Gaelicdebaterumbleson

I thank Jimmy Begg for his contribution to the debate about the rehabilitation of Gaelic in Scotland.

I would be the first to agree that the place names of Ayrshire are a result of several layers of Celtic languages, plus some Norse, Anglisch and Norman French. However modern Scottish Gaelic is the only one which is still with us as as living language and it goes back 1400 years, even in Ayrshire, as is demonstrated by Kilmarnock( St Marnoc), Kilwinning( Saint Finnen), Saint Quivox , etc which are straightforwardly called after Saints associated with Columba and whose lives are documented. Jimmy like myself and most Scots carries a modern Gaelic surname.

I hope that his scholarly work will be used to sort out the origins of the less obvious place names of Ayrshire, which have been systematically distorted by educationalists, monoglot Anglophones and the Ordnance Survey. Gaelic is in a fragile state but it is having a wee renaissance, and with some official support, it’s own TV channel, and some goodwill, it might survive. I think Jimmy is looking to the interests of the ‘ auld Scots tongue’, which nobody speaks, writes or supports more enthusiastically than me.

I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive. Highland weans who go to school only able to speak Gaelic, and lowland weans who can only speak Scots, both become competent in school English within two or three years.

If either Scots or Gaelic makes some modest progress we should all celebrate.

Harry Corrigan, Air ( Ayr)