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illandancient.bsky.social

@illandancient.bsky.social
328 followers 252 following 3.8K posts

Manufacturing engineer, product configurator, corpus linguist (Scots language), amateur drainage specialist, Englishman

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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 1h
A counter-factual here is that Batman and Superman and now closer to the creation of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes than they are to the present day. In some respects these IP are contemporary to each other.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
This sort of thing
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I wrote a Substack article about my theory that the First World War killed off a disproportionate number of people from Scots-speaking regions and so had a greater effect on the Scots language than is often thought. chrisgilmour.substack.com/p/ww1-war-de...
chrisgilmour.substack.com
WW1 War deaths in Scots speaking towns
In which I go on a full on rabbit-hole quest and find a under-recognised cause of the decline of the Scots language
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
To be fair, in Scotland today we do have the Scots Language Publication Grants. Nothing to stop an imaginative publisher using the grants to deliver books to libraries on horseback.
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Dr. Nick Posegay @nposegay.northsky.social · 28/09/2026
I also saved some of the google maps images from before they did this update: bsky.app/profile/npos...
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Andy 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @a-ghalldachd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Frankly obscene that the response to this from the US (and fuckin Tony Blair) has been to just talk about real estate development. The Hague for the lot of them
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I'm pretty sure there is a paradox here. I'm not a government. But I know that at some point in the future I'm going to have an electric car. Not right now, because I can't afford it. And even if I could afford it, I would probably wait few years for the price to come down.
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David Bent @davidbent.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"As an...economic historian...I know that “anything that can be mass-produced will fall in price dramatically when it is mass produced”....And yet I forgot it." @timleunig.bsky.social on battery prices & path to Net Zero. So. Many. People. Make. This. Mistake. timleunig.substack.com/p/i-was-wrong
timleunig.substack.com
I was wrong
And what I learned from it.
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Emily Gorcenski @emily.gorcen.ski · 28/09/2026
Here’s the most incredible story you’ll read today. A small plane with four people aboard crashes in a field. Another pilot witnesses it. That pilot happens to be flying a bunch of skydivers. They offer to jump to assist, are given permission. The skydivers happen to be EMTs. Everyone survives.
wisn.com
Skydivers alert emergency crews, assist after plane crashes near East Troy airport
Four people were aboard the single-engine plane when it went down in a cornfield near Carvers School Road in East Troy at about 1:30 p.m.
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MJ Hibbett @mjhibbett.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
All of Simon's substacks are GRATE but this one is especially so - idiocy! excitement! too many Stellas! It's got the lot!
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Rose Schmits @roseschmits.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Damn turns out just saying “we’re not involved in this war” doesn’t matter when the other party sees u helping wage war on them
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I've written quite a hefty Substack article about my theory that the First World War did more damage to the Scots language than anything else. But I'm scared to publish it, because hundreds of thousands of people dying is a sensitive subject.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Aw man, I'm trying to find a comic strip I saw on the socials, maybe a month agao or two months ago. It was a colourful four-panel job about people making a club for people "like them" and then they let other people join, and eventually they got crowded out by the new people and have to leave.
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Douglas @dmgregory.ca · 25/05/2025
SMBC just did a great comic about this: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/gently Didn't expect an AI company to straight-up advertise with the pitch "get in loser, we're building the torment nexus" 😬
SMBC comic. An orange-haired character monologues:

"By God, it all happened so gently. I just wanted companionship, so I signed up for AI friends.

They were so understanding, loving, demanding nothing. They crowded out my real friends. Now I have no human companionship. And I can't go out to FIND human friends because all the other humans are just like me!

And since the AI friends are controlled by a tiny number of corporations, they can force me to watch any number of ads in order to retain access to the thin tether of sanity that remains in this world!

And they keep demanding more and more and more before they'll give me the love they once made free!

I AM NO LONGER A HUMAN BEING! I'M A CYBERNETIC COW BEING MILKED FOR CLICKS AND THERE'S NO WAY OUT! NO WAY OUT! NO WAY OUUUUUT!"

In the final panel, Mark Zuckerberg, hunched over his desk, is being shaken awake by an aide:

"Mr. Zuckerberg! Mr. Zuckerberg! Are you alright? You were asleep."

