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The Poems & Songs of Robert Burns (HarperCollinsAudioBooks)

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Many years ago, a friend with grandparents from Scotland gave me this book as a high school graduation gift. The poems of Robert Burns, the best loved of Scotland's poets, are written in the Scots dialect, which differs significantly from Standard English. My friend's grandmother once made the observation that many of the words unique to the Scots dialect strongly resembled their German counterparts. At the time I doubted her analysis, imagining that the different Scots vocabulary was due to the influence of Scottish Gaelic. After having studied a number of ancient Germanic languages many years later, however, I came to realize that my friend's grandmother was essentially correct. A study of the Scots dialect reveals more words from Old English and Old Norse (both ancient Germanic languages) than found in Standard American or British English, while the contribution of Gaelic is insignificant. Indeed in the Scots expression "it gar me greet" (it makes me cry) both "gar" and "greet" are of Old Norse origin. The Norse word "gera" corresponds to "make" and "grata" to "cry or weep" as can be confirmed by reference to the glossary of the Old Norse textbook An Introduction to Old Norse, the modern Icelandic dictionary Ensk- Islenzk Ordabok/English-Icelandic Dictionary, or equivalent online dictionaries. Nevertheless, the Lowland Scots dialect is not so different from American English as to present a challenge to the literate reader. The version of this book that I own (of the same exact title as this edition) is complete with a glossary to define dialect words unfamiliar to the general reader. I hope that this edition also has this useful glossary.

Many poems familiar to the reader can be found in the volume. "Auld Lang Syne" and "Comin' Thro' The Rye" are among the best known. Of particular note are the poems "The Cotter's Saturday Night," a celebration of the common Scottish people and "Tam O'Shanter," a story of a man who happens upon cavorting witches, one of whom is appealingly clad in a "Cutty Sark" (short shirt or chemise like undergarment, or nightgown).

One of the accomplishments of Burns was to compose words for traditional songs or "Airs" that prevented these melodies from being completely forgotten. Burns is also known to have composed a number of songs too bawdy to be widely circulated. My friend's family had apparently known of handwritten copies of such poems that had been hidden away in desk drawers back in Scotland. It was also recalled that decent women got off the street when Burns was in town! Such poems are not included in this volume, at least not in their entirety. To find such poems the interested reader need only consult the web. Joe Covenant's very accessible website includes a few of these poems complete with a glossary. I was particularly amused by the poem entitled "Wa'd Ye Dae That?" (Would You Do That?).

and you can easily use search to find the items you want, be them beasties, haggis, or other.

The essential book on Scotlands most famous and favouritre son in large and easy to read print.

I was told to get a book of poems, I just happened to pick this one, not into poems they are boring. My neuro doc to get one and read them aloud, I still have not finished reading this book ugh!!