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| Paxman slammed over Burns comment | Paxman slammed over Burns comment |
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| Television presenter Jeremy Paxman has been criticised for calling the work of Robert Burns "sentimental doggerel". | Television presenter Jeremy Paxman has been criticised for calling the work of Robert Burns "sentimental doggerel". |
| He made his comments in the introduction to the new edition of the Chambers Dictionary, which will be available from 22 August. | He made his comments in the introduction to the new edition of the Chambers Dictionary, which will be available from 22 August. |
| Dr Gerard Carruthers, an expert on the bard's works, accused the presenter of ignorance about Burns' work. | Dr Gerard Carruthers, an expert on the bard's works, accused the presenter of ignorance about Burns' work. |
| The Glasgow University academic said the poet was a great social satirist and Mr Paxman could learn from him. | The Glasgow University academic said the poet was a great social satirist and Mr Paxman could learn from him. |
| "He could learn a lot from Burns because he was a great social satirist. He's got tonnes of skills that Paxman could only dream of in terms of interrogating humanity," he said. I think we are strong enough as a nation to take it on the chin Mary O'NeillChambers Dictionary editor | "He could learn a lot from Burns because he was a great social satirist. He's got tonnes of skills that Paxman could only dream of in terms of interrogating humanity," he said. I think we are strong enough as a nation to take it on the chin Mary O'NeillChambers Dictionary editor |
| In the dictionary, Mr Paxman writes: "Although I am afraid I find the Scottish national poet no more than a king of sentimental doggerel, one might as well have used his ramfeezled to describe our state." | In the dictionary, Mr Paxman writes: "Although I am afraid I find the Scottish national poet no more than a king of sentimental doggerel, one might as well have used his ramfeezled to describe our state." |
| The Chambers Dictionary entry for doggerel is "badly written poetry". Ramfeezled means tired or exhausted. | The Chambers Dictionary entry for doggerel is "badly written poetry". Ramfeezled means tired or exhausted. |
| Scottish editor-in-chief of the dictionary, Mary O'Neill, defended the inclusion of Paxman's comments and said they were not an attack on Scotland. | Scottish editor-in-chief of the dictionary, Mary O'Neill, defended the inclusion of Paxman's comments and said they were not an attack on Scotland. |
| "We all know he likes to poke fun at Scotland so we allowed the foreward to stand - it's not our place to censor him," she told BBC Scotland. | |
| "I think we are strong enough as a nation to take it on the chin." | "I think we are strong enough as a nation to take it on the chin." |
| The Newsnight presenter, and author, has drawn criticism in the past over his comments about Scots. | The Newsnight presenter, and author, has drawn criticism in the past over his comments about Scots. |
| A total of 20 MPs signed a Commons motion condemning the journalist for comparing the dominance of Scots at Westminster to British rule in India. | A total of 20 MPs signed a Commons motion condemning the journalist for comparing the dominance of Scots at Westminster to British rule in India. |