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SLG
Born Again..........and still Scottish!
Joined: 16 Sep 2005
Posts: 5515
Location: Dùn Eideann
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 Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject: INVERNESS COUNCILLORS 'STALINIST IN GAELIC IDEAS' |
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| Quote: | INVERNESS COUNCILLORS 'STALINIST IN GAELIC IDEAS'
Councillors in Inverness who show a "deep-rooted antagonism" and
a "Stalinist" attitude to the Gaelic language should be brought to
heel according to councillors at yesterday's Gaelic select committee.
Councillor Jimmy MacDonald said that it appeared to be very difficult
to get through to some councillors, especially in Inverness, that
support for Gaelic including the roll-out of Gaelic signage is
council policy.
He said: "It is unfortunate that I find myself time and time again
defending the council's Gaelic policy against the attacks of
Inverness councillors. They claim that it is a choice between Gaelic
road signs or repairing potholes in the road.
"They take a Stalinist approach. I get discouraged by members who are
continually working away at the edges and breaking bits off in an
attempt to damage Gaelic."
Committee chairman Hamish Fraser suggested that an information
leaflet be produced detailing the value of Gaelic to the Highlands
and Islands.
He said: "We have our own language here in the Highlands and it sets
us apart from the rest of the world. We should use it to boost the
social and economic development of the area. The Sleat area of Skye
would be a pretty dead part of the world, if it were not for Gaelic."
But councillor Roddy Balfour said: "There is a deep-rooted antagonism
for Gaelic among some Inverness councillors. They go so far as to
deny the existence of Gaelic in Inverness, which is clearly wrong as
the place names and street names show. Their arguments simply don't
hold water. Inverness is a funny place anyway because of the number
of people who came here from all over the Highlands and the east
coast. But this antagonism should be rooted out by a determined
effort on our part, because support for Gaelic is clearly council
policy, and these people must be brought to heel."
It was agreed to produce an information leaflet for councillors
detailing the historical importance of Gaelic, its important position
in the heritage of Inverness and its socio-economic development
potential. |
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wisnaeme
This is Ma' Life!
Joined: 04 Feb 2006
Posts: 643
Location: Coventry,England
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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As I said before in post subject "Gaelic medium only"? Spineless, short sighted,ignorant,don't rock the boat,politically correct,chinless wonders,wee toon quango and small minded poli"Tit"ions rule,okay.
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Abieuan
'Our Scotland' = 2nd Job!
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 481
Location: Carrick
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| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | It was agreed to produce an information leaflet for councillors
detailing the historical importance of Gaelic, its important position
in the heritage of Inverness and its socio-economic development
potential. |
Things are in a sorry state if an information leaflet has to be produced for councillors to explain the council's policy on Gàidhlig ! |
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SLG
Born Again..........and still Scottish!
Joined: 16 Sep 2005
Posts: 5515
Location: Dùn Eideann
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| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Abieuan wrote: | | Things are in a sorry state if an information leaflet has to be produced for councillors to explain the council's policy on Gàidhlig ! |
Well, you have to look at the people who elect the councillors. So long as these things are reported it gives people the option to reconsider where they cast their vote in 2007. |
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Cymro
I need ma own bl**dy forum!
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 1410
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| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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Eventhough Im not Scottish or living in Scotland at the moment I do feel its a disgrace that many people in power in your country treat the Gaelic language with such contempt.
Its often said that politically Wales is 30 years behind Scotland. However when it comes to presevation of languages Scotland is over 30 years behind Wales - and believe me Wales is bad enough.
I know some signs in Oban are bilingual but this seems voluntary. It should be a law that signs in the highlands and West Highlands are bilingual. |
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Abieuan
'Our Scotland' = 2nd Job!
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 481
Location: Carrick
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| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Cymro wrote: | Quote: | | I know some signs in Oban are bilingual but this seems voluntary. It should be a law that signs in the highlands and West Highlands are bilingual. |
Yes, Cymro, although Oban is not in Highland Region it is Argyll and Bute.
Scotland is far too slow in introducing bi-lingual signage, within the next few years we will be overtaken by the Cornish, whose district councils have agreed to have Kernewek on new and replacement signs.
