LL-L "Language politics" 2004.06.09 (04) [E/S]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 09.JUN.2004 (04) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Andy (Scots-Online) <andy at scots-online.org>
Subject: "LanguagePolitics" [S/E]

This airticle wis prentit in the Aiberdeen Press & Journal. Micht be o
interest tae fowk that's thinkin on veesitin Scotland for tae enjoy the
linguistic heritage. It seems the tourist buird wad prefer ye didna.
Andy Eagle
______
      TOURIST OFFICES STAFF TOLD TO TONE DOWN THEIR LOCAL SLANG

      IAN ABERNETHY

      09:00 - 04 June 2004

      Excuse me, what's a brae?

      Is there a difference between a loch - a lock and a lake?

      Such queries by non-Scottish visitors to tourist information centres
in the Highlands are standard, and usually answered helpfully and humorously
by the counter staff.

      Yet they have now been issued with a VisitScotland edict to "haud
their wheesht" when it comes to using their own local dialect.

      The high heid yins in Edinburgh have drawn up new guidelines for TIC
assistants.

      Included are instructions to avoid using local dialects, "jargon or
slang".

      So visitors to Fort William Tourist Information Centre, the busiest in
the Highlands, will not be hearing the weather described as "dreich ? with
the rain persisting in pouring down".

      They won't be directed to an evening "ceilidh" for the "craic".

      Nor will they be allowed to hear any other short, sharp and
descriptive Gaelic phrases which are part of Fort William's everyday
conversation.

      VisitScotland's newly introduced "Quality Service Standards" are aimed
at providing clarity of explanation during customer contact ? in person or
by phone.

      One staff member in the Highland area responded by saying: "This is
having the opposite effect to that which was intended ? by making all of us
pretty crabbit.

      "Here we are - Highlanders employed by VisitScotland to promote
Scotland ? and we are being denied the basic right of speaking as we were
brung up!"

      He went on: "So, if a bed and breakfast is up a brae, do we have to
tell the customer it is on a steep hillside? The visitors have enough
problems in distinguishing between a loch, a lock and a lake ? so do we not
now emphasise the ch sound to help them

      understand the difference?"

      A VisitScotland spokeswoman said yesterday : "Revised guidelines have
been drawn up by people responsible for TIC staff throughout Scotland, and
they have had wide consultation.

      "It's to provide clarity of explanation to visitors of all
nationalities, avoiding local slang, and letting them understand us."

      But Highland MSP, Mary Scanlon was well scunnered.

      She said: "This shows that VisitScotland fails to value local culture.
Who are they going to employ who does not have the dialect of the area ?
people from outwith it? "

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