Direct Doric

I commend your report by Alison Campsie (7 March) on the emergence of Doric in the North East of Scotland. It does seem odd that whereas only 0.6 per cent of speakers in Aberdeen have any Gaelic that our station signs be marked with Obar Dheathain. When one considers that some 49 per cent of speakers in Aberdeenshire have at least a smattering of Doric, the situation does seem unbalanced.

Far be it from me, as a former teacher of modern languages, to de-emphasise the importance of Gaelic; nor would I wish to see the Doric equivalent on station signs – Aiberdein. However, Doric is central to our culture in the North East in a way that Gaelic is not. That apart, I would rather see fewer “confident individuals” and “effective contributors” in our schools (Curriculum for Excellence) than a loon fa kent fit a yavin wis.

DONALD THOMSON Salisbury Terrace, Aberdeen