Considering that there are only a few hundred fluent speakers and a couple of thousand who have an understanding of the language, this shows the shamefull backwardness of some Highland councillors. |
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azzuri
'Our Scotland' Fossil
Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Posts: 3777
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| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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Don't worry, this will all change with PR in the local elections.
Hopefully it will just tip the balance.
_________________
"Every single person on this planet is unique. Just like everyone else..." - Random Guy in Edinburgh Pub
Possibly the funniest site in the world, 'The Daily Mash' - http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/ |
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Aventinian
'Our Scotland' Fossil
Joined: 10 Dec 2005
Posts: 4276
Location: Broadcasting From An Anonymous Location Within the United Kingdom.
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:12 am Post subject: |
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| Abieuan wrote: | Scotland is far too slow in introducing bi-lingual signage, within the next few years we will be overtaken by the Cornish, whose district councils have agreed to have Kernewek on new and replacement signs.
Considering that there are only a few hundred fluent speakers and a couple of thousand who have an understanding of the language, this shows the shamefull backwardness of some Highland councillors. |
Or how much the Cornish are willing to spend on a novelty.
Only in areas (and there are certainly only a few) where Gaelic is spoken as the primary language should these signs be considered. |
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Abieuan
'Our Scotland' = 2nd Job!
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 481
Location: Carrick
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:42 am Post subject: |
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Aventinian wrote: | Quote: | | Or how much the Cornish are willing to spend on a novelty. |
Well, nothing actually, when new signs are required or old ones need replaced it doesn't cost any more to errect a bi-lingual sign than it does an English only one. |
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SLG
Born Again..........and still Scottish!
Joined: 16 Sep 2005
Posts: 5515
Location: Dùn Eideann
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:22 am Post subject: |
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| Even where Gaelic is spoken my a minority, these signs should be put up, as Abieuan says, as they are replaced naturally. Not to do so in a city like Inverness, where there is a significant minority of Gaelic speakers who would like the signs in their own language, is down to pure ignorance and intolerance. |
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Cymro
I need ma own bl**dy forum!
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 1410
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:50 am Post subject: |
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I agree.
It's a humain right for a language to be allowed to not only survive but to be used in everyday life if people wish to do so.
Giving the language far more presence will do the world of good for confidence of the language. Thoug this of course is not the whole answer to giving th Gaelic language fair play. |
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Rinty
Ready For Afterlife!
Joined: 19 Sep 2005
Posts: 2564
Location: SW Scotland
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:22 pm Post subject: j |
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I think the signs should be bi-lingual but only in Argylle, Highlands and Western Isles. I dont see the need to put them up in Orkney or in parts of Glasgow where more people will speak urdu than gaelic.
I also think that national signs such as welcomes at airports, major train stations, tourist offices should be bi-lingual throughout the country though. |
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Cymro
I need ma own bl**dy forum!
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 1410
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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I would suggest it was quite acceptable for bilingual signage to be up in the Glasgow areas. Areas such as Orkney, and the East Coast do raise certain questions we thankfully dont have to worry about here in Wales. Though when the Welsh language acts started going through parliament fromthe 60's onwards certain people in power across Wales kept trying to argue that no body speaks Welsh in areas such as Monmouth, Wrexham etc. Which was bacially a lot of rubbish.
In these other areas more should be done to promote scots and other traditional languagues and dialects. What is the native language for Orkney then?
In airports etc, I like what they do in O'Hare Airport in Chicago. Board with 'Welcome' in many many language including Welsh. |
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SLG
Born Again..........and still Scottish!
Joined: 16 Sep 2005
Posts: 5515
Location: Dùn Eideann
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:12 pm Post subject: Re: j |
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| Rinty wrote: | I think the signs should be bi-lingual but only in Argylle, Highlands and Western Isles. I dont see the need to put them up in Orkney or in parts of Glasgow where more people will speak urdu than gaelic.
