A SCOTTISH national park has said it will update its signage after complaints that it included “junk Gaelic”.
Loch Lomond and the The Trossachs National Park Authority was called out by Gaelic language activists after two glaring instances were highlighted on social media.
Twitter/X user @LowRisingTone noticed the errors on two signs at Loch Lomond.
The first said in English “Discover Luss”, and in Gaelic “Faigh lorg Lus”. One native speaker told The National that this translated to “get find plant”, but a second said “get find Luss” was more generous.
READ MORE: Alan Riach on the importance of Gaelic in 'British' literature
The second sign said “Welcome to the National Park” in English, but “Failte gu Pairc Naiseanta” in Gaelic. A native speaker told The National that while this translates as “welcome to national park” it reads like “half the sentence is missing”.
Sharing the signage on Twitter/X, user @LowRisingTone wrote: “Seriously @lomondtrossachs?
“Ignoring the tokenistic presence of Gaelic, you couldn't at least have made sure that you at least get seven words right and instead put up eye-watering junk Gaelic that looks like someone with no fluency pieced together words from a dictionary?”
Seriously @lomondtrossachs? Ignoring the tokenistic presence of Gaelic, you couldn't at least have made sure that you at least get 7 words right and instead put up eye-watering junk Gaelic that looks like someone with no fluency pieced together words from a dictionary? 🤮 pic.twitter.com/3cRaWbYjDQ
— Michael Bauer Bluesky: https://rb.gy/7osmw (@LowRisingTone) August 16, 2023
Martainn Mac a’Bhaillidh, an activist with the Misneachd Alba campaign group, said Loch Lomond National Park was “already notorious for their patronising and disrespectful attitude towards Gaelic”.
He added: “Their monolingual, monolithic logo roadside signs when entering the park area include ‘tioraidh’ – ‘cheerio’ in Gaelic – on the reverse side.
“This tokenistic approach is on evidence again in their lazy 'translation' of a few words on these signs at Luss.”
A spokesperson for Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority said: “It is disappointing that some of the Gaelic translations on these signs in Luss are not entirely accurate.
“We’ll ensure we get these signs updated.”
The news comes after locals raised concerns about “frankly insulting” street signs put up at a housing development in Inverness.
The signs, which are located on the Culloden West estate being developed by Barratt, contain basic errors in Gaelic – and even in English.
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