Alistair Heather is a journalist and broadcaster who writes in, and often about, Scots. He grew up speaking Scots in Angus, and had a primary school teacher who was passionate about teaching and preserving the language.

But even for Alistair, it took someone pointing out to him when he lived overseas that he spoke Scots and asking about the grammar of the language to bring the point home that this was a language worth living in. Since moving back to Scotland, he has built a reputation as a respected commentator on the subject, working with Aberdeen University on Scots. He wrote and presented Rebel Tongue, a BBC Documentary about Scots earlier this year.

What advice does he have for someone visiting Scotland who wants to know more about the Scots language?

Ask people about their language, about their words. Get a conversation going about what dreich, scunnered, braw, glaikit, sleekit and sitooterie mean. Buy some books in Scots, either native or in translation. See a play in Scots.

You can read more about the subject in the FarNorth essay on the subject. You can also still catch Rebel Tongue on the BBC. You can keep up with Alistair Heather on Twitter.