'Modest Sum to protect Gaelic' - Russell replies
Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:09 pm
Interesting letter in The Scotsman, written by Michael Russell, Education Secretary, to counteract accusations of Gaelic overspending by the SNP government::
http://news.scotsman.com/letters/Modest ... 6358733.jp
The comments beneath the letter are also worth a read, and even ig not in agreement are generally considerably more intelligently put and more constructive than usual, e.g.
Colin Wilson,
Aberdeen 13/06/2010 08:43:49
"Compared to resources for, say, the protection of biodiversity, the sums are modest.
Compared to resources for the protection of Scotland's indigenous and distinctive Germanic varieties, such as North-East Doric or Shetlandic, the sums are enormous.
Sgithman,
Siorrachd Rois 13/06/2010 14:54:01
It is good to see such a letter coming from Michael Russell, which backs up the comments made by Arthur Cormack on this site when the letter first appeared. It was enlightening to see his list of quangos in Scotland and what they spend. Gaelic is way down the list and is not an 'overspend'.
And lest the nay-sayers - and anti Nats - on this site are getting fired up to retaliate, support for Gaelic is much wider than the SNP. There was an editorial in this week's Labour-supporting West Highland Free Press attacking teaching cuts being made by the Highland Council which may well yet affect Gaelic medium education irreversibly.
Former Labour Minister, Brian Wilson, in the same paper wrote about the policies of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (the Western Isles Council) on Gaelic education which seem to be at odds with almost everywhere else in the world where minority languages have been revived. The leaders in the Western Isles seem to be in denial about the state of the language and what needs to be done.....
......In relation to Colin Wilson at 1 perhaps there is an argument that, compared to Gaelic's plight, resources for Doric or Shetlandic are not so much an emergency given that it is estimated over 1,000,000 people speak some form of Scots.
etc etc
http://news.scotsman.com/letters/Modest ... 6358733.jp
He quotes and refutes them.THERE are a number of factual errors in AA Dewar's letter ("SNP not talking my language", 23 May).
The comments beneath the letter are also worth a read, and even ig not in agreement are generally considerably more intelligently put and more constructive than usual, e.g.
Colin Wilson,
Aberdeen 13/06/2010 08:43:49
"Compared to resources for, say, the protection of biodiversity, the sums are modest.
Compared to resources for the protection of Scotland's indigenous and distinctive Germanic varieties, such as North-East Doric or Shetlandic, the sums are enormous.
Sgithman,
Siorrachd Rois 13/06/2010 14:54:01
It is good to see such a letter coming from Michael Russell, which backs up the comments made by Arthur Cormack on this site when the letter first appeared. It was enlightening to see his list of quangos in Scotland and what they spend. Gaelic is way down the list and is not an 'overspend'.
And lest the nay-sayers - and anti Nats - on this site are getting fired up to retaliate, support for Gaelic is much wider than the SNP. There was an editorial in this week's Labour-supporting West Highland Free Press attacking teaching cuts being made by the Highland Council which may well yet affect Gaelic medium education irreversibly.
Former Labour Minister, Brian Wilson, in the same paper wrote about the policies of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (the Western Isles Council) on Gaelic education which seem to be at odds with almost everywhere else in the world where minority languages have been revived. The leaders in the Western Isles seem to be in denial about the state of the language and what needs to be done.....
......In relation to Colin Wilson at 1 perhaps there is an argument that, compared to Gaelic's plight, resources for Doric or Shetlandic are not so much an emergency given that it is estimated over 1,000,000 people speak some form of Scots.
etc etc
