What do we know about Scots?
When
Friday 24 July 2026
13:00 - 14:00
Where
Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Festival Theatre, Port-Na-Craig Rd, Port na Craig, Pitlochry PH16 5DR
View directions on Google Maps
Format
In-person
Cost
£12
About this event
Exploring the history and diversity of the Scots language
Join for an exploration of one of Scotland’s official languages, as Professor Jennifer Smith FBA FRSE takes us through the past, present and future of Scots. Where did it come from? How was it used in the past? How is it being spoken today, and by who?
Hear how this living, evolving language is being used in everyday speech, in the creative industries, in writing, and what it might look like in the future as we move further into an increasingly AI-dependent world.
A Beer, A Bap and a Boffin
This event takes place at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, and is part of the A Beer, A Bap and A Boffin event series in collaboration with the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. All tickets will include a beer and a bap (vegetarian/vegan options and non-alcoholic options available). For tickets and further information visit online at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com or call the Box Office on 01796 484626.
Event type
Contributors
Professor Jennifer Smith
Professor of Sociolinguistics, University of GlasgowJennifer Smith (FRSE FBA) is Professor of Sociolinguistics at the University of Glasgow. Her research focusses on varieties of Scots, and how they vary and change across the generations. She has worked with communities from Ayrshire in the south to Shetland in the north, recording a range of speakers in these areas from three year old children to 90 year old great-grandmothers. She has directed a number of large-scale projects over the years, most recently The Scots Syntax Atlas, a new digital resource for the analysis of dialect diversity across Scotland.
Contact us
If you have an event enquiry, please email us on public_engagement@theRSE.org.uk.