Weaving Words

Liz Lochhead’s poem “Kidspoem, Bairnsang” has been described as bilingual.

What do you think the term bilingual means?

The next slide has links to video clips where the poet performs this poem and explains

why she calls it bilingual.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2PfrDrAIR0

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/liz-lochhead-kidspoem-bairnsang-poem-only/6503.html

This link will take you to BBC Class Clips for a short video of Liz Lochhead performing “Kidspoem, Bairnsang”.

This link will take you to Youtube and a video of Liz Lochhead explaining why and how she wrote “Kidspoem, Bairnsang”

1.What do you notice about the language of the poem?

• Why do you think it is written this way?

• Have you ever felt like the child in the poem?

Sometimes we use different types of English or even different languages depending on where we are, who

we are talking to and what we are doing!

Do you always talk and think in the same way?What kinds of words do you use with friends?Are they the same words you would use with the Head Teacher of your school?

In your trio, copy and complete this table. Write in the different types of English/different languages you might use in each situation.

Home School Friends Visiting Family

Thinking

Do you know this nursery rhyme?

Katie Bairdie had a cooBlack and white aboot the moo

Wisna that a bonnie coo?Dance, Katie Bairdie!

This rhyme has some Scots words - can you find them?

Now try to write a new verse for Katie Bairdie. You can use bilingual Scots-English or English-Scots word

lists to help you.

If you’re stuck, here’s a first line you might like to try!

Katie Bairdie had a dug...

Do you think you could try to write a verse using some Gaelic words?

Here are a few to help you.

Ask your teacher to help you say them out loud.

http://www.storlann.co.uk/ceumannan/leabhar1/faclair-mor/index.htmlThis link will take you to a Gaelic talking dictionary produced by Storlann.

mor big

beag small

reamhar fat

caol thin

donn brown

dubh black

glas grey

gorm blue

ceann head

cluas(an) ear(s)

sron nose

beul mouth

suilean eyes

cat cat

cu dog

bo cow

muc pig

uan lamb

caora sheep

luchag mouse

Can your class try to make a fourth verse for Katie Bairdie in another language?

If you put it all together, you’ve created a multilingual poem!

Who could you perform it to?