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Meeting bid to end bilingual road signs row

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Published Date: 22 April 2009
By JOHN ROSS
A DELEGATION from Bord na Gaidhlig, the national Gaelic agency, will today try to find a way forward with senior councillors from Caithness who oppose the introduction of bilingual road signs in the area.
The councillors have consistently argued against Gaelic-English signs, despite their being part of Highland Council's Gaelic Action Plan.

They say the county has more Norse traditions than Gaelic and bilingual signs are opposed by many people in the area.

The stance comes as Caithness prepares to host the Royal National Mod, Gaelic's premier arts and music event, next year.

Arthur Cormack, Bord na Gaidhlig's chairman, who will head the delegation for the meeting in Inverness, said: "We are keen to meet the councillors to hear what they have to say. We have not had any direct contact with people who are apparently complaining, and we want to hear the issues first hand."



The full article contains 155 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 21 April 2009 10:03 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Gaelic language
 
1

truthsleuth,

22/04/2009 01:02:40
Stick to your guns Caithness.
These petty language dictators should be made pay the additional cost for dual language signs.
They should also pay the additional tax they cost us all for their backwardness.
2

Sierra Foothills Scot,

Diamond Springs 22/04/2009 01:29:14
So why did the Councillors from Caithness decide to host the Royal National Mod, Gaelic's premier arts and music event, if they dislike Gaelic tradition?

#1 Truthsleuth – IDo you also consider Norse traditions "backwardness"?
3

Brodric,

22/04/2009 08:05:53
Each county should have a right to decide whether or not they wish to have bi-lingual signs. Gaelic is not the only "other" language in Scotland and to make it widespread will only lead to confusion over the nature of Scotland's interestingly diverse history and culture. We also have three dialects of Old Scots - not to mention the Norse connection in many north-eastern parts. These should also be celebrated.
4

bill-alba,

fife 22/04/2009 08:51:56
how many in caithness speak old norse...#3 pray tell where the confusion will come from...me thinks you are trying to complicate the issue.
5

drunken proffet,

Tassy 22/04/2009 09:02:28
Well the fact that possibly seventy percent of the locals do not understand Gaelic, should not put you off. I recently bought a printer that had the instructions in Chinese, Japanese, Urdu, German, French, and a few other languages. It is part of the 21st Century. Why should you not put an easily understood message on the front for the locals and further translations on the back for foreign visitors and those who prefer the Gaelic.
6

Stan Butler,

22/04/2009 09:12:21
#5 drunken proffet


Well the obvious answer to your question is because those who speak Gaelic also speak English and therefore don't need the signs to be in Gaelic in order to understand them.
7

drunken proffet,

Tassy 22/04/2009 11:03:23
You are right. But for those who do not speak Gaelic it gives them the opportunity to broaden their vocabulary. Also of course encouraging them to study Chinese, Japanese, Urdu, German, French and any other translation that the good councillors can fit onto a traffic sign.
8

WL,

Baile Dhun Leibhe / Livingston 22/04/2009 12:23:43
Of course there should be bilingual road signs and street names in the Highlands.
Gaelic should be compulsary in schools, as it is in Ireland.
9

Sgithman,

Siorrachd Rois 22/04/2009 20:42:01
Brodric: Gaelic is the only other 'official' language in Scotland, by virtue of an Act of the Scottish Parliament.

Stan Butler: maybe those who speak Gaelic would PRFER to see the signs in their native tongue. That is one tired old argument ....
10

Yok Finney,

Ross-shire 22/04/2009 22:36:26
The bi-lingual road signs are interesting and help with pronounciation and spelling but Caithnesians have a point that replacing perfectly good road signs in their county is not the best way to further Gaelic.
11

Sgithman,

Ross-shire 23/04/2009 22:29:19
Yok Finney: There is a very frequent misconception that good signs are being pulled down to be replaced by bilingual ones. They are not and will only be 'bilingualised' when they need replacing due to wear and tear etc. Nobody haas ever suggested pulling down perfectly good signs.

 

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