Motion S5M-09499: Emma Harper, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 12/12/2017

SwiftKey Develop the World's First Scots-language App 

That the Parliament commends the software developer, SwiftKey, on developing the world’s first Scots-language predictive text keyboard; understands that SwiftKey Keyboard app can recognise, autocorrect and auto-predict in the Scots leid using artificial intelligence; recognises that the app adapts to the users writing style and can run between both English and Scots; notes that it was developed using newspaper columns written in Scots, Scots dictionaries and the writings of Burns; recognises that it has been called a “powerful tool” by Dr Rhona Alcorn of Scottish Language Dictionaries, and encourages all smartphone users to download the app to use and speak the Scots language without correction.

Motion S5M-09328: Joan McAlpine, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 30/11/2017

The Economic Potential of Robert Burns 

That the Parliament welcomes the contribution that Robert Burns continues to make to Scotland’s economic and cultural life; understands that business generated during the Burns season includes spending on food and drink, hospitality, accommodation, kilt hire, printing and merchandising; notes that the creative economy is boosted through arts events such as the Big Burns Supper Festival in Dumfries, which is the culmination of Scotland’s £390 million Winter Festivals Programme; understands that year-round Burns-related tourism is on the increase thanks to Burns Scotland partner destinations such as the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, Ellisland Farm near Auldgirth, the Monument Centre in Kilmarnock and Burns House Museum in Mauchline, as well as numerous places around Scotland associated with the poet; notes that Burns the brand helps promote Scotland’s exports and trade links through Burns suppers around the globe, including through more than 250 member clubs of the Robert Burns World Federation; understands that Burns contributes to the success of Scotland's higher education institutions, including the Centre for Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow, which encourages interest in the Bard through publications, seminar series, conferences, community and performance events, advice to exporters, research grant funding and international students and donor gifts, while providing strong strategic support to the National Burns Collection; understands that the last evaluation of Robert Burns’ economic impact on modern Scotland was completed in 2003 for the BBC by the World Bank economist, Lesley Campbell, who estimated that he generated £157 million each year for Scotland, and believes that this figure has grown exponentially since the research was carried out and that celebrations of the Bard’s birthday on 25 January will be an enriching experience in every sense of the word.

Motion S5M-08531: Christine Grahame, Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 31/10/2017

It is Halloween, not Trick or Treat 

That the Parliament welcomes the return of Halloween, and considers that, while pumpkins have replaced the tumshie or neep lantern with its smelly burning candle, and ready-made costumes the home-made ghoulish outfit, traditions such as dookin for aipples and guising, despite some overseas cultural invasion, continue and, with these traditions, the Scots words that we should cherish and protect.

Motion S5M-07800: Ruth Maguire, Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 20/09/2017

National Poetry Day 2017 

That the Parliament recognises that UK National Poetry Day 2017 will take place on 28 September with the theme, Freedom; understands that the awareness day was founded in 1994 by the charity, Forward Arts Foundation, whose mission is to celebrate excellence in poetry and increase its audience; believes that this annual celebration provides an excellent opportunity for everyone to enjoy, discover and share poetry; acknowledges that the day enjoys the support of the BBC and leading literary and cultural organisations, alongside booksellers, publishers, libraries and schools, including the Scottish Poetry Library and the Poetry Archive; notes that the library has selected six poems to mark the occasion, and that all three of Scotland’s languages, English, Scots and Gaelic, will be featured; notes that these include, I Opened A Book, by Julia Donaldson, an extract from John Barbour’s The Bruce, and An Tiona by Peter Mackay; welcomes the news that everyone is invited to join in, whether by organising events, displays and competitions, or simply by posting favourite lines of poetry on social media using the hashtag, #nationalpoetryday; encourages all members to get involved and promote the day across Scotland, and wishes everyone a happy National Poetry Day 2017.

Motion S5M-06592: Emma Harper, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 04/07/2017

Skoosh – Scots Hoose

That the Parliament congratulates the Scots writer and poet, Matthew Fitt, on the launch of his new website, "Skoosh – Scots Hoose", to celebrate new Scots writing by young people; understands that the website is based on Matthew’s work leading Scots language workshops in Scottish schools, with the support of Creative Scotland; notes that the website is an online educational resource committed to increasing Scots language provision in education for the purpose of closing the attainment gap and improving opportunities for many young Scots speakers, and congratulates Matthew on his continuing efforts to promote and preserve the Scots language.

Motion S5M-06494: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 29/06/2017

Sandy May Wins The Doric Award at Inspiring Aberdeenshire Awards

Motion Text:

That the Parliament congratulates Sandy May on winning The Doric Award at the Inspiring Aberdeenshire Awards in recognition of his work with the Buchan Heritage Society; understands that Inspiring Aberdeenshire is an annual awards ceremony that takes place to celebrate the outstanding achievements of young people, staff and communities across Aberdeenshire; recognises that the Buchan Heritage Society aims to keep alive the traditions of Buchan in music, song, verse, drama and dance; acknowledges the importance of the cultural heritage of the north east to the local communities and tourism industry in the region; commends Sandy on his work to safeguard the heritage of Buchan, and wishes him well in the future.

Motion S5M-03351: Emma Harper, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 11/01/2017

Celebrating Burns and the Scots Language

That the Parliament welcomes the annual celebration of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, which is held on 25 January each year to mark the Bard’s birthday; considers that Burns was one of the greatest poets and that his work has influenced thinkers across the world; notes that Burns' first published collection, Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, also known as the "Kilmarnock Edition", published in 1786, did much to popularise and champion the Scots language, and considers that this is one of his most important legacies; believes that the celebration of Burns Night is an opportunity to raise awareness of the cultural significance of Scots and its status as one of the indigenous languages of Scotland, and further believes in the importance of the writing down of the Scots language to ensure its continuation through written documentation, as well as oral tradition.

 The member has provided the following translation in Scots:

 That the Pairlament walcomes the annual celebration o Scotland’s national makar, Robert Burns, whilk is haudit oan January 25th ilka year tae mark the Bard’s birthday; conseeders that Burns waes ane o the greatest makars, an that his wark haes influenced thinkers the warld o’er; notes that Burns’ first setten furth collection, Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, kent tae as the "Kilmarnock Edition", setten furth in 1786, did muckle tae mak better kent an tae forder the Scots leid, an conseeders that this bides amang his maist important legacies; believes that the celebration o Burns Nicht is an opportunity tae heize fowk’s kennin o the cultural significance o Scots an its status as ane o the indigenous leids o Scotland, an believes forby in the importance o the scrievin doon o the Scots leid fur tae mak siccar its bidin throu scrievit documentation, as weel as oral tradeetion.

Taken in the Chamber on 25/01/2017 

You can read the Official Report of the debate here. 

You can watch the video of the debate here.