But'n'Ben A-Go-Go
Encyclopedia
But n Ben A-Go-Go is a science fiction
work by Scots writer Matthew Fitt
, notable for being entirely in the Scots language
. The novel was first published in 2000.
According to the author, as many of the different varieties of Scots
as possible were used, including many neologisms - imagining how Scots might develop by 2090. The lack of a glossary might be seen as a barrier, but the most of the words should be accessible to most Scottish readers. The reviewer Stephen Naysmith describes the dialect
used in the book as "a hybrid of Lallans
, peppered with words from Dundee
, Aberdeen
and elsewhere". However, even for some persons born in Scotland and familiar with Scots, the book is difficult to read and borrows liberally from the grammar of German and Dutch for many of the words.
has caused sea level to rise considerably. The Highlands of Scotland are the only unsubmerged part of Britain
- the Highlands now being known as the Drylands. Damage to the ozone layer has resulted in much higher levels of UV light and so sunburn and skin cancer are serious issues - most people do not venture outside unless entirely necessary, and carry high factor suncream and anti-cancer kits. Most of the world's population were wiped out in "God's flood"; the survivors live in collections of floating oil-platform
-like city structures, known as parishes. The story takes place around the seas and drylands that were once Scotland - initially Port, a collection of parishes (named after towns around Scotland) attached to what was once Greenock
by underwater cables.
The Population of Port are watched constantly by a totalitarian government; there are class divides in the parishes (there is an underclass of Danish refugees living in many of the lower levels); the climate of Earth is now inhospitable. In addition to these problems, Senga, a new strain of HIV
infects much of the population. There is no cure, and the entire population is infected with the Mowdy virus (similar to HIV) and are dependent on government issued medication to suppress Senga. Senga also becomes active if individuals engage in sex - reproduction is performed using laboratory techniques, and only virtual sex is possible.
Anyone who develops Senga is put into isolation for the virus to run its course - these people are kistit - entombed in capsules in huge hospitals. Victim's thoughts are visualised by thoctscreens on each kist.
"Fitt creates a prose that crackles with energy and invention…. But n Ben A-Go-Go shows us that the Scots language
can describe worlds as various and exotic as the imaginations of those who use it."
Niall O'Gallagher, The List, 100 Best Scottish Books of all Time, 2005
"The plot has much of the imaginative power of Iain M Banks."
Douglas Gifford, The Scotsman
, November 2000
"While But n Ben A-Go-Go does have comic moments, the novel is far from a joke... confronting relevant issues such as global warming, epidemics, and social division."
Stephen Naysmith, Sunday Herald
, August 2000
"Matthew Fitt has nearly accomplished something splendid: a novel composed in tough, readable Scots; more, a science fiction novel which projects this perennially 'dying' language into a future it is not supposed to possess."
WN Herbert, Scotland on Sunday
, October 2000
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
work by Scots writer Matthew Fitt
Matthew Fitt
Matthew Fitt is a Lowland Scots/Lallans 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....
, notable for being entirely in the Scots language
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
. The novel was first published in 2000.
According to the author, as many of the different varieties of Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
as possible were used, including many neologisms - imagining how Scots might develop by 2090. The lack of a glossary might be seen as a barrier, but the most of the words should be accessible to most Scottish readers. The reviewer Stephen Naysmith describes the dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
used in the book as "a hybrid of Lallans
Lallans
Lallans , a variant of the Modern Scots word lawlands meaning the lowlands of Scotland, was also traditionally used to refer to the Scots language as a whole...
, peppered with words from Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
and elsewhere". However, even for some persons born in Scotland and familiar with Scots, the book is difficult to read and borrows liberally from the grammar of German and Dutch for many of the words.
Plot
Set in the year 2090, the book depicts a future world where global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
has caused sea level to rise considerably. The Highlands of Scotland are the only unsubmerged part of Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
- the Highlands now being known as the Drylands. Damage to the ozone layer has resulted in much higher levels of UV light and so sunburn and skin cancer are serious issues - most people do not venture outside unless entirely necessary, and carry high factor suncream and anti-cancer kits. Most of the world's population were wiped out in "God's flood"; the survivors live in collections of floating oil-platform
Oil platform
An oil platform, also referred to as an offshore platform or, somewhat incorrectly, oil rig, is a lаrge structure with facilities to drill wells, to extract and process oil and natural gas, and to temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for refining and marketing...
-like city structures, known as parishes. The story takes place around the seas and drylands that were once Scotland - initially Port, a collection of parishes (named after towns around Scotland) attached to what was once Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
by underwater cables.
The Population of Port are watched constantly by a totalitarian government; there are class divides in the parishes (there is an underclass of Danish refugees living in many of the lower levels); the climate of Earth is now inhospitable. In addition to these problems, Senga, a new strain of HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
infects much of the population. There is no cure, and the entire population is infected with the Mowdy virus (similar to HIV) and are dependent on government issued medication to suppress Senga. Senga also becomes active if individuals engage in sex - reproduction is performed using laboratory techniques, and only virtual sex is possible.
Anyone who develops Senga is put into isolation for the virus to run its course - these people are kistit - entombed in capsules in huge hospitals. Victim's thoughts are visualised by thoctscreens on each kist.
Critical reception
The book has received a fair amount of attention, as much for its inventive use of Scots as for its plot. The following illustrate:"Fitt creates a prose that crackles with energy and invention…. But n Ben A-Go-Go shows us that the Scots language
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
can describe worlds as various and exotic as the imaginations of those who use it."
Niall O'Gallagher, The List, 100 Best Scottish Books of all Time, 2005
"The plot has much of the imaginative power of Iain M Banks."
Douglas Gifford, The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
, November 2000
"While But n Ben A-Go-Go does have comic moments, the novel is far from a joke... confronting relevant issues such as global warming, epidemics, and social division."
Stephen Naysmith, Sunday Herald
Sunday Herald
The Sunday Herald is a Scottish Sunday newspaper launched on 7 February 1999. The ABC audited circulation in April 2011 showed sales of 31,123.From the start it has combined a centre-left stance with support for Scottish devolution...
, August 2000
"Matthew Fitt has nearly accomplished something splendid: a novel composed in tough, readable Scots; more, a science fiction novel which projects this perennially 'dying' language into a future it is not supposed to possess."
WN Herbert, Scotland on Sunday
Scotland on Sunday
Scotland on Sunday is a Scottish Sunday newspaper, published in Edinburgh by The Scotsman Publications Ltd and consequently assuming the role of Sunday sister to its daily stablemate The Scotsman...
, October 2000
Other settlements
- Other floating settlements like Port are mentioned: Europort and Berlinhaven are mentioned directly; there are references to habitation in South America and "New Appalachia" in North America.