TBH I'm surprised it wasn't recognised as an official language already. I'd have assumed it was. It may be a minority language but it's the native language of Scottish Gaels, it's on place names and road signs all over Scotland and up until very recently it was the majority language spoken in the western Isles. We've got a "Thousand Welcomes" sign in Gaelic in our local pub in County Durham. So it should be recognised.
I agree, I'm not a Gaelic speaker but I am a Scots speaker. Scots has been largely ignored as a language with many claiming that it's only a dialect of English. It is not having a large amount of it's own words and many different grammar forms.
What a monumental waste of -very- limited tax revenues. This one really makes me see red and I am a proud Scot. It's been creeping up on all of us here for about 25 years, the very definition of insidious. There are 25000 Gaelic speakers in Scotland. In 57 years I have met one, ONE; and I was over 45 by then! I didn't even meet any when I've toured the Islands; just lots of Eeengleesh settlers with nice home county's accents. I mean comeontaefuck, in the name of the Wee Man. My kids can't get books and materials in their classes let alone competent teachers and we're pissing away £20 Million a year on a dead language that nobody, and I stress nobody is interested in speaking. In my day to day encounters it's refreshing when I meet a person who has a half way decent command of the English language and they want to promote a niche language to communicate with whom? At least with English you can communicate with billions outside the country in a popular, modern and well distributed tongue that many are keen to learn and that will actually be useful. Why not teach People Mandarin, there's a F**k sight better chance that they'll need that in a few years than an old language that was obscure even 300 years ago. Not only that I'll bet my pension that there are more Polish, Urdu, Mandarin, French etc speakers than Gaelic i Scotland; why not teach those? Up here our Local councils/Police/government agencies etc are spending a small fortune on putting it on their vehicle fleets with a fancy strap line and nae c##t knows what it means as well as making shite up to put on road signs in areas where it was never spoken; all to appease the old grey haired, tartan swishing, "whas-like-us" Harry Lauder humming, short bread tin banging, "Ma-Fayther-was-a-weaver" brigade in the SNP who prefer to promote insular, myopic keich like this than to plan a prosperous future for my kids. Feckers the lot of em. And to think I voted for these muppets. My council tax is £3000+ a fucking year and I get taxed more as well I deeply resent these Holyrood imbeciles spending one red cent on Gaelic until they fund my kid's school, fix the pot holes, light the paths, collect the litter, sort the public transport, put some Cops in my town center, clean the beaches and complete myriad other depressingly urgent and relevant requirements; then we can do History reenactment.
OK, i will. Bonkers, if folks think spending a few mill promoting a nations culture is just about placating a handful of "nationalist" then they are indeed, bonkers. plane and simple. Culture, History and Branding sells. big time. and in so many ways. both tangible and intangible. ffs and jeezo. i'll stop there.
TBH you could recognise Gaelic and Scots as official languages of Scotland (not THE official languages I notice - what others might qualify: Punjabi, Norwegian?) without passing the Scottish Language Act and setting up a shit loads of quangos to spend more money you haven't got. Not that the pattern in the rest of the UK is any different there. But that's politicians for you. They think they can magic anything into being if they throw enough of someone else's money at it and pass "laws".
Some things just don't appeal enough to the average person in the street, and so are cast aside. In Wales, the number of native speakers is at an all time low of 17%. All the signs have been dual language for donkeys years and the Welsh television station broadcasting in Welsh since 1982. The costs are huge with the television station alone being £90 million annually. In these economic times, it would seem there are other more beneficial programs both cultural and social than these native languages. Especially as the vast majority simply don't use them.
Perhaps a reflection on me that half my family are Scottish and the only Scottish I know is 'Hoots mon!' and 'Och aye the noo!'? And 'Crivens!', of course.
Err, what about ‘jings’ ? As a kid our house would receive brand spanking copy of The Broons or Oor Wullie every Christmas. I think it alternated. This was something that went back to my dad’s childhood. And he was from Sunderland.
Jings. I'll give you 'jings'. Neeps, as well, of course. Though that's a recent one for me. I don't remember the context in which I encountered The Broons and Oor Wullie. They do bring to mind a memory of horrible sweets and biscuits. And being told that sweets were pudding.
Same here, every Christmas!! Loved them as well as the Whizzer & Chips annuals! Jings, Crivens; help ma Boab!!
I wonder what theweegingerdug makes of this I guess the Snatz will love it!! But the non English speakers in question here sure won’t be Gaelic speaking Nearly one in three children in Glasgow doesn’t speak English as first language https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12/01/nearly-third-children-glasgow-dont-speak-english/
The Scottish Language Act?! Geesafeckinbreak! This is exactly what I'm talking about and exactly the kind of shite I didn't vote for. I don't want them to spend their time on this nonsense but its what these navel gazing halfwits are choosing to prioritize because they are essentially a powerless talking shop that can't really alter much else?! Talk about fiddling whilst Rome burns. How about doing what you were elected to do and sort the mess out that you have presided over for twenty years. Namely the every day things that matter to the majority; not just niche issues driven by a statically irrelevant but vocal minority. I mean for Gods sake, we have youngsters and ex forces sleeping in our streets and a third of the the kids in the country unable to get a decent meal once a day. We have elderly folks dying of the cold in the houses for the want of a few pennies for the heater; patients waiting weeks for a Doctors appointment; folks lying sick and cold in hospital corridors; people living in sub-standard housing; unaffordable, unreliable and dilapidated public transport. I could go on...and on...and on. It's a matter of priority, speak any damn language you want, fill your boots Pal, but don't expect me to pay for it. As to the "culture" comment above? Please Pal, that's the same argument that advocates employ for the retention of the Monarchy. "Well they do bring in the tourist...!" That's all right then, lets retain, fund and promote an anachronistic institution for the spurious benefit of other! I have worked in the Hospitality business and not once did any visitor say to me that the existence of Gaelic was a motivator for their visit. I rest my case.
not that i can add anything useful Bonkers - but your two well-worded posts have certainly stirred my mostly-asleep grey matter. Not sure how relelvant this is either, but some of the notes are interesting:- https://business.senedd.wales/docum...confirms the final outturn,and £0.05m capital).
