Matthew Fitt (born 1968) is a Scots poet and novelist. He was writer-in-residence at Greater Pollok in Glasgow, then National Scots Language Development Officer. He has translated several literary works into Scots.

Early life

Fitt was born in 1968 in Dundee, Scotland. His mother was a journalist, working for publications such as Mandy. His great-grandfather William Beharrie was a novelist who wrote in Scots.

In his final year of school, his teachers showed him the works of Robert Burns and Hugh MacDiarmid. After he graduated from university, he became a teacher but continued to write.[1]

Literary career

He was writer-in-residence at Greater Pollok in Glasgow, later National Scots Language Development Officer.

In 2002, together with James Robertson and Susan Rennie, he co-founded Itchy Coo, a publishing imprint and educational project to reintroduce schoolchildren to the Scots tongue.[2][3][4]

His best known work and debut novel is But'n'Ben A-Go-Go, a cyberpunk novel in Lowland Scots.[1] Earlier works included The Hoose O Haivers, a loose retelling of the Metamorphoses of Ovid in Scots and The Smoky Smirr O Rain, a Scots anthology.

He wrote the lyrics to Icker in a Thrave, the 2007 Scots entry for the Liet-Lavlut song contest for minority languages in Europe. The tune was written by Simon Thoumire, and the song was performed by Mairi Campbell (singing), Kevin Mackenzie (guitar), Clare McLaughlin (fiddle), and Simon Thoumire (concertina).

Fitt has translated several Asterix books into Scots. The first was Asterix and the Picts (Asterix and the Pechts), published in 2013.[5] He has also translated several Roald Dahl novels, including The Twits (The Eejits),[6] George's Marvellous Medicine (Geordie’s Mingin Medicine) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Chairlie and the Chocolate Works),[7] and, in 2018, J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stane.[8]

In May 2020, he was awarded the Scottish Book Trust's outstanding contribution to children's books award.[9]

In December 2021, he became the cofounder and editor of Scots-language magazine Eemis Stane.[10]

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ a b Geddes, Dawn (27 October 2020). "Bringing Scots Back To Schools". The Scots Magazine. DC Thomson Media. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Whit is Itchy Coo?". Itchy Coo (original website). Archived from the original on 14 October 2002.
  3. ^ "Mindin' the mither tongue". The Scotsman. 17 August 2002.
  4. ^ "Scots language for schools". Contact Magazine. October 2002.
  5. ^ Roberts, Lesley (27 October 2013). "Comic warrior turns Scots in new adventure Asterix and the Picts". Daily Record. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Speak up from the heart, and don't feel like an eejit". The Herald. Glasgow. 18 September 2006. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  7. ^ Flood, Alison (29 September 2016). "Roald Dahl gets 'mair serious' Scots translation". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  8. ^ Kean, Danuta (29 June 2017). "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone finally arrives in Scots translation". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  9. ^ Crichton, Emma (4 May 2020). "Dundee author honoured with national award". The Courier. Dundee. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  10. ^ Meighan, Craig (24 December 2021). "The new magazine giving Scots an outlet to write in their own language". The National. Herald and Times Group. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 27 December 2021.

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