Citation:
Date Presented:
February 7, 2013Abstract:
A tenuous history of linguistic stratification and oppression has complicated language policy in Scotland, and only in the past few years has there been any political support of linguistic legitimation. This has been spearheaded by the Scottish National Party, a party in the majority in the devolved Scottish Parliament, whose most controversial policy is a referendum for independence in 2014. With the hegemonic power of Southern English and American accents in the media, Scottish accents and language have been largely absent from local media in the past. However in this political milieu of secession from the UK, the past few years have seen a resurgence of Scottish language, most notably in the Glasgow music scene. Where once this language pigeon-holed artists as parochial and frivolous, now it is seen as a necessary part of a Scottish act. This thesis analyzes this musical community and their identifications in order to better understand the local linguistic shifts. What ties this community together is 1. Glasgow as their chosen home 2. Their use and support of sung Scottish and 3. Their aesthetic interests, or, taste. Examining these co-occurring interests and identifications allows for a rich insight into Scottish youth and their conflicting associations with nationalism and cosmopolitanism. In this complex web of alignment and authenticity, language becomes central to making meaning in a moment so uncertain in the trajectory of a Scottish nation.