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What's interesting about these sorts of letters (and similar
campaigns) is the lack of reference to exactly why such provision is
needed - beyond the self-evident justification that these are
'Celtic countries' (Cornwall is not a country, but let's not get
caught on administrative details). It also conceals a greater
disconnection with actual public need. This is especially true in
the Cornish and Manx cases where there are no native speakers -
these languages having died out and been revived by enthusiasts.
There may be some 'neo-natives' - kids raised with the revived
language - which brings a whole new level of complexity that I won't
wade into here.<br>
<br>
This isn't to say these sorts of revival efforts aren't popular;
they often are. But that's not what motivates this sort of campaign.
There's no mention of that within this letter, nor is it especially
common in similar campaigns.<br>
<br>
There's also a slightly more worrying (perhaps unintentional) ethnic
exclusivity underlying these campaigns. This is not a campaign about
service delivery in languages that are appropriate (or even used) in
the community, but specific languages that are elevated officially
within these political-administrative units. In all cases they are
used by a minority within those units - with large regions of
non-use - and in two cases (Cornwall and Isle of Man) used natively
by nobody (barring neo-natives).<br>
<br>
I know the ambiguities in international law where these kinds of
'rights' originate, but it does seem something of a bridge too far
in such extreme cases. There is at least some rhetorical sleight of
hand going on here, which needs more critical attention.<br>
<br>
Dave<br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
Dr. Dave Sayers<br>
Honorary Research Fellow<br>
School of the Environment and Society<br>
Swansea University<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dave.sayers@cantab.net">dave.sayers@cantab.net</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://swansea.academia.edu/DaveSayers">http://swansea.academia.edu/DaveSayers</a><br>
<br>
<br>
On 19:59, Harold Schiffman wrote:<br>
<br>
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<pre wrap="">Store queried on Celtic languages policy
Source : Celtic League
Porte parole: Rhisiart Tal-e-bot
Publié le 23/07/10 23:23
MANX — The Celtic League General Secretary, Rhisiart Tal-e-bot, has
written to the Sainsbury's supermarket group querying the Companies
policy towards the Celtic languages. The ongoing initiative is part of
a general campaign that, in due course, will target stores from a
number of groups which operate in the Celtic countries (see below):
« Dear Sir/Madam
Language policy
I am writing to you to enquire what Sainsbury's policy is regarding
the use of the Cornish, Irish, Scottish and Welsh languages in your
stores in Cornwall, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. I have been informed
that Sainsbury's are currently leafleting people in the Llanbedr Pont
Steffan (Lampeter) area to promote a new store that will be opening
there, but that there is not one word of Welsh on the leaflet. In an
email to Sainsbury's customer service department (RE: Welsh language
[SR 1-233793507]) on 15th June 2010, a Sainsbury representative
replied, after speaking with a Welsh speaking colleague in a Sainsbury
store in Swansea, that:
»...the name badges are clearly marked if they can speak Welsh, so
that customers have the opportunity to speak to somebody in either
language. The signage in store is also written in English and Welsh.«
However, even though we are pleased to hear that is the case in the
store in Swansea, can I have your assurance that this is also the case
in all your stores in Wales? In addition, my organisation would also
like to know what Sainsbury's language policy is in your stores in the
other Celtic countries mentioned above. I would like to point out
that, even though private companies are not obliged to provide
services in other languages, all of the languages mentioned above do
have some form of protection in the countries to which they belong and
we would like to know what Sainsbury's is doing to promote and protect
that right. If Sainsbury's does not have a specific language policy as
part of its company, relating to the use of the above mentioned Celtic
languages, would you consider adopting one?
Further, in May 2007, I wrote to all the main supermarkets in the UK,
highlighting the fact that the Spanish supermarket, Eroski, use four
different languages on their own store products. In the letter I asked
if Sainsbury's had any plans to do the same with their own products in
respect of the different Celtic languages. In your response, a
Sainsbury's representative said that the company did not have any
plans to do this, but the Celtic League would like to know if
Sainsbury's would now consider this option?
At our 2009 AGM, the following resolution was passed:
This AGM:
»Urges supermarkets in the Celtic countries to adopt a bilingual
policy on their own branch products to include the Cornish, Irish,
Scottish, Manx and Welsh languages.«
I have therefore been tasked with writing to all supermarkets in the
Celtic countries of Cornwall, Ireland, Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales
to ask if they will consider adopting such a policy. I realise that
you don't have any stores in the Isle of Man, but would appreciate a
response to the above questions relating to the other Celtic
countries.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
Rhisiart Tal-e-bot »
An update on this campaign will be posted in a forthcoming issue of
the Celtic League journal CARN.
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League
09/07/10 ■
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.agencebretagnepresse.com/fetch.php?id=19219&title=Store%20Queried%20On%20Languages%20Policy">http://www.agencebretagnepresse.com/fetch.php?id=19219&title=Store%20Queried%20On%20Languages%20Policy</a>
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