do we need gaelic

[colinthethird]

Originally posted by colin 30
gaelic is a language of the past nobody except people in the north use it any more and us in the south of Scotland have to suffer it on tv
the government spend thousands on it when it would be better used in schools and hospitals
ok its the language of Scotland but would it not be better to let it die peacefully instead of being dragged along through the 21st century

OK: With me being first generation in this country [Australia] I think I at least have an opinion - I think that there is a language that is now ours - English. However, with being of Scots heritage I believe that we should be given the chance to at least know our own language. i.e. The language that was stolen from us. When I was a child I was forced to learn Italian, French and German, so why not at least ONE language being Scots? But your not talking of options are you? You are talking of being forced into speaking Gael.

Cailen Cambeul

[colinthethird]

What else? I'd love to learn Gaelic but there is just one problem; I've no-one to speak Gael to. What's more, I refuse to learn Irish Gaelic. I remember when I was learning Esperanto and there was nobody to speak it to, so it was more or less a wasted effort. The same can be said with Gael if I was to get off my rear-end and actually learn something.

Colin Campbell III

Cailen Cambeul
Or I should piss the chief off by calling myself MhicCailenMor

P.S. Any sheilas interested before I die?

[beithir]

Originally posted by ANDY-J

'Gaelic is the language of Scotland?'.Like hell it is!I don't speak gaelic,I don't know anybody who speaks gaelic and my ancestors probably haven't spoken it for about 1000 years.It is the language of a small minority of Scots and I resent hearing it on TV every day.In fact Gaelic is complete anathema to me and only common courtesy prevents me from expressing my true feelings with greater'eloquence'.

Well Andy, there is a very large population of Scots who's ancestors did speak Gaelic even if yours didn't. Also the Gaelic speaking population ahve to put up with TV that almost entirely anathema to them (being in English) and quite possibly resent that. No one is asking you to learn it, but to be so adamently against Gaelic is very offensive to a large number of scots who do and who's ancestors did speak the language. Try most of the population of Glasgow for instance. If you don't like it, try using your intelligence and not watching it. Or better still get Digital. By the way bilingual people have a massive advantage in life as they find new languages easier to learn. They also have more open minds as they are exposed to more than one, insular culture and have more open minds. With that said maybe you ought to try learning another language.
Beithir

[Cinnsealach]

I think that you should feel very lucky to have Gaelic on tv. and such, the language of a culture is something that should stay with that culture. You seem too much influenced by your neighbours(England). My Grand Farther spoke Galeic Since he was young but after a while lost it I wish that he had never lost it so that I may have been able to learn..and sure you complane about the language now but what happens when you loose it. When you loose some thing that is apart of your culture you are loosing apart of yourself. Look at the native american, should they give up on there language??? even though only out of 20,000 only 225 speak it and the most fluent in it are over sixty. I would say no. The same can be said about the Scottish...well if you Truly feel the way you do you might as well lable yourself and english man then. might as well make your self a full blooded english man.

[ANDY-J]

There is a misconception that Gaelic is an important part of Scotland's culture.Less than one per cent of Scots actually speak the language.It means precisely nothing to me or a great many other Scots and quite frankly there is no earthly reason why it should be otherwise.It is not a part of my history or culture-my language is Scots,a dialect of English which my ancestors have spoken for nearly a thousand years and the language which was spoken by William Wallace and Robert The Bruce.I am bilingual.I speak fluent Spanish which is a language I feel is worth learning as it may be of some practical use to me.Gaelic is however a foreign language which I would not have the slightest interest in learning.My ancestors were Ayrshire presbyterians who were proud to be Scots(as am I)and they were continually involved in conflict with Gaelic speaking highlanders who they regarded as foreigners and were habitually referred to as Irish.

[Dundaslass]

I am from the USA. Over here we have almost eliminated the Native American Languages. They are spoken basically by the old ones and taught to a few af the children. Very rarely spoken off the reservation. Some of the old languages are a lost art and how sad. We fought for freedom of speech and WON!!!
I say if you don't want to listen to it on TV...go read a book.

[ANDY-J]

I wonder if you people actually bother reading previous posts.What makes me angry is that 'Scots' is a rich language in it's own right which has been in use for many hundreds of years.Gaelic is a language spoken by a minute proportion of the population.It is not part of the culture or heritage of any but a small minority of Scots.I agree I should avoid listening to Gaelic television programmes-it might save me from throwing my television out of the window in disgust that a foreign language should be promoted in Scotland ahead of 'Scots',which IS a part of our heritage and culture.