LL-L "Language policies" 2003.10.25 (02) [E/S]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 25.OCT.2003 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
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From: Gaidheal <gaidheal at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language Policy (?)

Latha math, a Lowlanders;

The following series of letters was printed in the Scotsman; I recieved them
from the Yahoo! group Iomairtean GÃ idhlig. I thought it'd be interesting to
share.

>Lumpen racism
I read in the newspapers that the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, is ti
breenge aheid wi identity cairds, wi the backin o the Prime Minister, Tony
Blair, despite ither fowk in the Cabinet aa against it.
It's an affront ti hunners o thousans o Scots that's nationalists like
masel, wantin independence, aa fair seik o Blunkett jylin bairns on Scottish
grund, an Tony Blair takkin the kintra ti war illegal - wi the possible
affcome that we'll aa be gart pey reparations til the Iraqi fowk yit whan
thae fowk ar again independent thairsels - for ti be askin us ti cairry onie
sic a thing.
I cuid hae peyed the poll tax in its time, but I didna, no afore it wis duin
awa wi, whit wi aa the fowk protestin. I thocht I shuid pey the siller an no
land ither fowk peyin ma share o the common guid.
But I canna see the day I'll iver cairry a caird frae Mr Blunkett ti say I
can byde in ma ain bit. Whit's mair, the fowk he's efter pi! ckin oot,
pleyin up ti lumpen racism, ar walcome here ti stey in ma bit as faur as I'm
concerned, an I'm no jynin onie state conspiracy against them.
I dout he'll find the'r a wheen ither fowk thinks like me. The
cairds'll juist be brunt public an the siller wastit.
JOHN LAW
Blackford
Perthshire

>Double-Dutch
John Law (Letters, 16 October) is clearly adept at speaking double-Dutch,
not only in his views but also in whatever language he was trying to use to
make his point about identity "cairds".
It looked more like a mish-mash of everyday English, a very
few "Scots" words and mispronounced or misspelt English. Its overall effect
was jarring and disconcerting, and detracted from his message.
The few Scots words seemed to include such as "breenge" and "wheen", etc,
with examples of the misspelt variety abounding in "aheid, cairds, seik,
kintra, fowk, walcome, thairsels" to the
ridiculous "Scots"/English words with one consonant missing, such as "dout,
thous-ans, askin", etc.
I take it that there are no Scots words for "I (Ah?) read in the
newspapers that the Home Secretary (Hame Seecretairie?)", and "identify,
Prime Minister (Heid Bummer?), Cabinet, against, it,
possible, independent, illegal, share, comm! on, thinks like me", etc.
At least the poor children who are forced to learn pointless Gaelic, won't
have too much difficulty learning this "Scots" nonsense when it is added to
their overcrowded curriculum, as apparently there are moves to do.
JIM ADAMSON
The Barony
Cupar, Fife

>Rich Gaelic culture
While John Law (Letters, 16 October) may have written in what is technically
known as "thin Scots", he at least had the courage of his convictions to use
Scots in this context.
Regardless of his attitude to Scots, Jim Adamson (Letters, 22
October) reveals himself to be a utilitarian when he uses the
dismissive "pointless" to describe a language as culturally rich as Gaelic.
ALLAN H RONALD
Netherfield Road
Polmont, Stirlingshire

Bear in mind that Jim Adamson is a *violently* anti-Scots and anti-Gaelic
person; one or two letters of mine in response to him have been on the
Scotsmen's website before. Note how he dogdes the issue of Identity Cards to
mock Scots.

Beannachdan,
Uilleam Ã’g mhic Sheumais

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