View Full Version : Highland Council Road Signage is NUTS
I visited the Black Isle today and noticed this road sign - with Gaelic as the top name of a road sign - honestly, less than 1% of people living in Scotland can speak Gaelic and even less can read it! So why on earth are we producing road signs at great cost for tourist with Gaelic on them? I wonder how many people will have to be involved in vehicle accidents before this madness is reversed. Total stupidity in my opinion.
2little2late
18-Mar-14, 22:56
I couldn't agree more. What a waste of public money. there's little wonder the Highland Council are making cut backs when the waste money on white elephants such as these and I do agree they are very distracting. I'll admit when I've seen the signs whilst driving I've tried to pronounce them in my head. One day there will be a serious accident caused by these stupid signs.
Have you any evidence to suggest people are not safely arriving at their destinations?
Have you any evidence to suggest people are not safely arriving at their destinations?
Yeah, despite the road signs!
Yeah, despite the road signs!
OK thanks, as I thought then, the signs are not the issue
Rheghead - no I do not have any evidence that Gaelic road signage is causing accidents, however I was out of the car photographing the beautiful scenery when I noticed the signage and it confused me (and I am Scottish) so what is it going to do to someone in a car coming up to this busy (in summer) junction, especially if they are on holiday from another country. It does not make any sense, probably 90% of all Gaelic speakers are in the Outer Hebrides, few leave the islands to visit the Black Isle. So for some political SNP based correctness we now have Gaelic on road signs springing up everywhere, even in Caithness where Norse is probably the ancient language of the area! So let us all campaign for Norwegian to added to the road signs throughout the far north!
And to sum up this stupidity the new sign into the village is in English (see attached picture) .... so I still think it is NUTS and stupid.
Rheghead - no I do not have any evidence that Gaelic road signage is causing accidents, however I was out of the car photographing the beautiful scenery when I noticed the signage and it confused me (and I am Scottish) so what is it going to do to someone in a car coming up to this busy (in summer) junction, especially if they are on holiday from another country. It does not make any sense, probably 90% of all Gaelic speakers are in the Outer Hebrides, few leave the islands to visit the Black Isle. So for some political SNP based correctness we now have Gaelic on road signs springing up everywhere, even in Caithness where Norse is probably the ancient language of the area! So let us all campaign for Norwegian to added to the road signs throughout the far north!
And to sum up this stupidity the new sign into the village is in English (see attached picture) .... so I still think it is NUTS and stupid.
But Gaelic is the original language of Scotland, superseded by English Scots. There is a huge campaign to give encouragement to relearn Gaelic to be once again the main language.
honestly Rheghead I find the whole thing about bringing back Gaelic as total nonsense when half the population can't read or write proper English. The whole point of a road sign is to allow people to navigate to their destination in a timely and safe manner. I doubt if the GPS systems have Gaelic names in them, and if spoken by the computer would anyone (including Gaelic speakers) understand it. Most road maps do not have Gaelic names showing.
honestly Rheghead I find the whole thing about bringing back Gaelic as total nonsense when half the population can't read or write proper English. The whole point of a road sign is to allow people to navigate to their destination in a timely and safe manner. I doubt if the GPS systems have Gaelic names in them, and if spoken by the computer would anyone (including Gaelic speakers) understand it. Most road maps do not have Gaelic names showing.
Yes but there is no question about the next generation of Scots being denied at school level the skill to understand the English language. Again, I don't see the problem. Over time, Scots will fluently read both tiers of the signage!
Kevin Milkins
18-Mar-14, 23:44
I am inclined to agree that when your driving it can be difficult enough to take the correct road to your destination without having to negotiate in two languages. The Welsh language was driven out of Wales and when I grew up in South Wales I knew no one that could speak Welsh or did I hear it being spoken, now it is taught in schools and I think it is a good thing for people to have the choice to learn the native tongue.
They have the dual road sign now and I used to find it a nightmare when travelling around as a sales rep.
This is an example of how daft it has become. The road sign manufacture had to contact a department for translations before making the sign and this is what happened.
http://www.madcrazydaft.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/welsh-road-sign-cock-up-thumb.jpg
The Welsh part of the sign above reads: “I am not in the office at the moment. Send any work to be translated”
I have learned a little Welsh from the road signs though, "Slow" is "Araf" and "Polis" is "Hedlu";)
2little2late
19-Mar-14, 00:22
But is there any need to have dual language road signs? Probably the idea of a pen pusher at the Highland Council wi' nowt better to do. Really when entering Bettyhill does one really need to know the gaelic is Am Blaran Odhar?. I reckon many years ago someone was bored, had a bag of scrabble letters and decided to pull letters out of the bag to make up a gaelic version of said town. Un bliblob drabda.
