[lg policy] Scottish Government signs a formal agreement for the use of Gaelic in the EU

[Harold Schiffman]

  Scottish Government signs a formal agreement for the use of Gaelic in the
EU [image: Print]<http://www.eblul.org/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=240&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=1>
[image:
E-mail]<http://www.eblul.org/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emailform&id=240&itemid=1>
  Monday,
12 October 2009

While it will not become Europe's 24th "official" language, from now on
Scottish Gaelic speakers can write directly to EU bodies in their mother
tongue and receive a reply in Gaelic.  Scottish Ministers will also be able
to use Gaelic at EU Council meetings with other EU ministers.

The deal was sealed in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Brussels by
the UK's EU ambassador, Sir Kim Darroch, and by Donald Henderson, Scotland's
EU director last week.

The memorandum, similar to that signed for Welsh, establishes the technical
arrangements to allow Gaelic to be used within EU institutions.

Scotland’s Culture Minister Michael Russell, said co-operation between the
Edinburgh and London governments had helped achieve progress on making the
use of Gaelic in Europe a possibility.

Speaking to the press he said: "I am very pleased that the Scottish
Government's strong advocacy for Gaelic has finally paid off.

"I commend and am grateful for the level of co-operation that has been
achieved between the two governments on this matter and welcome the progress
made on making the use of Gaelic in Europe a possibility.

"This is a significant step forward for the recognition of Gaelic both at
home and abroad and I look forward to addressing the Council (of EU
ministers) in Gaelic very soon.

"Allowing Gaelic speakers to communicate with European institutions in their
mother tongue is a progressive step forward and one which should be
welcomed."

"Seeing Gaelic spoken in such a forum raises the profile of the language as
we drive forward our commitment to creating a new generation of Gaelic
speakers in Scotland."

Under the new arrangement, interpretation will be provided only from Gaelic
into English, and not from English into Gaelic - and the cost of providing
interpretation and translation will be paid by the Scottish Government.

The EU has 23 "working" languages, into which all EU documents and debates
are translated and interpreted.

It is also a success for EBLUL who have been working constantly for the
recognition for the other national and regional languages of Europe at the
EU level.

*Co-official status*

Speaking to Eurolang, Donald Henderson, the Head of the Scottish Government
EU Office in Brussels, said that. “The Scottish Government welcomes the
cooperative approach adopted by all parties in working to ensure Scottish
Gaelic be regarded as a co-official language of the European Union.  The
arrangements are now in place for co-official status and this will allow an
increased level of Gaelic use and an increased level of recognition within
the institutions of the EU.   The Scottish Government recognises that Gaelic
is an essential aspect of both the heritage and current cultural life of
Scotland.  The revitalisation of Gaelic requires its increasing use in a
wide range of situations and achieving  co-official status within the
institutions of the EU offers the opportunity to pursue this aim.”

Ministers agreed in principle nearly four years ago on the limited use of
languages in addition to the official working languages, including languages
which have legal recognition within States such as Welsh, Catalan and
Basque.

Sir Kim Darroch told the press that: "These arrangements will help to build
a closer link between EU institutions and speakers of Scottish Gaelic by
allowing them to raise their concerns and have them addressed directly in
their native language.”

He added that the UK Government would continue its efforts to support the
use of the UK's other national languages with all the EU institutions. “We
hope to conclude arrangements with the European Parliament, the European
Economic and Social Committee and the EU Ombudsman very soon." (Davyth
Hicks, Eurolang 2009)

http://www.eblul.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=240&Itemid=1



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Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone:  (215) 898-7475
Fax:  (215) 573-2138

Email:  haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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