illandancient.bsky.social
@illandancient.bsky.social
Manufacturing engineer, product configurator, corpus linguist (Scots language), amateur drainage specialist, Englishman
Yesterday I posted this survey, looking at the sorts of "social contexts" where people might hear Scots being spoken.
There's been a handful of responses, enough to put together an initial ranking.
Whilst its a smooth gradient, the contexts broadly fall into three categories.
There's been a handful of responses, enough to put together an initial ranking.
Whilst its a smooth gradient, the contexts broadly fall into three categories.
November 14, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Yesterday I posted this survey, looking at the sorts of "social contexts" where people might hear Scots being spoken.
There's been a handful of responses, enough to put together an initial ranking.
Whilst its a smooth gradient, the contexts broadly fall into three categories.
There's been a handful of responses, enough to put together an initial ranking.
Whilst its a smooth gradient, the contexts broadly fall into three categories.
There isn't really a trend over time. Just most writers only depict a very small proportion of their characters speaking in the Scottish vernacular.
November 6, 2025 at 12:22 PM
There isn't really a trend over time. Just most writers only depict a very small proportion of their characters speaking in the Scottish vernacular.
After reading through 71 #TartanNoir Scottish crime fiction books, and counting the number of Scots speaking characters, I have put together a histogram.
The median proportion of Scots speakers is 4.5% many books depict no Scots speakers at all, occasionally some have more than 20% of characters.
The median proportion of Scots speakers is 4.5% many books depict no Scots speakers at all, occasionally some have more than 20% of characters.
November 6, 2025 at 12:15 PM
After reading through 71 #TartanNoir Scottish crime fiction books, and counting the number of Scots speaking characters, I have put together a histogram.
The median proportion of Scots speakers is 4.5% many books depict no Scots speakers at all, occasionally some have more than 20% of characters.
The median proportion of Scots speakers is 4.5% many books depict no Scots speakers at all, occasionally some have more than 20% of characters.
Book number 28 in my read through of #TartanNoir Scottish crime fiction, and finally there's a murder victim who lived on the same street that I once lived on in Glasgow.
November 1, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Book number 28 in my read through of #TartanNoir Scottish crime fiction, and finally there's a murder victim who lived on the same street that I once lived on in Glasgow.
The Doric frequency dictionary would follow the following pattern , with part of speech, frequency data and the list of spelling variants with writer preferences.
Here we see OOT and FIT are the most preferred spellings, over OUT, WHAT and WHIT, which are less common in Doric writing.
Here we see OOT and FIT are the most preferred spellings, over OUT, WHAT and WHIT, which are less common in Doric writing.
October 31, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The Doric frequency dictionary would follow the following pattern , with part of speech, frequency data and the list of spelling variants with writer preferences.
Here we see OOT and FIT are the most preferred spellings, over OUT, WHAT and WHIT, which are less common in Doric writing.
Here we see OOT and FIT are the most preferred spellings, over OUT, WHAT and WHIT, which are less common in Doric writing.
Well, I think this clears up just how much we can trust AI for making real-world decisions.
October 21, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Well, I think this clears up just how much we can trust AI for making real-world decisions.
I'm up to page 20, and so far, about half the characters are depicted speaking Scots. The orthography is close to standard, its pretty good.
October 19, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I'm up to page 20, and so far, about half the characters are depicted speaking Scots. The orthography is close to standard, its pretty good.
I know Hamish Macbeth isn't exactly #TartanNoir but if we're being comprehensive in our survey of then the cosy-crime Constable ought to be included.
October 19, 2025 at 12:23 PM
I know Hamish Macbeth isn't exactly #TartanNoir but if we're being comprehensive in our survey of then the cosy-crime Constable ought to be included.
There was an article yesterday on @hecknews.com hecknews.com/scots-wikipe...
which stated that the Scots wikipedia was the language's "primary online resource".
This is nonsense.
12/
which stated that the Scots wikipedia was the language's "primary online resource".
This is nonsense.
12/
October 17, 2025 at 11:51 AM
There was an article yesterday on @hecknews.com hecknews.com/scots-wikipe...
which stated that the Scots wikipedia was the language's "primary online resource".
This is nonsense.
12/
which stated that the Scots wikipedia was the language's "primary online resource".
This is nonsense.
12/
Now, the Scots wikipedia was never a serious information source. Looking at the pageview data suggests that about 90% of viewers were from overseas. Curious schoolkids looking up their favourite footballers or just weird links.
