The wey that the Scots leid haes been sleekitlie dingit doon bi the British Government syne a haundfu o skint Scots lairds pit thair haunds oot for a dale o English gowd in exchynge for oor independence, haes been naethin less nor ugsome. Ower the neist three hunner year, "Better Thegither" leukit doon on the wey oo aw spake an set oot tae kill it aff.
Bi the airly 1850's they sent inspectors roond aw the Scottish schuils tae mak siccar that baith the teachers an the bairns wis speakin juist English alane in the clessrooms. It wis dirlt intae the bairns' heids that juist speakin English wis the "proper" wey tae speak an that Scots wis juist a common kinna street slang. Efter a while it wis gey common for bairns an growed ups tae judge the intelligence o strangers they first met, bi hou weel they cuid speak English.
The raicent 2011 Census reluctantly tells us there still aboot 1.5 million o us still aye wi a meisure o the auld Scots tung in oor heids but juist a wee haundfu o thaim daurs tae be heard yaisin it in public. E'en amang Scots leid upsteerers it's no unkent for some tae refuse tae yaise Scots in public for fear o daein skaith tae thair ain professional reputation. For the leid tae hae ony chance o survivin at aw it haes tae be heard an seen tae be bein yaised bi aw sections o the public nae maitter whit station they haud. Ony leid that isnae seen an heard tae be bein yaised is heidin strecht for the knacker's yaird. Hou can oo get ower this kinch at aw?
Whit oo micht hiv tae dae is tak a leaf oot the "Better Thegither" buik an mak aw oor schuils aither Gaelic medium or Scots medium schuils. But no juist that, whit wey no send oor ain inspectors roond thae schuils tae mak siccar that baith the teachers an the bairns is speakin juist Scots or Gaelic in the clessroom except in the English clessrooms? Weel, whit for no? Whit's guid for "Better Thegither" isnae like tae be dingit doon bi thaim gin it's yaised bi oorsels.