"I was having the most wonderful dream..." he says with an awed smile on his face.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I feel i should mention that i spend a small but non-trivial amount of my day, every day, washing silicon drinking straws.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Ooft! I got twelve of the buggers. Would you believe most were just lucky guesses?
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Is this an opportunity for Scottish society (or merely St Andrews) to re-adjust and take concrete steps?
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Thats a nice encapsulation of the concerns that people have when Scots teaching materials don't match the specific local accent of the region being taught.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Thats a nice encapsulation of the concerns that people have when Scots teaching materials don't match the specific local accent of the region being taught.
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Peadar Morgan @peadarmorgan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
"Current minority-language promotion often ignores the need for focusing on the full scope of demolinguistic realities. For example, the common overemphasis on teaching minority languages in isolation from the real-world risks ignoring the importance of community transmission."
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Alex Hanna @alexhanna.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Yes, because it helps you avoid being a mark and to place accountability in people making these tools. Hope that helps.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Hmm www.thenational.scot/community/su...
thenational.scot
Inside the St Andrews social hierarchy where Scots can end up at the bottom
FORMER scholarship student Sophie Rose Jenkins’s LinkedIn account of being excluded from tutorials because peers said they “couldn’t…
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Emma Yeomans @yeomans.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Hampshire police say man was arrested on suspicion of destroying ships or endangering their safety under the Aviation & Maritime Security Act 1990, criminal damage, criminal damage with intent to endanger life, & conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals under Merchant Shipping Act 1995
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Libraries South Lanarkshire @librariessl.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The Bookbug Hero Award in association with Walker Books is now in its 7th year and celebrates the fantastic work of those who use Bookbug to change the lives of the children, families and communities they work with. Find out more at www.scottishbooktrust.com/bookbug-hero...
Pictured here are some of our amazing South Lanarkshire Libraries Children's Assistants with Bookbug.
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Lupita Nihongo @otsumamiboy.blacksky.app · 22/09/2026
A tweet from Haru Nemuri over a quote tweet featuring a video of her saying Free Palestine at a concert

春ねむり HARU NEMURI (She... ♥・3h
I'm so sorry for him that he doesn't even have the freedom of speech to say "stop genocide and occupation" while being a white celebrity man
Anyway free Palestine


gato fumante
@KweenInYel...• 23h
Haru Nemuri is infinitely more courageous than Ed Sheeran.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I have written a new Substack article. Its about compiling a list of the top ten thousand Word Families in modern Scots writing. There are samples examples of words fromt he top 1,000, top 2,000 and top 10,000 chrisgilmour.substack.com/p/central-sc...
chrisgilmour.substack.com
Central Scots Word Families
In which I compile some word family usage data that might be of use to linguists
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shaun @shaunvids.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
it is incredibly fucked up that the UK government and police consider it a much worse crime to wear a t-shirt or wave a placard with 'palestine action' on it than to block ports and attack lifeboats
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The eligibility criteria for the Booker prize are quite clear. www.theguardian.com/books/2026/s...
theguardian.com
Previous winners Marlon James and Douglas Stuart shortlisted for Booker prize
The two authors are in the running for the £50,000 award alongside a Pulitzer winner, a science fiction legend, a comic writer and a debut novelist
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Cara 🏳️‍🌈 @caragaffney.com · 22/09/2026
The cuts to Scottish Literature UG courses at Edinburgh University make me furious in a way that it's really hard to put words to, especially now, when I'm trying to learn more Scots (and feeling like an imposter in ways that are too complicated for this format). www.thenational.scot/news/2656876...
thenational.scot
University of Edinburgh axe to Scots course 'only upholds English language dominance'
THE University of Edinburgh's announcement that it plans to cut seven programmes in the Celtic and Scottish Studies department has been slammed…
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Matthew Noe @noethematt.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Today in destruction of books www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Russian strikes destroy 12 million books in Ukraine ahead of new school year
Ukraine says Russia is deliberately attacking its culture, after strikes on publishers and churches.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Its unclear how America is able to control Russia attacking Ukrainian infrastructure. Are they American drones? What is sovereignty?
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I posted this over on Reddit, and there has been a lively discussion. www.reddit.com/r/Scotland/c...
reddit.com
From the Scotland community on Reddit: Why I quit St Andrews University because of anti-Scottish classism
Explore this post and more from the Scotland community
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
This is the sort of news story that supports my thesis that the Scottish education system progressively filters out Scots-speakers and people who might be suspected of being Scots speakers.
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Laura Webster @lauraewebster.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Our story looks further into accusations of anti-Scottish classism among staff and the institution itself. It comes after similar reports from Edinburgh recently and appears to be a growing problem.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
This thing is fascinating. A ship full of explosives that sank in the Thames eight years ago. It might blow up, it might not. When it does blow up, it will cause a spectacular amount of damage.
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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Just gonna light this bag of dogshit on fire and walk away from the doorstep, but the people in media I hear saying AI has made them "more productive" appear to be producing less than ever, and worse things than ever. I wonder if they can even tell.
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Hillary Monahan @hillarymonahan.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
And for clarity, this is SO UNSURPRISING. Kraft is a less interesting Batman villain. theintercept.com/2026/09/18/r...
theintercept.com
Robert Kraft Claims His Donations Help Palestinians. Turns Out He’s Funding Friends of the IDF.
An analysis of tax forms by The Intercept show Kraft’s charity and LLC have donated to Friends of the IDF and AIPAC’s super PAC.
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Lingthusiasm @lingthusiasm.com · 18/09/2026
You can read the transcript for 'How (not) to kill a language - Interview with Sophia Smith Galer' here:
lingthusiasm.com
Transcript Episode 120: How (not) to kill a language - Interview with Sophia Smith Galer
This is a transcript for Lingthusiasm episode ‘How (not) to kill a language - Interview with Sophia Smith Galer’. It’s been lightly edited for readability. Listen to the episode here or wherever you g...
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Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
my brilliant colleague @robertshrimsley.bsky.social on the threat from Elon Musk’s X platform www.ft.com/content/f270...
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Hmm. The British Council is like a government charity that promotes the English language round the world (and in the UK). Its in their charter to promote English. But not to promote Welsh, or Scottish Gaelic or Scots. Is there an equivalent organisation to promote the Scots language?
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Its an interesting point about standardised Scots being a threat to dialectical variation. Possibly the sort of thing a university PhD student could get research funding for. I don't think it is a threat.
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Pavel Iosad @anghyflawn.net · 17/09/2026
Among the degrees that have been cut at Edinburgh are Persian Studies (and Persian and Middle Eastern Studies), and Africa and International Development. If only there was any need for specialists in any of these areas in the current state of affairs.
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Albert Kirk Jr @albertkirkjr.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Here an auld poyum o mines A writ a puckle year syne. A votit Aye on 18 Sept 2014, A'd vote Aye the day, an A'll vote Aye at the neist yin. Tap O The "Tae Dae" List by Albert Kirk Jr
First half of the poem TAP O THE TAE DAE LIST by Albert Kirk Jr. The second half is in the next image. 

