Speak Now or Forever Haud Yer Weesht!

Us Scots have ai had a way wi words. Footerin' aboot with the English language we've coined patter to express our optimistic, (at times) brutally honest and banter-fuelled outlook on life. I've personally always admired the brave, no-nonsense approach to offering opinion and advice in our own unique fashion, married with our compassion for our fellow neibor.  We’re a’ Jock Tamson’s bairns after all and if you need a boot up the bahookie you're in guid company, as some of our most commonly used Scottish phrases will have you realising you're a lang time deid.

Finding the right words can make or break the most poignant of moments. Agonising in the supermarket over buying a birthday or sympathy card stems from our desire to express ourselves accurately- we want to say it all but by using a few choice words that get across our genuine sentiment. We Scots excel in keeping it concise, summarising our words of wisdom or  observations on life into some neat little ditty that is bound to hit the nail on the head every time. Some of the most commonly used Scottishisms have stood the test of time because they help convey something perfectly without faff or fodder.

But why bother? Why not just tell it like everyone else? Finding your way of saying something to make it yours, to make it more memorable, have it make more of an impact or invoke a reaction is essentially the mission of every  Creative. Thinking outside of the box, colouring outside of the lines, taking the scenic route is the journey you embark on to have your unique voice heard. Crafting and fine tuning the way in which you speak to your audience is a real expression of you as an artist. One Creative's Que sera sera is another's Whit's fur ye'll no go by ye and so, although the message may be the same, the language is very different and that is where the magic lies. Whilst there may be billions of love songs in the world, each artist painstakingly carves out their own distinct dialogue, setting them apart from all others. In a way, it's less about what you say and more critical how you say it. The Creative is always conscious that their voice comes across crystal clear within their work, that it won't be confused with that of another. They concoct their own language and in doing so give something of their self with every creation. As a nation,  we Scots unapologetically pride ourselves on the colloquialisms and quips that slip into our vernacular day in day out, because we know that when we're being the truest version of ourselves we are being heard loud and clear. So like us patter-merchants in Bonnie Scotland, artists across the globe endeavour to express their wit, wisdom and opinion in a way that will make folks sit up, haud their weesht and take note and to me, that's the brawest and bravest quality of them all. It's unique....it's yersel!