1 The Catholic writer, Ninian Winzet, complained that Knox had forgotten “our auld plane Scottis”.

2 For a good account of the Psalter in Scotland, see Michael Chibbett, “Sung psalms in Scottish worship” in The Bible in Scottish Life and Literature, ed. D.F.Wright, St Andrew Press, 1988.

3 The Cottar’s Saturday Night.

4 D. Purves, The Way Forward for the Scots Language: SCESR, Peterhead, 1997, pp.5f.

5 The Booke of the Universall Kirk of Scotland (ed. Alexander Peterkin) William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh, 1839.

6 Selections from the Records of the Kirk Session, Presbytery and Synod of Aberdeen: Spalding Club, Aberdeen, 1846.

7 Ibid., p.326. Note the replacement of “quhilk day” by “this [same] day” and the use of an for ane.

8 Cf. J. Corbett, Written in the Language of the Scottish Nation: a History of Literary Translation into Scots: Topics in Translation 14, Multilingual Matters Ltd, Clevedon, 1999, p.18. Corbett comments on the popularity of Latin as a medium for Scottish poets and historians until the seventeenth century. Cf. also J.D. McClure, Why Scots Matters, Saltire Society, Edinburgh, p.7.

9 Of the three, Fergusson (1750-1774) had the closest ties with the north-east, his father having been born and brought up in Tarland. Edinburgh-born himself and educated at Dundee and St Andrews, Fergusson writes in Scots which only rarely displays distinctive Aberdeenshire features.

10 A farmer’s son, Alexander Ross (1699-1784) was born at Kincardine O’Neil in Aberdeenshire. He is remembered today for Helenore, a long pastoral poem in the style of Ramsay’s Gentle Shepherd; and his songs, such as The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow or Woo’d and Married and a’, are still sung.

11 John Skinner (1721-1807) was born in the Deeside parish of Birse, abandoned presbyterianism for episcopalianism and became minister at Longside in Buchan. His second son, also John, became episcopalian bishop of Aberdeen.

12 First published 1871 in book form; reprinted Heritage Press, Turriff, 1979.

13 Ibid., p.79.

14 J. G. Lockhart, Peter’s Letters to his Kinsfolk [1818-19]. Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh, 1977, pp.171f.

15 Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character, T.N. Foulis, Edinburgh, 1872, p.30. Born in Aberdeen in 1793, Edward (Dean) Ramsay was educated in England but ministered to his Episcopalian congregation in Edinburgh from 1823 until his death.

16 Weir of Hermiston [1895]: Skerryvore edition, Heinemann Ltd, London, 1925, pp.28f.

17 Rob Roy [1817]: Folio Society, London, 2001, p.370.

18 Annals of the Parish [1821]: James Thin, Mercat Press, Edinburgh, 1978, p.66.

19 Ibid., p.122.

20 S.R. Crockett, The Stickit Minister: T. Fisher Umwin, London, 1898, p.11. Crockett (1816-1914) became Free Church minister at Penicuik for a short time, though his romantic novels are all set in Galloway.

21 J.M. Barrie, Auld Licht Idylls: Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1890, pp.219f. Born at Kirriemuir in 1860, Barrie drew lavishly here on his mother’s memories of what was already a bygone era.

22 The term, initially quite non-pejorative, was first used in a review of Barrie’s writing (New Review, April, 1895): “Mr J.M. Barrie is fairly entitled to look upon himself as pars magna, if not pars maxima, of the Great Kailyard Movement” [OED].

23 James Hogg (1770-1835): The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, The Cresset Press, London, 1947, p.183.

24 George MacDonald, Robert Falconer [1868]: Hurst and Blackett Ltd., London, n.d., p.256.

25 Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk, p.245.

26 Cf. Mairi Robertson, “Modern Literary Scots: Fergusson and after”, in Lowland Scots, Assoc. for Scottish Literary Studies, Occas. Papers 2., Edinburgh, 1975, p.47: “And [Brown] is no less realistic in his depiction of the language. It seems a pity to have to dissect such a marvellous piece of writing.”

27 The House with the Green Shutters [1901]: Mercat Press, Edinburgh, 1983, p.187. Brown (1869-1902) wrote his one novel under the pen name George Douglas.

28 A Scots Quair: Hutchinson, London, 1946, p.72. Mitchell (1901-1935) was born in Aberdeenshire but spent most of his childhood at Drumlithie in Kincardineshire.

29 See, for example, Mairi Robinson, “Modern literary Scots: Fergusson and after”, in Lowland Scots (1973), who remarks (p.47): “Gibbon’s mastery of the rhythms of spoken Scots is superb.”

30A Scots Quair., p.123.

31 Ibid., p.236.

32 From “A Lowden Sabbath Morn” in Robert Louis Stevenson: Collected Poems, ed. Janet Adam Smith, Rupert Hart-Davis, London, 1971.

33 From A Drunk Man looks at the Thistle (ll.2056-2060): annotated edn., ed. K. Buthlay, Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh, 1987.

34 Cf. James Y. Mather’s paper, “The Scots we speak today”, in Lowland Scots, 1973, especially p.57.

35 Cf., for example, David Purves (op.cit., pp.25ff.) who sets out a case for imposing such “reforms” on the language.