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David Bisset
Skotlando, United Kingdom
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Sunday, February 27, 2005
Scots: a neglected language?
Scots is officially regognised as one of the minority languages of Europe. This recognition is at least a small step forward; but, as far as I know, Scots is receiving virtually no help or encouragement from the Scottish Executive.
This neglect is continuing while Scottish Gaelic is being subsidised comprehensively. Courses are available all over Scotland, which are not subject to the normal course number limits and which are provided at rock-bottom prices. There are Gaelic TV programmes every day which are watched by very small audiences: audiences which would probably disappear if sub-titles were not provided.
There is very little evidence that any of this is preventing the continuing decline of Scottish Gaelic; the number who claim fluency (whatever that means) is now just over 50.000.
Politicians are always moaning about lack of money; so it seems to me that the money being directed towards Gaelic is at the expense of Scots.
This is hardly just or rational when perhaps 95% of those who live in Scotland have no connection with Gaelic, but the majority of whom speak a language which contains vocabulary, pronunciation and structures which are Scottish English and/or Scots.
However, there is evidence of some postive developments to which I shall return in the future.
This neglect is continuing while Scottish Gaelic is being subsidised comprehensively. Courses are available all over Scotland, which are not subject to the normal course number limits and which are provided at rock-bottom prices. There are Gaelic TV programmes every day which are watched by very small audiences: audiences which would probably disappear if sub-titles were not provided.
There is very little evidence that any of this is preventing the continuing decline of Scottish Gaelic; the number who claim fluency (whatever that means) is now just over 50.000.
Politicians are always moaning about lack of money; so it seems to me that the money being directed towards Gaelic is at the expense of Scots.
This is hardly just or rational when perhaps 95% of those who live in Scotland have no connection with Gaelic, but the majority of whom speak a language which contains vocabulary, pronunciation and structures which are Scottish English and/or Scots.
However, there is evidence of some postive developments to which I shall return in the future.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Unpopular season
We live in a society which is obsessed with a secularised Christmas, but pays little attention to Lent.
This could be a reaction to puritanically penitential outlooks in the past; but I think that it is another indication of hedonism.
We need times for discipline and self-examination, even if we consider that we are not in the slightest religious.
Lent is also about making spaces for the good and positive.
In the UK people are hooked on television "soaps". How the BBC can square its production of such programmes with its educational mission is beyond me.
Society and individuals would benefit from more reading of serious books, and even watching serious late night TV.
If this were our secularised version of Lent, we would, I think, be near to the essence of religion.
This could be a reaction to puritanically penitential outlooks in the past; but I think that it is another indication of hedonism.
We need times for discipline and self-examination, even if we consider that we are not in the slightest religious.
Lent is also about making spaces for the good and positive.
In the UK people are hooked on television "soaps". How the BBC can square its production of such programmes with its educational mission is beyond me.
Society and individuals would benefit from more reading of serious books, and even watching serious late night TV.
If this were our secularised version of Lent, we would, I think, be near to the essence of religion.
