THERE are three native languages spoken in Scotland - English, Scottish Gaelic and Scots.

English still reigns supreme, although there are those who rue a perceived decline in standards. Gaelic, meanwhile, is the subject of a vigorous education drive and promulgated through a vibrant cultural scene. Scots can perhaps be described as the poor relation of the three, certainly in terms of the attention it receives. Far too many Scots have painful memories of the language being dinned out of them at school, dismissed as slang.

Nevertheless, it is a distinctive part of our culture and heritage. Creative Scotland's new policy underlining the organisation's commitment to the language through its own work, and the work that it funds across the arts, is therefore to be welcomed.

A key element of that policy is the creation of the role of Scots Scriever, which will entail a two-year residency at the National Library of Scotland. He or she will be tasked with producing original creative work in Scots, its variants and dialects - which include Doric and Lallans - and raising awareness and use of the language.

The Herald, of course, carries a popular column exploring the language, Scots Word of the Week; last Saturday's was a beezer. We are happy to give this initiative our backing. In short, we think it braw.