Gaelic roadsigns

[piratelassie]

Would it not be better to welcome the bi- roadsigns rather than oppose them. This would help to promote the gaelic language which can only be a good thing.

[Boozeburglar]

I would be happier if the Gaelic was second on the signs. Intuitively one reads the top most first, and that is a distraction drivers don't need.

[sam09]

I would rather see the cost of these signs being spent on repairing the roads. That would be more beneficial to all road users.

[Elenna]

I would be happier if the Gaelic was second on the signs. Intuitively one reads the top most first, and that is a distraction drivers don't need.

Although I have no opposition to the dual-language signs...provided they are erected as older signs need replacing, as we have been told, and not taking funds away from other budgets...while driving in places where they already exist, I have found it very stressful to be searching for direction to where I want to go, and finding the names that "stand out" on the signs aren't recognisable to me (the Gaelic being above the English, in yellow, and slightly larger). Happily on these occasions I've had at least one passenger along to help with 'navigating', so managed ok.

But then when you also consider that tourists (a large source of income for the county, and country as a whole, too), for whom English already may be a second language, certainly aren't going to be familiar with the Gaelic names...they are going to be looking for the English name on the map, in their guide book, etc...it does seem to have the potential to be rather a worrying road-safety issue.

[_Ju_]

Would it not be better to welcome the bi- roadsigns rather than oppose them. This would help to promote the gaelic language which can only be a good thing.

I am not sure of the numbers, but replacing the signs has a proposed budget 30% higher than the savings that have been imposed on Caithness General due to the economic climate. I would prefer the money to go to Caithness General, thus not further compromising the service we recieve, with the 30% "savings" going toward a new highschool. Gaelic road signs are not essencial, but an unwanted and historically incorrect luxury that the council want to impose.

[cuddlepop]

The road signs should only be replaced with bi lingual gaelic and english ones only when they need to be repaced.

Its outrages that perfectly good road signs are thrown away because they're not "politically correct".

[Gronnuck]

Would it not be better to welcome the bi- roadsigns rather than oppose them. This would help to promote the gaelic language which can only be a good thing.

Road signs are not the way to promote the Gaelic language because nobody but the Gaels will read them and they know where they are anyway. Some people may think they look "quaint" but most travellers will be relying on their sat navs and as yet none of the mapping services produce a Gaelic version nor are they likely to.
OK let's replace existing road signs with bi-lingual signs as and when the need arises but the Gaelic should not have precedence over the English for the reasons I've already outlined above.
It might be an idea to ask tourists and visitors themselves, through questionaires or focus groups, what they would like to see.

[gleeber]

I wid just like to remind you that it's not tourists who define the Caithness identity. Neither is it the Gaelic Language.

[Gronnuck]

I wid just like to remind you that it's not tourists who define the Caithness identity. Neither is it the Gaelic Language.

. . . . . and I though we were just talking about road signs

[ducati]

. . . . . and I though we were just talking about road signs

The way I see it is that the HC and Visit Scotland or any of a dozen other quangos want to have a united, standardised approach to promoting SCOTTISH culture to the rest of the world. Caithness has a unique Caithnessiness (new word invented at the debate ) that doesn't fit into this neat plan so will probably be ignored if it doesn't toe the SCOTTISH line.

I personally don't see a problem allowing the signs to change over a period of time as long as we don't go the extreme (daft) Welsh way. It will give Caithnessians something (else) to buttonhole any unsuspecting tourist with. And that is what we want, an opportunity to promote CAITHNESS.

[northener]

I've stated this before:

It's easy to sort out to everyones' satisfaction. The roadsigns that relate to a placename with Gaelic roots gets a Gaelic translation, the ones that relate to a placename with Norse roots gets a Norse translation.

Everything else is meddling and manouvering at the expense of one group or another.

[ducati]

I've stated this before:

It's easy to sort out to everyones' satisfaction. The roadsigns that relate to a placename with Gaelic roots gets a Gaelic translation, the ones that relate to a placename with Norse roots gets a Norse translation.

Everything else is meddling and manouvering at the expense of one group or another.

This came up at the debate. It turns out it is not that simple to identify which is which

[weeboyagee]

...while driving in places where they already exist, I have found it very stressful to be searching for direction to where I want to go, and finding the names that "stand out" on the signs aren't recognisable to me (the Gaelic being above the English, in yellow, and slightly larger). Happily on these occasions I've had at least one passenger along to help with 'navigating', so managed ok

At the debate in the MacKay's Hotel, the person next to me, who was from Caithness said he wondered how we would get on in other countries where they have bilingual signage and people don't crash. And wondered how we get on abroad where we travel their roads on the wrong side, reading signs that aren't in English and don't crash. Including Brittany in France. Kinda says a lot about us doesn't it? How do the tourists manage Wales and Ireland? I don't have a take on the bilingual signs issue but I find this reason to be a very weak one.

WBG

[Phill]

Caithnessiness (new word invented at the debate)

Try saying that after a few tumblers of Old Pulteney!

[northener]

At the debate in the MacKay's Hotel, the person next to me, who was from Caithness said he wondered how we would get on in other countries where they have bilingual signage and people don't crash. And wondered how we get on abroad where we travel their roads on the wrong side, reading signs that aren't in English and don't crash. Including Brittany in France. Kinda says a lot about us doesn't it? How do the tourists manage Wales and Ireland? I don't have a take on the bilingual signs issue but I find this reason to be a very weak one.

WBG

I'll agree with you on that point, WBG. It's a very weak argument.

[northener]

This came up at the debate. It turns out it is not that simple to identify which is which

Nope, it's quite simple really.

It's just that some people would have us believe it's difficult as it will weaken their argument against Norse influence.

I believe 'Scarfskerry' reared it's bottle-green head above it's rock again...oh dear.

[The Oracle]

Would it not be better to welcome the bi- roadsigns rather than oppose them. This would help to promote the gaelic language which can only be a good thing.

Why should promoting gaelic be a good thing?

Old Scots is probably the most widely used language of our past and why should that be allowed to slip into oblivion?

I have had the opportunity to briefly glance at an old book titled A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland. The book was compiled from original manuscripts from up to 1630 and the place names in there surely are more relevant to our past.

For example,

Catteynes
Southerland
Huntlie
Durines
Rosse
Drumhallesdell

Other place names such as Dornoch, Strathnaver, Lairg and Rogart remain unchanged.

[annemarie482]

Would it not be better to welcome the bi- roadsigns rather than oppose them. This would help to promote the gaelic language which can only be a good thing.

personally.......i really do not see the point of them.
and the fact this guff has been argued so long is quite laughable!
if thats all we have to worry about then we're doing alright!
just my opinion though.

[ducati]

Nope, it's quite simple really.

It's just that some people would have us believe it's difficult as it will weaken their argument against Norse influence.

I believe 'Scarfskerry' reared it's bottle-green head above it's rock again...oh dear.

You mean Flat rock covered in Shag poo?

[northener]

You mean Flat rock covered in Shag poo?

Aye, that's the one.....