THE article about Oor Vyce (Parliament urged tae tak tent o Scots, June 2) renews the request for a Scots Language Act and Scots Language Board, similar to the Gaelic Language Act of 2005 and Bord na Gaidhlig. Scots deserves this attention from the Scottish Government, allowing Holyrood Parliament’s previous efforts to come to fruition.
An earlier SNP government was very active on behalf of the Scots language: there was an important education conference which led to Scots being formally recognised in the curriculum; national funding of Scots Language Dictionaries was restored; and a Scots Language Cross-Party Group was set up, greatly encouraged by the EU’s “Lesser Used European Languages” recognition of Scots, and Westminster’s partial recognition.
READ MORE: Campaign launched for official recognition of the Scots language
The Cross-Party Group considered a Scots Language Board essential to meet the needs of Scots in every area: to integrate and support the Scots language in the way of resources; to develop the many local initiatives in Scots in education; to encourage the use of Scots, spoken and written, by example, eg in Parliament, public notices, information leaflets etc; and to support the publication of written Scots which can bring back the status of Scots as a national language capable of all registers and able to deal with all topics.
When people see Scots written, as well as spoken, in ALL situations, they will be encouraged to use it more themselves.
Just when the census mentioned the Scots language, after 30 years of campaigning, and established that nearly 2,000,000 people in Scotland “knew” Scots, the cross-party group came, disappointingly, to an abrupt end – with no word or notice to its members (perhaps because of the 2014 indyref preparation?).
It was to have re-formed not long before Covid-19, and when it gets going will certainly support the campaign, by Oor Vyce and many others, for official recognition of the Scots language in every way.
Susan FG Forde
Scotlandwell
A MAUN lend ma strang support fur the Parliament til tak tent o Scots. A Scots Lied (language) Act and offeecial status is baith gey important, but that’s nae the hale story. In the 1980s A warked wi mony ither guid fouk in turning Gaelic roon fae near daith, an there micht be lessons for the Scots lied in whit we did.
Til pou aff this muckle job (an there’s a guid wey til gang yet, mebys an ither thoosan year – thons hoo lang Gaelic hiz been under attack), we fun oot first the mony erosive forces warkin agin the leid. Efter that we warked oot aa that hid to be pit in place til fecht thae forces an stert til reverse their effect – in ither wurds a detailed strategy. An there wiz a gey wheen things til puit in place. Efter wining political backin, we creatit new professional support structures (eg Comunn na Gaidhlig) in pairtnership wi the Hielands an Isles Development Board, cooncils, community organisations an the then Scottish Office.
Key things we hid til stert fae verra sma beginins wiz: Gaelic-medium edication (fae wee bairns til post-graduate), music, drama, books, ither arts, signage and muckle mair. Then cam the lang hard fecht (or wiz it seduction, subterfuge, threats) wie Maggie Thatcher’s government fur the vital Gaelic TV service. Ye can read hoo that wiz pouit aff in ma buik Gaelic Guerrilla. An that wis aa daen afore we got a Gaelic language act and the set up o Bord na Gaidhlig.
Oniewyes, til turn roon the fortunes o oor bonny Scots mither tung, we maun hae a strategy o thon kind. Nae doot it wid be a bittie differ fae the Gaelic ane. It maun be tailor-made til the needs o the time. Mebies a bit like the wey the Norwegians developed their lieds mair nor a hunner year syne. A’d be happy til help gin that wiz wantit.
Roy Pedersen
Inverness
IT’S hard to believe. According to Mr Trump, the state governor in Minnesota is not a “jerk” for failing to crack down on a heavily armed demonstration against the Covid restrictions; the “jerks” are the governors of states affected by spontaneous demonstrations against a racist murder, who have also not cracked down heavily.
Thus, racism is shown to be active at the very highest level of US politics.
Derek Ball
Bearsden
IT’S time for your letter writers to accept that the SCOTTISH people ARE SOVEREIGN – this was passed unanimously by Westminster. It is for the people of Scotland to decide, not the Queen, Westminster, politicians, would-be think-tanks etc.
After independence the government would run the country, but all major decisions would be taken by referendum.
This would also apply to local councils. Other countries operate in this way. Rant over.
William Purves
Galashiels
THE article on “little Tonga” (How tiny Tonga left the UK 50 years ago today, June 4) has Queen Elizabeth the II visiting. There is no QEII of the UK, Scotland or Britain. She is only QEII of England. Stating that she is our second one is offensive to some of us, I wish all the Englified press would start getting this correct. Bad marks, National.
John Jones
via email
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