively promoted as the national language of Scotland by urban politicians in Edinburgh. This has led to the absurd sight of bilingual roadsigns in Gaelic appearing across the Borders, Lothians, and East Fife, regions where Gaelic was never historically spoken.

This isn’t cultural revival, it’s cultural reinvention: an attempt to whitewash a richly layered linguistic and ethnic heritage with a politically convenient fairy tale of “Celtic unity.” Scots, the living language of Robert Burns, of the Scottish Reformation, the Union of the Crowns, and a wealth of Scottish literature, is met with mockery or disdain, even by those in power, while being systematically excluded from schools, media, and public life.

Yet linguistically, Scots has more in common with Anglo-Saxon than modern English does, having evolved directly from the Old Northumbrian tongue. It was once the language of parliament, poetry, and law. Its decline is not accidental, it is being deliberately marginalised.

It’s worth remembering that Scots and Gaelic both arrived in what we now call Scotland around the same time, in the early medieval period, after the collapse of Roman Britain. Gaelic came over from Ireland with the Scots of Dál Riata, who settled in Argyll and the western isles. But at the same time, the Angles of Northumbria, speaking a form of Old English, were moving north of the Humber and into what is now the Lothians, the Borders, and the east coast. The language that would become Scots was already well rooted there centuries before there was any political entity called “Scotland.” So the idea that Gaelic is the native language and Scots is somehow foreign is utter nonsense, a myth invented to support a romantic, one-dimensional national identity that doesn’t reflect our actual history.

One can be both a Gaelic speaker and a defender of Scots. Scotland’s real heritage lies in its plurality: Pictish, Norse, Brythonic, Angle, and Gaelic threads all woven into the fabric of the nation. But to flatten that rich and diverse history into a one-language political myth is an offence against truth, and against the very people whose voices are already being pushed aside.

If you care about Scotland’s real history, share this. Scots doesn’t just need preservation, it needs pride. And it needs to be spoken again, wi conviction and wi heid held high.