Matthew Fitt
Matthew Fitt is a Scots poet and novelist. He was born in 1968 in Dundee, Scotland. Previously writer-in-residence at Greater Pollok in Glasgow, he is currently 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.
His best known work is But'n'Ben A-Go-Go, a cyberpunk novel in Lowland Scots. 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.[1] He has also translated several Roald Dahl novels, including The Twits (The Eejits), George's Marvellous Medicine (Geordie’s Mingin Medicine) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Chairlie and the Chocolate Works).[2]
Bibliography
- Pure Radge (1996). Kirkcaldy, Akros Publications. ISBN 0-86142-064-0
- Sairheid City (1999). Angus, Kettillonia Press. ISBN 1-902944-01-1
- Gaberlunzie Joe (Itchy Coo Series) (2002). Edinburgh, Black and White Publishing. ISBN 1-902927-57-5
- But'n'Ben A-Go-Go(2005). Dundee, Luath Press. ISBN 1-905222-04-1
- With James Robertson (2003) The Smoky Smirr O Rain: A Scots Anthology (Itchy Coo Series). Edinburgh, Black and White Publishing. ISBN 1-902927-81-8
- with James Robertson and Bob Dewar (2003) King O the Midden: Manky Mingin Rhymes in Scots (Itchy Coo Series). Edinburgh, Black and White Publishing. ISBN 1-902927-70-2
- Rennie,Susan; Fitt, Matthew; Robertson, James (2002) The Hoose O Haivers (Itchy Coo Series). Edinburgh, Black and White Publishing. ISBN 1-902927-44-3
References
- ↑ Roberts, Lesley (27 October 2013). "Comic warrior turns Scots in new adventure Asterix and the Picts". Daily Record. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
- ↑ Flood, Alison (29 September 2016). "Roald Dahl gets 'mair serious' Scots translation". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
External links
- University of Dundee explains the Itchy Coo project
- Text and commentary on Kate o Shanter's Tale, which was listed in Best Scottish Poems, 2004
- Itchy Coo – Braw Books for Bairns o Aw Ages
- - music tae "Icker in a Thrave"
- Matthew Fitt at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database