Re: Alternative history - a plea!

[raybrown@macline.co.uk (Raymond A. Brown)]

At 14:34 21/4/98, Padraic Brown wrote:
[.....]
>> I don't know much about the Irish position, but certainly Gaelic is
>> presently experiencing quite a revival in the highland regions of Scotland.
>
>If I'm not mistaken, its "official position" is much like Welsh --
>required in school, continued use in official channels, television and
>radio use, etc.

Not yet, I'm afraid.  Welsh has legal co-status with English throughout the
whole of Wales (if you insist, e.g. you have to tried in Welsh).  Certainly
this is not the case in Scotland.  However, I believe some of the Scotish
local authorities have given it official status within their own
jurisdictions.

>-- but I don't think it's making much headway.

That I really don't know.  It's difficult to travel in the Highlands
without being aware of the efforts of revivalists, but how deep the effects
are I honestly don't know.

>I read a
>relatively recent nationwide survey of Gaelic use, and the numbers weren't
>encouraging.  Unfortunately, it _wasn't_ one of the books I thought to
>photocopy from the library when I had it, so I can't give anything more
>precise than that. Ah, well.
>
>>
>> So it's not all doom & gloom even *here*.
>
>Better than I thought.

I think so. I'm sure Welsh & Breton will enter the 3rd millennium still
very much alive.

Ray.

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Written in Net English        Humor not necessarily marked

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