Forget the sentimentality...
Language is for one purpose & one purpose only, communication...
Since less than 1% of the Scottish population can read it & I would guess that 100% of that 1% also read English, then I would say that the Gaelic signs are not fit for purpose & should be scrapped...
Talking of White Elephants... Anybody seen the fancy new carpark in Helmsdale?
How much did that cost & what was wrong with it before?
Certainly less spaces now that they've put in all that decorative stonework.
2little2late
19-Mar-14, 00:30
Forget the sentimentality...
Talking of White Elephants... Anybody seen the fancy new carpark in Helmsdale?
How much did that cost & what was wrong with it before?
Certainly less spaces now that they've put in all that decorative stonework.
No, I haven't seen the new car park. I must take a look when I'm next there. Where in Helmsdale is this car park?
Forget the sentimentality...
Language is for one purpose & one purpose only, communication...
Since less than 1% of the Scottish population can read it & I would guess that 100% of that 1% also read English, then I would say that the Gaelic signs are not fit for purpose & should be scrapped...
Talking of White Elephants... Anybody seen the fancy new carpark in Helmsdale?
How much did that cost & what was wrong with it before?
Certainly less spaces now that they've put in all that decorative stonework.
I pity you if you genuinely think that. Language is much more than communication. It says a statement about who you are and where you are from. I could easily speak in my native Cumbrian tongue and you would have nae clue what I was on about..
No, I haven't seen the new car park. I must take a look when I'm next there. Where in Helmsdale is this car park?
Exactly where the old one was next to the public toilets.
I pity you if you genuinely think that. Language is much more than communication. It says a statement about who you are and where you are from. I could easily speak in my native Cumbrian tongue and you would have nae clue what I was on about..
OK, it is a bit more than just communication, but not when it comes to road signs which should be as simple, clear and precise as possible to do their job properly, what next, fancy gothic fonts because they look pretty?
2little2late
19-Mar-14, 00:45
OK, it is a bit more than just communication, but not when it comes to road signs which should be as simple, clear and precise as possible to do their job properly, what next, fancy gothic fonts because they look pretty?
Well said.
OK, it is a bit more than just communication, but not when it comes to road signs which should be as simple, clear and precise as possible to do their job properly, what next, fancy gothic fonts because they look pretty?
It is not about what is pretty, it is about the heritage of the the Scottish people. You either deny that Gaelic is the original language or you face up to the reality that a huge amount of Scottish heritage is being withered away due to anti Gaelic attitudes.
It is not about what is pretty, it is about the heritage of the the Scottish people. You either deny that Gaelic is the original language or you face up to the reality that a huge amount of Scottish heritage is being withered away due to anti Gaelic attitudes.
What about the language that was before Gaelic, & then before that?
What about the original writing system before the Latin alphabet was introduced by the Christian Church?
OK, so none but a few ancient language experts would be able to read them, but there would be plenty of heritage there.
2little2late
19-Mar-14, 02:41
It is not about what is pretty, it is about the heritage of the the Scottish people. You either deny that Gaelic is the original language or you face up to the reality that a huge amount of Scottish heritage is being withered away due to anti Gaelic attitudes.
Just like the Scottish landscape is being withered away by worthless windmill farms. But that's a different debate altogether.
ywindythesecond
19-Mar-14, 03:11
I pity you if you genuinely think that. Language is much more than communication. It says a statement about who you are and where you are from. I could easily speak in my native Cumbrian tongue and you would have nae clue what I was on about..
Does the Cumbrian Local Authority squander its taxpayer's money on Cumbrian language road and street signs?
A complete waste of money . i wonder how many potholes each Gaelic /english ,bilingual sign would repair. and anyway what s the point . 1/e, A bunch of Italian caravanners tailgating each other rubbernecking the view,s are a hold up as it is without them trying to make head nor tail of those crazy signs.I WOULD FATHOM A GUESS THAT FOREIGN VISITOR S WOULD MAKE SOME ATTEMPT AT LEARNING A BIT OF ENGLISH, but when confronted with the Gaelic . where s that going to leave them. English is the most spoken langauge
in the western world anyway.
And yes Italian ,German ,French and any nationality are most welcome to visit our beautifull country and spend their cash here .(*added that last bit just in case anyone was thinking on calling me rascist)
A complete waste of money . i wonder how many potholes each Gaelic /english ,bilingual sign would repair. and anyway what s the point . 1/e, A bunch of Italian caravanners tailgating each other rubbernecking the view,s are a hold up as it is without them trying to make head nor tail of those crazy signs.I WOULD FATHOM A GUESS THAT FOREIGN VISITOR S WOULD MAKE SOME ATTEMPT AT LEARNING A BIT OF ENGLISH, but when confronted with the Gaelic . where s that going to leave them. English is the most spoken langauge
in the western world anyway.
