Scots English

  A recent article in the New York Times -
 Americans are Barmy over Britishisms got me thinking.

Sometimes when I visit schools, children will ask me what
language we speak in Scotland.  Of course, it is a bit
complicated, because children will often mistake dialect for a
different language.  Thanks to that wonderful movie, BRAVE,
I can now refer to the Scots words - dialect used there, such as:

Crivvens (dear me) 

Jings (oh my!),

Then of course there are the Scottish words I use in Inventor McGregor
 

Thingamabob - what a great word!  Meaning of course, that thing that I cannot remember the name of!

Thingamajig - Same as above!

Wheeched - as in Scottish dancing - to whirl around so fast everything becomes a big blur! 

  

And then children like to hear these lovely colorful Scots sayings: 

a pig’s breakfast - or a midden -  so if you say your bedroom is a pig's breakfast - it means it is a mess!

lang may yer lum reek - literally means - long may your chimney smoke - sort of blessing given to the newly married - wishing them  wealth and prosperity so they will always have wood to put on the fire and keep the chimney smoking!

Lollipop lady - the crossing lady in Scotland carried a little Stop sign - looked like a lollipop (sucker) and hence the name.

Peely-wally - pale and sickly looking

Flummox - to trick - Just today, I read to the children at Presentation School - The Woman who flummoxed the fairies.  The children didn't know the word before the story, but it didn't take them long to guess it once I had finished.  A lovely Scottish tale, retold by Heather Forest.

Fun to tell the children that when they go trick or treating this Halloween, they are really saying if you don't give me a treat, then I will do something to FLUMMOX you!

The Enormous Crocodile

I know most teachers and students have been back to school for a couple of months by now, but my storytelling sessions are just beginning next week at the little school I visit.

I love to begin the school year for the Kindergarteners and First Graders with Roald Dahl's fabulous read-aloud  - The Enormous Crocodile.

At a recent writers' conference, I heard editors say that the current picture book market has definitely skewed toward the younger end of the picture book crowd, and that they need picture books to be much shorter than they once were.  I have heard other editors tell me, somewhat apologetically, that the book sellers have told them they need picture books to be short and snappy, as parent don't want to have to read books to their children that are "too long."

 If only those same book sellers could see what I have seen over the past 18 years as I read this book aloud.   It takes about 15 - 20 minutes to read it aloud - about 4 times longer than the picture books we see being published today!  And yet - there is not a sound to be heard as these little ones sit with saucer eyes and hanging jaws - totally spellbound by Dahl's masterful language and Blake's whimsical illustrations.

Children love to be frightened - just a little - as they see that cunning crocodile scheming clever tricks and nasty plans that involve gobbling up little children.  And how they grin when they see him soundly trounced for all his nastiness!

Here's to more picture books that help our children to fall in love with language and experience the sheer delight of a story masterfully spun - no better place to begin than with a Roald Dahl classic such as this.