Rabbie Burns

Document in Progress

From: Tom McRae
> Happy Robbie Burns Day, Haggis MacHaggis!

Many thanks and the same to you. Must point out however that 'Robbie; is rarely used in Scotland to refer to our national bard. Rabbie is the name generally used among native Scots although some Anglicised school teachers did try and promote the Robbie that springs from similar anglicisation. (Such pseudo gentil fools also tried forcing us to refer to pig meat as 'pawrk'.The 'oh' sound being too common Scottish for them.) On the scottalk list last week I took this up with a chap from Ontario who also used the Robbie, it's significant that none of the Scots involved contradicted my statement.

In my own experience of growing up and living in Edinburgh I never heard Robbie used once.

Bobbie, of course, is right out! The Rev James Curry used to recount how he went to North Carolina on a pulpit exchange and was asked to preach a sermon on Bobbie Burns. 'Aye' says he 'And the next Sunday I'll dae another oan Jack the Baptist' :-)

Curry was an interesting man and a brilliant humourist, deeply involved with Rangers soccer team. He claimed his wife said to him one day 'I think you prefer the Rangers to me.' to which Curry claims he replied 'Ah prefer the Celtic tae you.' He was joking of course.

Well...as the old lady said when she saw the grandfather clock fall on the perambulator...'Time is on the wain'.

Included here, with the kind permission of Tom McRae

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