Let’s celebrate Gaelic culture

SCOTT Walker makes a valid point when he says the Celtic language, Cumbric, pre-dates the existence of Gaelic, as anyone who visited he splendid exhibition on the Celts held at the National Museum of Scotland would agree (Forget the myths, here are some facts about Gaelic, Letters, October 16).

On the other hand, Paul Brownsey’s comments indicate that he has no empathy for Gaelic and for its lyrical descriptiveness, which can make English seem prosaic by comparison. He demonstrates little understanding of its place in the history and culture of Scotland. To advocate that this piece of our heritage should be allowed to wither and die seems to me to be the philosophy of the Philistine. However, at the end of his letter, perhaps we are given a clue when he asks “what is the point of trying to make Scotland different from England”. The fact is Scotland is different from England and the diversity and differences in the cultures of these two nations is something that we should celebrate rather than advocate that we become one grey homogeneous mass. Douglas Turner Edinburgh The assertion that Gaelic was never spoken throughout mainland Scotland is shown to be false by Professor WFH Nicolaisen’s research on Scottish place names. This is what my letter of October 2 said. I said nothing in favour of Gaelic road signs yet Paul Brownsey writes as though I did.

Moreover, my letter has nothing to do with “land-and-language mysticism”, a term introduced by Mr Brownsey, the meaning of which he – presumably – thinks he knows but did not give. Mr Brownsey will benefit from reading Nicolaisen’s book, as will Mr Walker. John Fleming Glasgow