Len Pennie
Len Pennie | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1999 Lanarkshire[1] |
| Occupation | Poet, student |
| Language | Scots |
| Nationality | Scotland |
| Education | University of St Andrews |
| Notable works | I'm no havin children |
| Notable awards | B |
| Website | |
| Twitter feed | |
Len Pennie is a Scottish poet and Scots language and mental health advocate.[2] She became known on social media in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland for her "Scots word of the day" and poem (poyum) videos[3] and her Twitter account Miss PunnyPennie has over 100,000 followers worldwide. [4][5]
Poetry
Pennie competed in Scots poetry recital competitions while she was at school.[6] When she was furloughed from her work in a restaurant in Dundee during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Scotland, she began posting a video about a Scots word each day on Twitter[6] to show the pronunciation and meaning of the word and how to use it in a phrase.[5]
Her poems include I'm no havin children, contrasting the English "children" with the Scots "weans",[3] which went viral in October 2020.[6] Following the popularity of her posts, she received online abuse, including misogyny[4] and attacks on the status of Scots as a language,[6] and criticism, including from George Galloway, for what critics perceived as a "faux identity" or supporting Scottish nationalism. However, Pennie also received support from well-known figures including actor Michael Sheen,[7] comedian and campaigner Janey Godley,[8] author Neil Gaiman,[4][9] writer Billy Kay,[6] food writer Nigella Lawson, TV presenter Greg James,[5] and playwright David Greig.[10] Godley said "People keep sending me videos of a young lassie (Miss Punny Pennie) who is explaining what Scots word me. Beautiful poetry is coming out of her month [sic] and her language is just spectacular."[11]
Pennie was one of five poets commissioned to write a poem for a Christmas campaign by Lidl about the Daft Days.[12] Her recitation of Robert Burns' Rantin’ Rovin’ Robin was shared by the Scottish Poetry Library[13] and she performed to over 1,200 people for St Andrew's University's online Global Burns Night[14] and at the National Trust for Scotland's Big Burns Night in January 2021.[15] In February 2021, she was commissioned by the campaign group Witches of Scotland to write and perform a poem for their film In Memorial, to honour those, mainly women, who were persecuted under the Witchcraft Acts.[16] In March 2021 she was named poet laureate of the St. Andrew's Society of Los Angeles[17] and in April 2021 she was shortlisted for Young Scotswoman of the Year by Glasgow Times.[2] She is a judge for a BBC Radio Scotland young writers competition on climate change.[18][19] She has written for TES on the importance of Scots in the classroom.[20]
Personal life and education
Pennie is a final-year undergraduate student of Spanish at the University of St Andrews and works as a chef.[21] She grew up in Airdrie[6][1] in a household speaking Scots with her parents, grandparents, and siblings. Her mother is a teacher.[6]
References
- ^ a b McMillan, Joyce (6 May 2021). "The Scotsman Sessions #232: Len Pennie". The Scotsman.
- ^ a b Fotheringham, Ann (28 April 2021). "Talented trio to light up Scotswoman of the Year as event goes digital for first time". Glasgow Times.
- ^ a b Florent, Hugo (25 January 2021). "La personne à suivre. Len Pennie, la poétesse qui défend la langue écossaise". Courrier International.
- ^ a b c Mackie, Rachel (8 January 2021). "'You think your attacks don't hurt me, but they do' Scottish poet speaks out about being the victim of relentless online abuse". The Scotsman.
- ^ a b c Hay, Katharine (10 February 2021). "You're Dead To Me host Greg Jenner and Nigella Lawson big fans of Scots poet". The Scotsman.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hay, Katharine (24 October 2020). "'They went absolutely mad for it' – Scottish poet overwhelmed by online response to her latest Scots poem". The Scotsman.
- ^ Allen-Mills, Tony (17 January 2021). "Scots poet Pennie is in heaven after actor Michael Sheen voices his support". Sunday Times.
- ^ Ferguson, Brian (12 January 2021). "Janey Godley records video message of support for Scots language campaigners abused on social media". The Scotsman.
- ^ Mackie, Rachel (30 December 2020). "Author Neil Gaiman joins support of Scottish warrior poet after she receives torrent of internet abuse". The Scotsman.
- ^ Hay, Katharine (18 December 2020). "'It's embarrassing to witness' – Top Scottish playwright condemns trolls for 'misogynistic' comments towards Scots poet". The Scotsman.
- ^ Ferguson, Brian (24 October 2020). "Comedy star Janey Godley named 'Scots Speaker of the Year'". The Scotsman.
- ^ Erskine, Rosalind (2 December 2020). "Fife poet part of Lidl's 'daft days of Christmas' campaign". Fife Today.
- ^ "Burns Week". Scottish Poetry Library. 28 January 2021.
- ^ Brooks, Libby (24 January 2021). "Burns Night goes virtual: 'It might be even bigger this year'". The Guardian.
- ^ "Edith Bowman to host Burns Big Night In from Bard's cottage". Press Association. 11 January 2021 – via The Gazette.
- ^ Ferguson, Brian (7 February 2021). "Watch: Scottish 'warrior poet' pays tribute to thousands of women persecuted for witchcraft as campaign steps up". The Scotsman.
- ^ Jackson, Lorne (21 March 2021). "So is this the top Jock in Hollywood?". The Herald.
- ^ Gilmour, Lauren (16 April 2021). "New BBC competition on climate for young writers". Glasgow Times.
- ^ "Meet the judges". Climate Tales. BBC Radio Scotland.
- ^ Pennie, Len (30 October 2020). "4 top tips for using Scots language in the classroom". Tes. Tes Global Ltd. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Len Pennie – Internet poet and Twitter sensation, talks to TRE's Giles Brown". Talk Radio Europe. 23 December 2020.
External links
- Miss PunnyPennie on Twitter
- Latto, Ryan (25 January 2021). "Talking Scots (Burns Night Special 2021)". Unearthed Podcast.