9/
9/
October 17, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Now, the Scots wikipedia was never a serious information source. Looking at the pageview data suggests that about 90% of viewers were from overseas. Curious schoolkids looking up their favourite footballers or just weird links.
9/
9/
The third and final original Laidlaw book was a bit of a departure, it was written in the first person, and from searching on OpenLibrary, there wisnae as many Scots speakers, maybe only eight or nine, mebbe 28% of the total.
3/
3/
October 17, 2025 at 9:59 AM
The third and final original Laidlaw book was a bit of a departure, it was written in the first person, and from searching on OpenLibrary, there wisnae as many Scots speakers, maybe only eight or nine, mebbe 28% of the total.
3/
3/
The first two Laidlaw books had significant numbers of Scots speakers, I reckon 15 in the first book and 24 in the second, making up 35% and 48% of all speaking characters
Here's a page from the 2nd book. The bar for "Scots" is pretty low, any vernacular deviating from standard English.
2/
Here's a page from the 2nd book. The bar for "Scots" is pretty low, any vernacular deviating from standard English.
2/
October 17, 2025 at 9:59 AM
The first two Laidlaw books had significant numbers of Scots speakers, I reckon 15 in the first book and 24 in the second, making up 35% and 48% of all speaking characters
Here's a page from the 2nd book. The bar for "Scots" is pretty low, any vernacular deviating from standard English.
2/
Here's a page from the 2nd book. The bar for "Scots" is pretty low, any vernacular deviating from standard English.
2/
I popped into my local library last night and had a quick read of the latest Laidlaw book "The Dark Remains", now this was a posthumous release, part-written by William McIlvanney - completed by Ian Rankin.
October 17, 2025 at 9:59 AM
I popped into my local library last night and had a quick read of the latest Laidlaw book "The Dark Remains", now this was a posthumous release, part-written by William McIlvanney - completed by Ian Rankin.
In the Championship match between Middlesborough and Ipswich tonight, Grok reckons its going to be 2-1 to Ipswich Town.
October 17, 2025 at 9:25 AM
In the Championship match between Middlesborough and Ipswich tonight, Grok reckons its going to be 2-1 to Ipswich Town.
Wait, zoom in
As well has pinning up an American swastika, he's also got maps alluding to invading Canada?
As well has pinning up an American swastika, he's also got maps alluding to invading Canada?
October 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Wait, zoom in
As well has pinning up an American swastika, he's also got maps alluding to invading Canada?
As well has pinning up an American swastika, he's also got maps alluding to invading Canada?
The Scottish census website has the data if we want to look at the proportions of Scots speakers in other professions.
We see that construction workers, drivers, metalworkers and electricians are the most likely to report they spoke Scots.
Healthcare, scientists and businessmen were the least.
We see that construction workers, drivers, metalworkers and electricians are the most likely to report they spoke Scots.
Healthcare, scientists and businessmen were the least.
October 15, 2025 at 9:49 AM
The Scottish census website has the data if we want to look at the proportions of Scots speakers in other professions.
We see that construction workers, drivers, metalworkers and electricians are the most likely to report they spoke Scots.
Healthcare, scientists and businessmen were the least.
We see that construction workers, drivers, metalworkers and electricians are the most likely to report they spoke Scots.
Healthcare, scientists and businessmen were the least.
If we supposed that Edinburgh had fewer Scots speakers and imagined that the police were less likely to speak Scots than the general public - the census data doesn't support this.
If we filter by occupation, and filter by City of Edinburgh we still find that 17.9% of polis speak Scots in real life.
If we filter by occupation, and filter by City of Edinburgh we still find that 17.9% of polis speak Scots in real life.
October 15, 2025 at 9:38 AM
If we supposed that Edinburgh had fewer Scots speakers and imagined that the police were less likely to speak Scots than the general public - the census data doesn't support this.
If we filter by occupation, and filter by City of Edinburgh we still find that 17.9% of polis speak Scots in real life.
If we filter by occupation, and filter by City of Edinburgh we still find that 17.9% of polis speak Scots in real life.
If we plotted a similar histogram of Scots speakers using census datazone data, we see that the median is around 32.6%, and its a really neat normal distribution.
In most places about a third of people speak Scots. The country isn't polarised between locales with loads and places with none.
In most places about a third of people speak Scots. The country isn't polarised between locales with loads and places with none.
October 15, 2025 at 9:38 AM
If we plotted a similar histogram of Scots speakers using census datazone data, we see that the median is around 32.6%, and its a really neat normal distribution.
In most places about a third of people speak Scots. The country isn't polarised between locales with loads and places with none.
In most places about a third of people speak Scots. The country isn't polarised between locales with loads and places with none.