I also think that national signs such as welcomes at airports, major train stations, tourist offices should be bi-lingual throughout the country though. |
I agree. I would add some of Moray, Aberdeenshire and Highland Perthshire to that though. I think that is what almost everyone in the Gaelic lobby is calling for. No-one wants to see signs in Shetland having to being put up in Gaelic. There is an argument for Edinburgh being the Capital city being more representative of that community. Also Glasgow is home to many Gaelic speakers. Many of whom I understand live in the Partick area. |
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Maol.Chaluim
'Our Scotland' = 2nd Job!
Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 418
Location: Glaschu
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:35 pm Post subject: Re: j |
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I'd add more than that. I think there should be bilingual signs everywhere where the placenames are Gaelic in origin. It would help dispell the (still widely held) myth that Gaelic is the language of the Highlands & Islands.
| SLG wrote: | | Also Glasgow is home to many Gaelic speakers. Many of whom I understand live in the Partick area. |
The "Crow" in Crow Road comes from the Gaelic croadh - cattle. |
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Maol.Chaluim
'Our Scotland' = 2nd Job!
Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 418
Location: Glaschu
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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De ´n t-aimn a tha air? Comar nan Allt!
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SLG
Born Again..........and still Scottish!
Joined: 16 Sep 2005
Posts: 5515
Location: Dùn Eideann
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| Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 3:05 pm Post subject: Re: j |
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| Maol.Chaluim wrote: | | I'd add more than that. I think there should be bilingual signs everywhere where the placenames are Gaelic in origin. It would help dispell the (still widely held) myth that Gaelic is the language of the Highlands & Islands. |
That's been one of the critisisms of the bilingual road signs. So many of the names are almost identical. The obvious solution is to get rid of the English and use the original spelling.
| Maol.Chaluim wrote: | | The "Crow" in Crow Road comes from the Gaelic croadh - cattle. |
Cheers, didn't know that. |
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Aventinian
'Our Scotland' Fossil
Joined: 10 Dec 2005
Posts: 4276
Location: Broadcasting From An Anonymous Location Within the United Kingdom.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Abieuan wrote: | Aventinian wrote: | Quote: | | Or how much the Cornish are willing to spend on a novelty. |
Well, nothing actually, when new signs are required or old ones need replaced it doesn't cost any more to errect a bi-lingual sign than it does an English only one. |
A fair point.
| SLG wrote: | | Even where Gaelic is spoken my a minority, these signs should be put up, as Abieuan says, as they are replaced naturally. Not to do so in a city like Inverness, where there is a significant minority of Gaelic speakers who would like the signs in their own language, is down to pure ignorance and intolerance. |
Yes, I've certainly become more receptive to the bilinguial approach in certain areas since I've come into this thread - but how far should it go? Should we, for example, have bilingual signs in Punjabi or Urdu in parts of Glasgow with large Asian populations? |
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azzuri
'Our Scotland' Fossil
Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Posts: 3777
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| Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Aventinian wrote: |
Yes, I've certainly become more receptive to the bilinguial approach in certain areas since I've come into this thread - but how far should it go? Should we, for example, have bilingual signs in Punjabi or Urdu in parts of Glasgow with large Asian populations? |
Why not? Chinatown in Manhattan has street signs in both English and Mandarin Chinese. Not only does it make the people in these communities feel accepted for who they are, but it is a huge draw for tourists. The fact that it feels as though you've walked straight in China itself made the place fascinating.
I'm not advocating Scotland becomes a massive Epcot World Centre - but where we have differences - lets celebrate them rather than suppress them.
Everyone's cultural differences should be celebrated, it's the only way for these communities to truly feel accepted and appreciated for their contribution to the country. It allows people to celebrate both their own culture and that of the country they have moved to.
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"Every single person on this planet is unique. Just like everyone else..." - Random Guy in Edinburgh Pub
Possibly the funniest site in the world, 'The Daily Mash' - http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/ |
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Aventinian
'Our Scotland' Fossil
Joined: 10 Dec 2005
Posts: 4276
Location: Broadcasting From An Anonymous Location Within the United Kingdom.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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I am inclined to agree with your opinion on this front.
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'Socialists cry "Power to the people", and raise the clenched fist as they say it. We all know what they really mean—power over people, power to the State.' |
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