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The Gaelic Language Bill
Consultation Paper
Section 2: Gaelic in Scotland
Gaelic is a language of Scotland. It has been present here for about 1500
years and has close links with Irish and Manx. Over this period Gaelic has been
the language of court and government, learning and the arts, scholarship and
devotion and home and community.
The geography and people of Scotland are inseparably linked to the Gaelic language.
Not only do many of our family names derive from Gaelic but throughout Scotland
many of our towns and rivers, hills and lochs all bear the names given to them
by generations of Gaelic speakers.
Along with this unique Scottish heritage, Gaelic also operates comfortably
with recent developments in technology and broadcasting, where notable achievements
have been recorded. In music and the arts there are also admirable accomplishments
and the Gaelic contribution to Scottish cultural expression is significantly
in excess of what one might expect from a fragile minority community. The Gaelic
education sector is expanding and the work of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig was acknowledged
recently with the Queen's Anniversary Award for Higher Education.
The Gaelic language has largely survived in the rich and distinctive culture
of the Highlands and Islands. Over the last few centuries, however, the Gaelic
language has suffered serious decline. Gaelic is at present seldom used in most
areas of public life, in education and commerce and in politics and government.
The Gaelic language has suffered as a result of the social and economic upheavals
which resulted in the movement of a high number of Gaelic speakers from the
areas in which they lived traditionally. As with other indigenous cultures and
languages, Gaelic also shares the challenge of holding ground in face of the
global predominance of English language and American culture.
There are many languages spoken in Scotland but the situation facing Gaelic
is unique. Only Gaelic is in such a fragile condition and depends almost entirely
on Scottish institutions and Scottish communities for its continued existence.
The Census from 2001 indicated that there were 58,652 people able to speak Gaelic,
65,674 able to speak, read or write Gaelic and 92,396 able to speak, read, write
or understand Gaelic. The 2001 Census also demonstrates that Gaelic decline
has slowed down and has almost halved from the decline of the previous decade
of 1981 to 1991. There are also encouraging trends with the number of Gaelic
speaking primary school-age children growing.
Government support for Gaelic commenced in 1979-80 with a grant from the Scottish
Office to An Comunn Gàidhealach, the organisers of the Royal National
Mod. Comunn na Gàidhlig, the Gaelic development body, was set up in 1984
with support from the Scottish Office. A scheme of specific grants for Gaelic
education was started in 1986 and funding for Gaelic broadcasting commenced
in 1992.
The Scottish Executive has built on the earlier Scottish Office support for
Gaelic language and culture. Since 1999 there have been considerable developments,
which have had the effect of strengthening the position of Gaelic in Scotland.
Gaelic is now available at all levels of education and with much improved resources
and materials. Gaelic medium education is included in the framework of national
priorities in school education and the Executive seeks to monitor and measure
the extent to which education authorities respond to parental demand.
Scottish Executive support for Gaelic centres on education, cultural organisations,
and broadcasting. In addition to direct support through the Scottish Executive,
Gaelic is supported by local authorities, the Scottish Arts Council, Highlands
and Islands Enterprise and the Enterprise Network.
Language legislation, as is proposed in this draft Bill, is not uncommon. From
Wales to New Zealand, it is an established and proven method of protecting and
supporting minority languages. This draft Bill seeks to contribute to a sustainable
future for Gaelic in Scotland. The aim is to increase access to Gaelic in Scotland's
public life and thus to increase the use and appreciation of Gaelic and the
confidence of speakers and learners.
The continued existence of Gaelic in Scotland is important. It gives Scotland
a link with aspects of its past, with its land and people and demonstrates that
diversity and the rights of minority communities will be valued and protected.
This is an issue of social justice and support for Gaelic is consistent with
the policies at the heart of Scottish Executive's Partnership Agreement
for a Better Scotland.
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