After searching through almost fifty Tartan Noir books by 25 writers, I found on average about 6% of speaking characters are depicted as speaking Scots.
If we plot them as a histogram, we can kind of squint and see a normal distribution with the mean and median around 6%
If we plot them as a histogram, we can kind of squint and see a normal distribution with the mean and median around 6%
October 15, 2025 at 9:32 AM
After searching through almost fifty Tartan Noir books by 25 writers, I found on average about 6% of speaking characters are depicted as speaking Scots.
If we plot them as a histogram, we can kind of squint and see a normal distribution with the mean and median around 6%
If we plot them as a histogram, we can kind of squint and see a normal distribution with the mean and median around 6%
Despite being inspired by Laidlaw, we find in the Rebus books by @ianrankin1.bsky.social very few people are depicted as speaking Scots.
In the first Rebus book "Knots & Crosses" we find only a single Scots speaker, described as an "aged crone" with a "carious mouth"
In the first Rebus book "Knots & Crosses" we find only a single Scots speaker, described as an "aged crone" with a "carious mouth"
October 15, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Despite being inspired by Laidlaw, we find in the Rebus books by @ianrankin1.bsky.social very few people are depicted as speaking Scots.
In the first Rebus book "Knots & Crosses" we find only a single Scots speaker, described as an "aged crone" with a "carious mouth"
In the first Rebus book "Knots & Crosses" we find only a single Scots speaker, described as an "aged crone" with a "carious mouth"
So every month or so, I spend ten minutes rattling through all the public library websites to see how many new books they have acquired.
10/
10/
October 6, 2025 at 9:42 AM
So every month or so, I spend ten minutes rattling through all the public library websites to see how many new books they have acquired.
10/
10/
Just a wee update.
According to the census, 30.14% of people in the "Protective Service Occupations" reported that they consider themselves able to speak or read Scots.
So its remarkable that in all the Tartan Noir fiction I've read to date, not one polis is depicted as speaking Scots.
12/
According to the census, 30.14% of people in the "Protective Service Occupations" reported that they consider themselves able to speak or read Scots.
So its remarkable that in all the Tartan Noir fiction I've read to date, not one polis is depicted as speaking Scots.
12/
October 1, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Just a wee update.
According to the census, 30.14% of people in the "Protective Service Occupations" reported that they consider themselves able to speak or read Scots.
So its remarkable that in all the Tartan Noir fiction I've read to date, not one polis is depicted as speaking Scots.
12/
According to the census, 30.14% of people in the "Protective Service Occupations" reported that they consider themselves able to speak or read Scots.
So its remarkable that in all the Tartan Noir fiction I've read to date, not one polis is depicted as speaking Scots.
12/
There was a bit in the Metaphrog substack about the Louis graphic novels, that one review can change the destiny of a book.
And yet with MacLachlain's book, winning that award hasn't made a bit of difference to sales.
11/
metaphrog.substack.com/p/25-years-s...
And yet with MacLachlain's book, winning that award hasn't made a bit of difference to sales.
11/
metaphrog.substack.com/p/25-years-s...
September 30, 2025 at 2:02 PM
There was a bit in the Metaphrog substack about the Louis graphic novels, that one review can change the destiny of a book.
And yet with MacLachlain's book, winning that award hasn't made a bit of difference to sales.
11/
metaphrog.substack.com/p/25-years-s...
And yet with MacLachlain's book, winning that award hasn't made a bit of difference to sales.
11/
metaphrog.substack.com/p/25-years-s...
I was reading the wikipedia entry for Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and a line stood out to me. She was inspired to be a barrister by a fictional character.
By ignoring Scots speakers in fiction, we are preventing Scots speakers from being similarly inspired.
9/
By ignoring Scots speakers in fiction, we are preventing Scots speakers from being similarly inspired.
9/
September 30, 2025 at 1:56 PM
I was reading the wikipedia entry for Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and a line stood out to me. She was inspired to be a barrister by a fictional character.
By ignoring Scots speakers in fiction, we are preventing Scots speakers from being similarly inspired.
9/
By ignoring Scots speakers in fiction, we are preventing Scots speakers from being similarly inspired.
9/
If you liked Trainspotting, can I recommend Peter Bennett's "Liberties", Iain MacLachlain's "This is what you get" and Colin Burnett's "Who's Aldo"
September 30, 2025 at 6:51 AM
If you liked Trainspotting, can I recommend Peter Bennett's "Liberties", Iain MacLachlain's "This is what you get" and Colin Burnett's "Who's Aldo"