Gaelic Debate - MacKays Hotel, Sat 27th March 2010, 2pm

[weeboyagee]

Morning - quick note over the morning cup of coffee!

There have been many debates re various matters involving Gaelic over the past months and years. The Local Organising Committee for the National Mod this year in Caithness have organised a debate, on Saturday 27th March at 2pm in the MacKay's Hotel. There will be a panel of 5 persons who will represent the various sectors of public interest. The debate will be hosted by Lesley Riddoch and we are cordially (note that word folks!) inviting everyone who would like to contribute or even just come and listen/watch - to attend. I'll let you know who the confirmed panel will be in due course but this should be an interesting debate!

For those of you who would actively like to take part in the debate, can you let me know - I would like to make arrangements for your contribution to be put to the panel and to pass to Lesley Riddoch.

You can also get in contact with our Event Support Officer, Carol-Anne MacKay at carolannemackay@hotmail.com with your contributions or by PM to myself.

I am hoping that Gleeber will get involved given his contributions both here and on footstompin.com

Will keep you posted but please add to this thread with comments, suggestions for the panel and audience to debate. This is the first time that I am aware that the debate will be put firmly in the public arena and I'm glad that it's the LOC for Mod Ghallaibh 2010 that's bringing it to that. It should be openly and frankly debated at a local level - to date everyone and their aunty outside of Caithness has been discussing "our county" - now let's have the debate IN "our county" with everyone "round the table" so to speak. What's your thoughts?

WBG

[cuddlepop]

I hope you get a good turnout for the event,I'm sure it'll be informative and "entertaining",if opinions on here are anything to go by.

Interesting to note that the Mod will next be hosted in Paisley.Havent heard the same amount of fuss it going there compared to Caithness,all very strange.

[Alan16]

judging by the some of the arguments on here about the Gaelic language, I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun even if completely pointless. Debates are places for people to state their opinions, then not listen to other peoples.

[weeboyagee]

judging by the some of the arguments on here about the Gaelic language, I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun even if completely pointless. Debates are places for people to state their opinions, then not listen to other peoples.

Completely pointless? I take it you have no opinion - or are one of the folks that state their opinions and then not listen to other peoples? Have seen your contribution to the Gaelic debate on here and you summed yourself up in a nutshell in your own statement.

Are you looking to take part? Everyone is welcome - no matter what their "opinion". Thanks to the responses so far who have said they would like to attend or take part by PM. Would very much like to see one or two points in this thread that can be put forward - or intimations that others would like to attend or take part. There's been plenty contribution on here previously - now's your chance to make your "opinion" count.

WBG

[fender]

Cuddlepop What are you on about. Paisley is not covered in pointless gaelic signage!!

[cuddlepop]

Cuddlepop What are you on about. Paisley is not covered in pointless gaelic signage!!

Watch this space.....

[gleeber]

I am hoping that Gleeber will get involved given his contributions both here and on footstompin.comWBG

Thanks a bliddy billion. Put up or shut up comes to mind.
With a bit of luck Gaelic may be declared extinct before 27 March but if it's not I will come along and offer my support to the Gaelic languager but declare my hostility to the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 .

[Each]

Tha e duilich gun teid sibh air ardart air an ciad latha nan soar laithean sgoil, mar sin chan urrainn dhomh pairt a gabhail - bith mi nam shuibhail a Eirinn.

Its a pity it will take place on the first day of the school holidays - otherwise I would be there.

I'll have to make do with the reports -

[Moira]

...... would actively like to take part in the debate, can you let me know - I =Riddoch.

WBG

Unfortunately I won't be here that weekend. Good luck with it WBG

Thanks a bliddy billion. Put up or shut up comes to mind.
With a bit of luck Gaelic may be declared extinct before 27 March but if it's not I will come along and offer my support to the Gaelic languager but declare my hostility to the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 .

I look forward to reading the transcript.

[Alan16]

Completely pointless? I take it you have no opinion - or are one of the folks that state their opinions and then not listen to other peoples?

As you said yourself, you have seen my contributions to the Gaelic debate on here, so you know that I do in fact have an opinion. I say its completely pointless because the people who go in thinking its a dead language and a waste of money will come out thinking its a dead language and a waste of money, and the people who go in thinking the opposite will come out thinking the same thing they went in thinking.

Have seen your contribution to the Gaelic debate on here and you summed yourself up in a nutshell in your own statement.

Don't go putting words in my mouth. I never said I was an exception.

Are you looking to take part? Everyone is welcome - no matter what their "opinion".

I would actually enjoy taking part, there's nothing I like more than getting in a good argument debate. However, I am sadly a good few hundred miles away.

Thanks to the responses so far who have said they would like to attend or take part by PM. Would very much like to see one or two points in this thread that can be put forward...

Ok, here's a question: Why do we continue to spend large quantities of money on Gaelic road signs and the like, when there has been a near constant decrease in the number of people in Scotland who can speak Gaelic, and now that there are no only-Gaelic speaking people left? (Data lifted from the last census)

[horseman]

Wish I could be there an wish I could speak Gaelic.

