Oor Vyce are encouragin fowk tae respond tae the upcoming Scots Language Board (image – Oor Vyce)

A group o Scots Language campaigners are urging the Scottish Government to launch a Scots Language Board as pairt o their impending Scottish Languages Bill.

The call fur ess board is coming fae Oor Vyce, who are arguing that the Scottish Government should emulate policy areas which are already in place aroon the Gaelic language.

They argue that ess wid be achieved bi creatin an organisation tasked wi the protection an promotion o the Scots Language in the public sphere.

Scots Language policy is currently assigned tae the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. Oor Vyce maintaining that a language board made up o experts an stakeholders wid be better situated tae employ a nationwide strategic approach tae Scots, whilst protectin it fae changing political circumstances.

The 2011 census found that there are 1.5 million Scots spikkers in Scotland, wi several dialects including Doric, Galloway Irish, Glasweigian, Orcadian an Shetland being spoken.

In a motion at their 2019 party conference, the SNP pledged tae create a Scots Language Board as een o its policies, wi this being carried oot as pairt o the Scots Language Bill.

The Bill will also reform Gaelic policy an is open tae public consultation on the Scottish Government’s website afore it closes on 17th November.

Jack Capener, Oor Vyce’s founder and Political Officer, said: “It’s fantastic that the Scottish Government is consulting on the Scottish Languages Bill. This is the culmination of years of campaigning by Scots activists and sympathetic MSPs, and reflects the renaissance that the language is currently undergoing.”

“Now we need to ensure that this Bill doesn’t just tinker around the edges. Scots needs a national strategy to bring the existing bodies under one umbrella and push for a common vision.”

“Only a Scots Language Board can bring Scots from an afterthought on the fringes of ministerial briefs to the central task of an accountable group of experts.”

“Scots isn’t just an important part of our heritage and history, but fundamental to the everyday lives of so many Scottish people.”

“Protecting and promoting it is about respecting Scots speakers’ human right to have their language reflected and represented in the world around them.”

“Oor Vyce is asking the public to visit our website to copy and paste our stock responses for use in the consultation form.”

“By adding all our voices together, we can show the Scottish Government that there’s an overwhelming appetite for a Scots Language Board.”