Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
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Dynabertawe
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 2:14 am
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
This is a very important topic for me being a Celtic language speaker. What can be done to reverse its decline?
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
Hi, I'm Irish, and my Gaelic (like most people's) is not very good, despite 15 years of schooling in it. What they are doing over here now, is the Gaelscoile movement, where parents send their children by choice to all Irish-speaking schools from a primary level. The children seem to pick up the language by choice much better, and also the academic and discplinary records of these schools are much better than the English-language schools (which obviously demonstrate the superiority of Gaelic Culture 
). That's my tuppence on it anyways.
). That's my tuppence on it anyways."We are never so happy, never so unhappy, as we imagine"
Le Rochefoucauld.
"A smack in the face settles all arguments, then you can move on kid."
My dad 1986.
Le Rochefoucauld.
"A smack in the face settles all arguments, then you can move on kid."
My dad 1986.
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Dynabertawe
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 2:14 am
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
Galbally;880418 wrote: Hi, I'm Irish, and my Gaelic (like most people's) is not very good, despite 15 years of schooling in it. What they are doing over here now, is the Gaelscoile movement, where parents send their children by choice to all Irish-speaking schools from a primary level. The children seem to pick up the language by choice much better, and also the academic and discplinary records of these schools are much better than the English-language schools (which obviously demonstrate the superiority of Gaelic Culture ). That's my tuppence on it anyways.
Thanks Galbally, I'm glad the Irish Govt is being proactive in helping in it survive.
It's the same in Wales - standards/exam results are between 20-30% higher than English schools.
Do you know what % of Irish schoolkids go to Gaelscoile? In Wales it's now almost 40%.
Are these schools also in the cities? When I was in school 20 years ago, there was hardly any Welsh spoken on the housing estates in the cities, nowadays, that's all you hear, esp in Swansea.
). That's my tuppence on it anyways.Thanks Galbally, I'm glad the Irish Govt is being proactive in helping in it survive.
It's the same in Wales - standards/exam results are between 20-30% higher than English schools.
Do you know what % of Irish schoolkids go to Gaelscoile? In Wales it's now almost 40%.
Are these schools also in the cities? When I was in school 20 years ago, there was hardly any Welsh spoken on the housing estates in the cities, nowadays, that's all you hear, esp in Swansea.
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
Dynabertawe;880420 wrote: Thanks Galbally, I'm glad the Irish Govt is being proactive in helping in it survive.
It's the same in Wales - standards/exam results are between 20-30% higher than English schools.
Do you know what % of Irish schoolkids go to Gaelscoile? In Wales it's now almost 40%.
Are these schools also in the cities? When I was in school 20 years ago, there was hardly any Welsh spoken on the housing estates in the cities, nowadays, that's all you hear, esp in Swansea.
That I don't know, but I am sure there are figures from the department of Education somewhere. I will see can I find them for you.
It's the same in Wales - standards/exam results are between 20-30% higher than English schools.
Do you know what % of Irish schoolkids go to Gaelscoile? In Wales it's now almost 40%.
Are these schools also in the cities? When I was in school 20 years ago, there was hardly any Welsh spoken on the housing estates in the cities, nowadays, that's all you hear, esp in Swansea.
That I don't know, but I am sure there are figures from the department of Education somewhere. I will see can I find them for you.
"We are never so happy, never so unhappy, as we imagine"
Le Rochefoucauld.
"A smack in the face settles all arguments, then you can move on kid."
My dad 1986.
Le Rochefoucauld.
"A smack in the face settles all arguments, then you can move on kid."
My dad 1986.
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suzy_creamcheese
- Posts: 135
- Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:15 am
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
i dont know what the percentage of gaelic schools are in scotland. I know my friends daughter goes to one in Edinburgh, but i believe it was quite over subscribed.
More needs to be done to promote regional languages before they die out altogether, and i think that means more schools with those languages as a priority
More needs to be done to promote regional languages before they die out altogether, and i think that means more schools with those languages as a priority
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Dynabertawe
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 2:14 am
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
Galbally;880460 wrote: That I don't know, but I am sure there are figures from the department of Education somewhere. I will see can I find them for you.
That would be interesting, thanks!
That would be interesting, thanks!
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Dynabertawe
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 2:14 am
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
suzy_creamcheese;880464 wrote: i dont know what the percentage of gaelic schools are in scotland. I know my friends daughter goes to one in Edinburgh, but i believe it was quite over subscribed.
More needs to be done to promote regional languages before they die out altogether, and i think that means more schools with those languages as a priority
I wasn't aware of bilingual Gaelic schools in Scottish cities, that's interesting!
More needs to be done to promote regional languages before they die out altogether, and i think that means more schools with those languages as a priority
I wasn't aware of bilingual Gaelic schools in Scottish cities, that's interesting!
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
Hi
This problem with traditional ( minority) languages is not confined to the British Isles
here in Holland we have Friesian. A language confined to a small province in the north of the country.
Most villages speak it but there are variations throughout the province making it even more difficult for an outsider to learn. It is taught to children at primary school (although most already speak it) and at secondary school it is now a chosen subject, until 3 years ago it was compulsory for at least 1 lesson a week.
The tourist board in Friesland has a campaign 'speak Friesian' (praet mer Fryske) and produces Tshirts, mugs, ect ect to encourage recognition and to keep the profile of this minority language high.
As well as this we have local television programs and news reports in Friesian, there are night classes giving adults or people coming in from outside the province the chance to learn, and the provincial newspaper prints a supplement in Friesian in the Saturday issue.
All of this helps but even so, with the influx of people from outside and the need for children to learn English , German or French to get good jobs the future of this language is bleak.
This problem with traditional ( minority) languages is not confined to the British Isles
here in Holland we have Friesian. A language confined to a small province in the north of the country.
Most villages speak it but there are variations throughout the province making it even more difficult for an outsider to learn. It is taught to children at primary school (although most already speak it) and at secondary school it is now a chosen subject, until 3 years ago it was compulsory for at least 1 lesson a week.
The tourist board in Friesland has a campaign 'speak Friesian' (praet mer Fryske) and produces Tshirts, mugs, ect ect to encourage recognition and to keep the profile of this minority language high.
As well as this we have local television programs and news reports in Friesian, there are night classes giving adults or people coming in from outside the province the chance to learn, and the provincial newspaper prints a supplement in Friesian in the Saturday issue.
All of this helps but even so, with the influx of people from outside and the need for children to learn English , German or French to get good jobs the future of this language is bleak.
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
The trouble with minority languages, however important they are culturally & historically, is that they don't sit well with the international culture of things like the internet. To make someone learn two languages may just be complicating (or even limiting) their access to the wider world we're all living in these days.
That might be why these minority languages are struggling. Making children learn them in schools may be good for the local culture, but if it's at the expense of other qualifications they may get (a brain can only learn so much, especially for the less able), is that the best way to prepare them for the twenty first century?
That might be why these minority languages are struggling. Making children learn them in schools may be good for the local culture, but if it's at the expense of other qualifications they may get (a brain can only learn so much, especially for the less able), is that the best way to prepare them for the twenty first century?
Is Scots Gaelic in crisis?
Dynabertawe;880411 wrote: This is a very important topic for me being a Celtic language speaker. What can be done to reverse its decline?
Gaelic isn't in decline anymore, but it has been under threat for many years. Like Welsh and Irish, it was seen as barbaric and not to be used by civilised humans.
Gaelic isn't in decline anymore, but it has been under threat for many years. Like Welsh and Irish, it was seen as barbaric and not to be used by civilised humans.
An ye harm none, do what ye will....