Gaelic road signs

[badger]

Let me state straight away that I support the spread and preservation of Gaelic as a language and am delighted the Mod will be coming up here so, having got that out of the way....

I do not support dual language road signs and consider it a total waste of money, particularly when we are always being told how cash strapped Highland Council is. I had assumed that road signs meant place indicators, signposts. However yesterday I learnt that it also means street names. I was visiting a friend who has asked for the street name where she lives to be replaced as it is quite high up on the side of a house and so old it is almost unreadable. An added complication is that a housing estate has been built on the opposite side of the road, previously empty land, and the Council in their wisdom have given this side of the road a different name. They could have just continued the house numbers round as they were consecutive, not odds and evens, being only on one side. But, hey, why make life simple when you can make it complicated. So the reason for my friend's request is that deliveries are now frequently made to the right number but wrong street name. I have never noticed the new name and am not sure where it is.

The response from HC, by letter, is that they are waiting for the street name to be translated into Gaelic :eek: . This seemed so unbelievable that she phoned and had it confirmed - this is indeed the case. The new signs will have to be much larger than the old ones, will usually no longer be put on the side of houses and if there is no suitable wall will presumably need a stand.

How much is all this going to cost? Are they going to replace signs as required or do they plan working through the whole of Highland? This seems complete madness.

[Welcomefamily]

Is this not funded by the £3,000,000 ? in their gaelic budget or our these costs on top?

[Westsider3]

The thought of wasting so much money which could be put to something much more worthwhile makes me furious!! :mad: Gaelic sign posts everywhere is just going to be an eyesore, in my opinion, and totally un-necessary!! Let's hope someone puts a stop to this nonsense!!

[Bad Manners]

the gaelic language is read and spoken by a small minority of the population of Britain and whilst I have no wish to belittle the language or in fact the Gaelic speaking people themself. does this mean we will have to have signs in all languages. If this is to be the case all signs would have to be 3 meters tall and go right round the block. the language of the law in this country is English and as such all signs should be in english. Should a translation be required it could be posted on the internet or other medium we certainly should not waste the tax payers money on pointless signage

[Mizpah]

However important the Gaelic is to some people I think the money in this instance would be better spent on repairing the roads before they get to the stat of being unrepairable.

[teenybash]

If gaelic were widely spoken throughout Scotland I could perhaps, think it would be nice to see on sign posts etc but, since it is not it is simply a waste of money.
French, Italian, German tourists and the rest are going to think us fools should they ask and they will.........how do you pronounce the gaelic name......................Huh, umph........ eh dunno.........[lol]

[Welcomefamily]

They have to produce a Gaelic language plan, its the Scottish Government Policy???? and actively work on re introducing Gaelic I think???
Does not all paper work has to be changed to have Gaelic as well.

Perhaps it wpould be a good idea to stop all use of English and make people learn it?? [evil]

[badger]

Well that would be a challenge to the Government (and Council). Wonder how many of them actually speak the language - doubt if it's many. Must admit I thought it was bad enough wanting to change the road signs but doing the street names as well just beggars belief. Perhaps the next step will be to remove the English version and leave the Gaelic.

How do you translate a name anyway? And what if its origin is Norse not English? This could keep some poor translator amused for years.

[Welcomefamily]

At least then Scotland could claim true independence without relying on the English language, I think there will be free lessons.

[Margaret M.]

If there is so little support for this project why is it proceeding? Is there any common sense left at all?

[northener]

If there is so little support for this project why is it proceeding? Is there any common sense left at all?

It's called having a noisy minority group dictating policy......

Or a Scottish governments attempt to 'Gaelicise' the whole of Scotland to show just how different we really are to the rest of Britain (even if this means foisting furrin' languages on hapless non-Gael Scots) and for the tourist industry;)

[Torvaig]

Well that would be a challenge to the Government (and Council). Wonder how many of them actually speak the language - doubt if it's many. Must admit I thought it was bad enough wanting to change the road signs but doing the street names as well just beggars belief. Perhaps the next step will be to remove the English version and leave the Gaelic.

How do you translate a name anyway? And what if its origin is Norse not English? This could keep some poor translator amused for years.

Quite easy, just add an "h" and "ai" to any word Badghair! ;)
It's ok Gaelic speakers, I'm only joking!

[Welcomefamily]

Ná spídigh mé, a bhean!

Do not badger me women, I dont know if Scottish Gaelic is the same as others, and I am not sure if its in the same context ?????

[Kenn]

Sounds to me like some one had a dram too many and came up with the notion that gaelic signs would be fun!
I can understand having the signs in both languages where the people speak both i.e The Western Isles but surely not right across the country, what a waste of money!
I can also understand that trying to keep the language a living thing is a great idea but for many it always has been and will remain an obscure tongue.
How ever having said all that, in my place of birth ,Cornwall, the language has been revived and the basics are taught to those in junior school with an option to continue the studies at a higher level if so wished which would seem the appropriate course ,pardon my pun, to adopt.
Signs such as town names are now being written in both languages but street names are not and it is not envisaged that they will be in the future.

[tonkatojo]

LET ME STATE STRAIGHT AWAY,WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY...THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN READ THEM KNOW WHERE THEY ARE ANYWAY, SO WHAT IS THE POINT :eek:

[Welcomefamily]

Sounds to me like some one had a dram too many and came up with the notion that gaelic signs would be fun!
I can understand having the signs in both languages where the people speak both i.e The Western Isles but surely not right across the country, what a waste of money!
I can also understand that trying to keep the language a living thing is a great idea but for many it always has been and will remain an obscure tongue.
How ever having said all that, in my place of birth ,Cornwall, the language has been revived and the basics are taught to those in junior school with an option to continue the studies at a higher level if so wished which would seem the appropriate course ,pardon my pun, to adopt.
Signs such as town names are now being written in both languages but street names are not and it is not envisaged that they will be in the future.

The difference being was that most of the county thought it was a good idea, but then the Kilt came from the South West, the Bag Pipes decended from the Two Pipes played in Devon and Cornwall, and some historians would suggest that the first tartan was the St Piran being uncoloured except Black and White. The South West did go to War with the Scottish against the English in the Monmouth Rebellion with the Duke of Argyll.

[Welcomefamily]

All of the South West was part of the celtic kingdom of Dumnonia in AD550 http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/maps/550_kingdoms.html

[hotrod4]

Why not spend the money on fixing the potholes on the roads.You know when you've left Caithness cos its a smoother ride!!!
Its all fine and well having lovely new gaelic signs but how do you say "Potholes ahead" in Galeic! ;). Its Ok knowing where you are in a different language but I dont think the germans and french will bother learning gaelic just so they can read the darn things!!!

Or maybe I could apply to the government for a grant to help my family learn gaelic so WE can read them :) its a typical minority truimph again, whats next will the arabic speakers demand signs in Arabic, or the Aberdonians in Doruc?
I would rather have a sign at wick that reads "Welcome tae week we're no a bad bunch"
Or one at Thurso "welcome tae thursa, we're no bad either!!";)

[Aaldtimer]

http://firstfoot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15051 :eek:[disgust]