[weeboyagee]

Ok, here's a question: Why do we continue to spend large quantities of money on Gaelic road signs and the like, when there has been a near constant decrease in the number of people in Scotland who can speak Gaelic, and now that there are no only-Gaelic speaking people left? (Data lifted from the last census)

Question noted for the panel. Pity you're not going to be here - you're contribution would have been welcome.

WBG

[changilass]

Would love to learn to speak Gaelic.

With regards the street signs, as has already been stated, the money comes from a different budget to other things, so even if we don't get the road signs, we still won't get our potholes filled.

With the state of some of the existing roadsignes, then its good they are getting replaced.

What harm are they doing? we still get the names in English and tourists love that sort of thing.

[weeboyagee]

Tha e duilich gun teid sibh air ardart air an ciad latha nan soar laithean sgoil, mar sin chan urrainn dhomh pairt a gabhail - bith mi nam shuibhail a Eirinn.

Its a pity it will take place on the first day of the school holidays - otherwise I would be there.

I'll have to make do with the reports -

'Eil ceist sam bith agad co-dhiu airson na daoine air a phanel, anns a Ghaidhlig ma tha thu ag iarraidh? Bith mi thall ann an Eirinn cuideachd, ach an ath mhios! Chan urrain dhomh a feitheamh!

Have you got a question for the folks on the panel, in Gaelic if you want (but it will be translated for the audience and debated in English!)? I will be over in Ireland also but next month - can't wait!

WBG

[Kenn]

I don't speak the language but will defend to the last the right of others to do so.
Just because it's a minority laguage does n't mean that it should be allowed to die and from what I understand there are now more people that have a working knowledge of it than there has been for some time.I also understand that there are several small enclaves in various parts of The New World where the language is used which means that it is far from dead.
Taking it to the extreme does that mean that The Finns should give up speaking their language as it is unique to their country?
Latin is often said to be a dead language and although there are few that can speak it, all of us use derivitives of that laguage every day and several million people speak the direct descendents of it.

[Brorababe]

I was fortunate enough to have been brought up in a Gaelic-speaking home (wish I could speak it fluently), and although the language is seldom heard in East Sutherland these days it pleases me that efforts have been made in recent years to give it a higher profile nationally than has been the case hitherto. Every good wish for a positive debate.

Brorababe

[Fly]

As I have stated before, I have no objection to anyone who wishes, being taught gaelic. However, with the number of kids leaving school who can barely read, write and certainly cannot spell in English, perhaps it would be better to concentrate on that. It would be more beneficial towards getting jobs etc.
(I expect I will be shot down in flames)

[Flashman]

I don't speak the language but will defend to the last the right of others to do so.
Just because it's a minority laguage does n't mean that it should be allowed to die and from what I understand there are now more people that have a working knowledge of it than there has been for some time.I also understand that there are several small enclaves in various parts of The New World where the language is used which means that it is far from dead.
Taking it to the extreme does that mean that The Finns should give up speaking their language as it is unique to their country?
Latin is often said to be a dead language and although there are few that can speak it, all of us use derivitives of that laguage every day and several million people speak the direct descendents of it.

Caithness was part of the Kingdom of Norway well into medieval times... dont underestimate the impact of this.

This is an issue of Culture, History and Heritage not one of Language.

Many people in Caithness feel that our history and accosiation with the northlands is being put to one side to suit a romantic view of a Gaelic Celt Scotland.

Things like Gaelic signs which tourists see really strikes a chord because it creates the wrong impression for a very unique county in Scotland.

[Alan16]

I don't speak the language but will defend to the last the right of others to do so.

I don't think anyone is trying to take away peoples right to speak it. However, almost nobody speaks it in Scotland, and in Caithness & Sutherland in particular, considering on what website this argument is taking place.

Just because it's a minority laguage does n't mean that it should be allowed to die and from what I understand there are now more people that have a working knowledge of it than there has been for some time.

As I said in a previous post, according to the last census, there is nobody in Scotland who uses Gaelic only, and the number of people who are able to speak it has been on a steady decline, and is now barely one percent of the Scottish population.

I also understand that there are several small enclaves in various parts of The New World where the language is used which means that it is far from dead.

This is a debate about Gaelic in Scotland, and maybe even more specifically, about in the Highlands, not the new world.

Taking it to the extreme does that mean that The Finns should give up speaking their language as it is unique to their country?

That isn't taking it to an extreme, that is taking it to an extreme, then firing it of it in a bloody rocket.

Latin is often said to be a dead language and although there are few that can speak it, all of us use derivitives of that laguage every day and several million people speak the direct descendents of it.

Latin is the basis upon which many of the romance languages were founded. Gaelic has had nowhere near the same influence.

[Kenn]

I was merely making a general comment and was not referring to Caithness in particular.
I am well aware of the history of the area and can understand that Caithnessians are likely to look towards Scandinavia which is reflected in the place names from the centre and right round the coast from Thurso to Wick and beyond but to the west there are names that can only come from the gael and whilst appreciating that there most probably never was a true gaelic community in the area there has obviously been some influence over the centuries.