In Orkney in July participants at the conference of the Forum for the Languages of Scotland and Ulster heard a fascinating paper from Professor Michael Barnes on the history of the study of the Norn language in Orkney and Shetland. SLC is now delighted to be able to make Prof Barnes' paper accessible to a wider audience. The paper not only gives an account of the study of Norn but considers the relationship between it and Scots, the language which replaced it after the islands came under Scottish control in the 15th century.

Michael Barnes is Professor Emeritus of Scandinavian Studies at University College London.