Afore ye gang tae bed at nicht
Content tae thole a deein licht,
Tae gie yersel a mornin bricht
Ye first maun cowp the Union.

Tae tak a braith o caller air
An mak it feel like wizzen fair,
Tae redd yersel o trauchles sair
Ye first maun cowp the Union.
Tae deek a bodie in the ee
Whan owerleukin historie,
Tae awn the lippent guilty plea 
Ye first maun cowp the Union.

For Scots tae forder on wur ain,
The Welsh tae find thir vyces fain,
For England tae feel prood agane,
We hae tae cowp the Union.
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Aileen McHarg @aileenmcharg.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The sort of thing that ought to be of concern to the Scottish Government.
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Jamie Smart @jamiesmart.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Ok here’s the deal. A brilliant production company have made a documentary about OINK!, the much loved uk children’s comic from the 80s. They’ve interviewed so many of the talents involved (and also I’m in there as a fanboy), but they need a bit more funding 🐽🐽🐽 www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/jWrOL2wn
crowdfunder.co.uk
Oink: Piggs, Puns & Plops - Short Documentary
Raising finishing and screening funds for a short documentary that looks at the origins, influence & legacy of a revered cult British comic.
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Good old Manchester. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The incredible Manchester moment that led to countless lives being saved
Manchester's part in the RNLI which is 200 years old this year
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illandancient.bsky.social @illandancient.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Its hard to decide which RNLI t-shirt is best. This one has a great image on it, an RNLI lifeboat in rough seas. shop.rnli.org/products/rnl...
shop.rnli.org
RNLI In All Weathers Unisex T-shirt, Charcoal
Be part of the RNLI’s one crew of lifesavers with this trendy T-shirt, made of soft and breathable cotton.
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+972 Magazine @972mag.com · 17/09/2026
In the span of a week, Israeli bulldozers demolished Al-Taban and northern Fakhit, two neighboring Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta. When residents helped each other stay on the land, soldiers came to make arrests. By Basel Adra & Oren Ziv www.972mag.com/al-taban-fak...
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Ruth Watson @ruthwatson.eurosky.social · 17/09/2026
Israel is an apartheid state.
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