Gaelicgrumbles

Allan Sutherland (Letters, 11 August) says that according to research by Professor James Scott, the number of Gaelic students has declined from 371 in 2013 to 159 “now”. That’s an interesting observation, considering Professor Scott’s research covers the period from 1996 to 2014.

The fact is that Gaelic board chairman Allan Mcdonald’s

description of the increase in the interest in Gaelic medium education (GME) is accurate, as more recent figures show that in 2016 there were 3,892 pupils in GME. In fact, these figures probably underrepresent the current level of interest as there are around 56 schools and nurseries providing GME.

Not surprisingly, in Highland alone there are 21 nurseries, 21 primaries and 13 secondaries educating 1,294 pupils in Gaelic. All the schools in Na h-eileanan Siar (Western Isles) provide GME. These figures do not include students in universities and colleges. In my own college, Newbattle Abbey College, there has been a considerable increase in the uptake of Gaelic learning, with the current cohort doing very well in the last exams.

Speaking to Gaels, they used to be bemused by the irrational antipathy to Gaelic they experienced. However, they have become resigned to the fact that much of it is politically motivated and based on an erroneous perception that the promotion of Gaelic is an SNP project. Gaelic supporters believe the government fulfils the legal requirements incumbent upon it relative to the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act passed by the Labour/lib Dem coalition in 2005, but that it could do more.

Allan Sutherland’s contribution follows another by Robert I G Scott (Letters, 10 August). Mr Scott believes that Gaelic has usurped other languages and dialects, even though Gaelic was more widely spoken than any he mentions. He also seems unaware of the setting-up of the North East Scots Language Board, an initiative between North-east councils and the two Aberdeen universities to promote Doric in Aberdeenshire.

GILL TURNER Derby Street, Edinburgh