George Orwell's Animal Farm to be published in Scots for first time by publisher Luath Press

George Orwell’s award winning novel Animal Farm is to be published in Scots for the first time.

The book, originally published in 1945, is one of nine titles to be translated in a push to support the Scots language.

Funding for the project has come from the Scots Language Publication Grant, which is designed to support the translation of published works and new authors.

Orwell wrote his most famous work, 1984, while living on a farmhouse on the Island of Jura in the Inner Hebrides.

Publisher Luath Press, who previously translated the novel into Gaelic, said: “We are very confident that Thomas Clark will create a superb rendering of the book in Scots, and that Orwell himself would have approved given his comments on Scottish linguistic culture.”

Education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The Scottish Government is pleased to continue its support of the Scots Publication Grant for a fourth year.

“There is a huge appetite for books in Scots and we have seen how this funding supports a range of exceptional Scots talent, in a variety of genres, and clearly demonstrates Scots is thriving.

“My congratulations to those who have been successful this year.”

The following titles will also be published in Scots:

Birds and Beasties: Scots Poems For Bairns by J.K. Annand.
Cedric The Flapper Skate by Jackie Ross.
Da Hametrowe Almanac volume 1 by Roseanne Watt.
Liberties by Peter Bennett.
Mum And William Wordsworth by Julie Kennedy.
Sangs That Sing Sae Sweit (50 Years o Lallans Poetry) by Scots Language Society.
The Ballads And Songs Of Carrick, published by the Girvan Traditional Folk Festival, original author Rev Roderick Lawson.
The King O’ The Cats, self-published, written and illustrated by Paul Tonner.