[lg policy] Ian Cowley: Language is a cultural treasure we must covet

[Harold Schiffman]

 Ian Cowley: Language is a cultural treasure we must covet

The level at which the languages of Scotland – with the exception of
English – have been ignored and often despised in recent years is something
that has always surprised and saddened me.

The reaction by some to MSP Christina McKelvie’s use of the word ‘thae’ in
Holyrood during the recent Article 50 debate shows that prejudice and
ignorance still surround the use of Scots in daily life.

Language is a cultural treasure and some might say the maximum expression
of who we are and where we’re from. The negativity surrounding the usage of
Scots in our country has been rife for so long that it seems ingrained in
the consciousness of many people to see it somehow as a lesser language and
its usage something to be frowned upon. In linguistic terms, all languages
are equal as a method of human interaction.

Languages are not merely a tool for communication however, they also
express a ‘localised’ way of life which has no equivalent in other tongues.
It’s often mentioned that the Inuit languages have over 50 words for
‘snow’. In Scotland we have fantastic words such as ‘ceilidh’ or ‘clan’
which have no equivalent in other languages, yet we all know what they
mean.

Words like these carry a richness and evoke a way of life which are
immediately identifiable with Scotland and its people.

While the older generation still talk of being punished and beaten for
speaking Scots when they were younger, it’s heartening to see new
initiatives taking off as a result of the 2015 Scots Language Policy. It’s
also heartening to see that Gaelic, such a fantastic expression of our
cultural heritage, still clings on through initiatives such as Bòrd na
Gàidhlig or BBC Alba.

I live in a country where Basque, Catalan and Galician co-exist as official
languages alongside Spanish. I have two young daughters who are being
schooled entirely in Basque, as is the policy of the Basque autonomous
region of Spain. Nobody looks down on you here for speaking Basque, indeed
it’s encouraged to such an extent that for the first time in years, active
speakers are in the ascendency.

That’s not to say that Spanish is excluded. Basque speakers also speak
Spanish and bilingualism is the norm rather than the exception. The Basque
language permeates society here and Basque people see themselves as
custodians of their language - they feel the duty to pass over the language
to future generations.

As a language isolate, Basque doesn’t resemble Spanish at all. However, the
Romance language of Catalan does have many similarities to Spanish, as is
the case with Scots and English. What differs over here is that you would
never hear Catalan being referred to as an inferior version of Spanish.

It’s high time we stopped relegating Scots to Burns Night and encouraged
the use of Scotland’s languages at all levels of society.

Ian Cowley is a communications manager who currently works for a start-up
based in San Sebastian, Spain

http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/ian-cowley-language-is-a-cultural-treasure-we-must-covet-1-4375827


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