Bill Wilson MSP

Dr Bill Wilson, SNP MSP for the West of Scotland, today announced that he had written to Linda Fabiani, the Scottish Government Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, asking her to inform all of Scotland’s Registrars that they are obliged to conduct wedding ceremonies in Scots, should couples request this.

Dr Wilson’s letter to Ms Fabiani was in response to concerns expressed by Colin Wilson (no relation), the author of the ‘Luath Scots Language Learner’.

Mr Wilson and his fiancée, Fiona Henderson, apparently found the Chief Registrar for Aberdeen, Dennis Stuart, reluctant to agree to them having their marriage ceremony conducted in Doric, a dialect of Scots widely spoken in the north-east of Scotland.  Mr Stuart at one point reportedly made an offensive comparison between a wedding in Scots and one in which people wore pixie costumes or dressed as Disney characters.

Mr Wilson and his fiancée were compelled to find a registrar outwith the city, in Aberdeenshire, in order to make their vows in their mother tongue.

Dr Wilson commented, “As Mr Wilson points out, the UK ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) many years ago.  Signatories are obliged to eliminate any unjustified distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference relating to the use of a regional or minority language.

“My reading of the ECRML is that people have a right to marry in the regional or minority language of their choice.  I thought I should write to the Minister and request that she makes sure that no other Scots-speaking couples should have to experience the insulting treatment received by Mr Wilson and Ms Henderson.”

Dr Wilson concluded by saying, “I believe that many more people would request a wedding ceremony in Scots if they knew that this was their right.  I hope Mr Wilson and Ms Henderson’s unfortunate experience will help raise awareness of this fact.”

Notes to Editors

1.  Colin Wilson’s wedding

2.  Mr Colin Wilson’s letter to the Registrar General: Page 1 Page 2

3.  Another of Dr Wilson’s recent releases on the Scots language
SCOTS LANGUAGE SURVEY REVEALS MULTIPLE BENEFITS OF SCOTS IN CLASSROOM.