And yes Italian ,German ,French and any nationality are most welcome to visit our beautifull country and spend their cash here .(*added that last bit just in case anyone was thinking on calling me rascist)
I wouldn't dream of calling you a rascist. :lol:
Do remember driving through Belgium towards Aix-la-Chapelle - when you passed through the Flemish-speaking areas, the signs read Aachen instead. I believe there are stretches where the signs swap over twice or even thrice. the "fa's like us brigade" out in
force. - anyone remember those car stickers - "I'm a real Scot from Balnagudgie and I read the Record" You don't see the euro equivalent "I'm a real German and I read der Bild. Would we laugh...................?
Waste of money? Remember, we are at the end of the financial year, when tradition dictates that the Council goes silly with ad hoc potty ways of disposing of any underspend. There should be a competition each Feb/Mar for spotting the more absurd ones.
I was thinking about this again last night - and what really annoys me is not the Gaelic on the road signs, which I think is wrong, it is that they put the Gaelic first - it should be English first so people can understand the road sign - and fine the Gaelic underneath it so that we educate the tourists (or locals) into the Gaelic word for a place (which may or may not be of interest to you).
Another annoying thing Highland Council have been doing for a long time is putting in job adverts in newspapers in Gaelic and in English, doubling the cost of the advert. I would rather my tax goes on filling in pot holes, providing better care for older folk, or even picking up litter than wasting it in a duel language nobody but 50,000 people in Scotland can understand.
neilsermk1
19-Mar-14, 13:40
OK thanks, as I thought then, the signs are not the issue
No Rheg its not the signs its the garbage on them.
Its the waste of resources that it took to include the non essential, its the environmental impact of the extra paint and energy used to produce them.
Signs especially road signs should be concise clear and unambigous
papigoeloon
19-Mar-14, 17:51
signs in english dont make sense either - when in Thurso watchout for the sign stating - Maxium stay 24 hours - No overnight parking
orkneycadian
19-Mar-14, 20:19
I wonder what we will have in the Peoples Republic of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles?
I guess Gaelic for our Western Isles comrades, Norn for Orkney and Shetland, and I guess we might need English too for all the ferryloupers and tourists.... Oh, and maybe Russian if they are needed to help persuade Holyrood....
pig whisperer
19-Mar-14, 21:30
Kevin sorry to be a pedant, Polis in welsh is spelt Heddlu. the councils in Wales also sent out all letters etc in both English & welsh, bet that costs a few quid just hope the Scottish government don't copy that idea, 3 of my kids learnt to speak welsh but they never use it in their daily lives
orkneycadian
19-Mar-14, 21:36
It does not make any sense, probably 90% of all Gaelic speakers are in the Outer Hebrides, few leave the islands to visit the Black Isle.
When Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles become independant, sometime after the referendum on the 25th of September, your problems will likely all go away. Most of the Gaelic speakers in what is presently Scotland will become Prooswians (Citizens of the Peoples Republic of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles). That will leave hardly any Gaelic speakers at all in rScotland, so the road sign policy can be scrapped. This will represent a huge saving for Holyrood and all the local authorities, and will go some way towards replacing all the lost oil revenue.
luskentyre
20-Mar-14, 00:07
Forget the sentimentality...
Language is for one purpose & one purpose only, communication...
Since less than 1% of the Scottish population can read it & I would guess that 100% of that 1% also read English, then I would say that the Gaelic signs are not fit for purpose & should be scrapped...
Talking of White Elephants... Anybody seen the fancy new carpark in Helmsdale?
How much did that cost & what was wrong with it before?
Certainly less spaces now that they've put in all that decorative stonework.
I pity you if you genuinely think that. Language is much more than communication. It says a statement about who you are and where you are from. I could easily speak in my native Cumbrian tongue and you would have nae clue what I was on about..
The primary purpose of language is communication. The single purpose of road signs is to direct people and give information. It's pointless if no one can understand the most prominent wordings on said signage. You may think it's very quaint to have strange words that virtually no one understands but that's all it ever will be - quaint. Why stop there though? Since a fair percentage of us were descended from Vikings, why not use Old Norse? Hell, let's go the whole hog and just have cave paintings on signs if we're so determined to explore our supposed origins.
Well I'm convinced that Old Norse bilingual signs would have created little if any controversy amongst our most rabid anti-gaelic sign activists.
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