English is unknown in Scotland...totally alien.
do all Scottish, Irish and Welsh speak English?
The suggestion that Gaelic and Welsh are on the decline because they are "difficult" languages to learn is absurd and should be dispensed with immediately.
The simple, sad reason for the decline of these languages is that they are just not as useful as English in terms of making a living and getting on the world.
The simple, sad reason for the decline of these languages is that they are just not as useful as English in terms of making a living and getting on the world.
JJM has hit the nail on the head I think ;). What I think the Irish and Welsh governments should do if they're seriously interested in helping their native languages survive, is to offer financial advantages to those using Welsh or Irish as the everyday language of their household. There's not usually a better incentive than money. :P
Tax deductions...........higher paid jobs...........etc. you get the idea.
Ben.
Tax deductions...........higher paid jobs...........etc. you get the idea.
Ben.
"The suggestion that Gaelic and Welsh are on the decline because they are "difficult" languages to learn is absurd and should be dispensed with immediately.
The simple, sad reason for the decline of these languages is that they are just not as useful as English in terms of making a living and getting on the world."
But have you tried to revive them? If a language is useful or not is a question of time and how many who are saying "it is not useful"! If Welsh and Irish is not useful, can't we say Norwegian too??? Only 4, 5 millions are speking Norwegian and it's nothing compared to English anyway! Why can't we all throw away our own languages and start to speak English? (if it's that you want)
I don't want the whole world to speak the same language anyway!
And for the "difficult" thing, it depends on how difficult your mother tongue is! For me (a Norwegian) it's terrible to learn Latin (with all the cases) and I see English as the easiest thing in the world! But I've heard those who say that English is so difficult! It depends on what kind of language structure you are used to!
The simple, sad reason for the decline of these languages is that they are just not as useful as English in terms of making a living and getting on the world."
But have you tried to revive them? If a language is useful or not is a question of time and how many who are saying "it is not useful"! If Welsh and Irish is not useful, can't we say Norwegian too??? Only 4, 5 millions are speking Norwegian and it's nothing compared to English anyway! Why can't we all throw away our own languages and start to speak English? (if it's that you want)
I don't want the whole world to speak the same language anyway!
And for the "difficult" thing, it depends on how difficult your mother tongue is! For me (a Norwegian) it's terrible to learn Latin (with all the cases) and I see English as the easiest thing in the world! But I've heard those who say that English is so difficult! It depends on what kind of language structure you are used to!
<<English is unknown in Scotland...totally alien.>>
Well that's certainly true in Glasgow!!
Well that's certainly true in Glasgow!!
<<Writes but neither speaks nor reads Gaelic
901>>
How can you write a language but not be able to read it?
901>>
How can you write a language but not be able to read it?
The key difference between the situation for Norwegian and that for Welsh or Gaelic is that it is not competing with English for use at the national level.
A Norwegian can have a full and productive life in Norwegian in Norway. A Welsh or Gaelic speaker risks marginalization in their own country if they do not master English.
A Norwegian can have a full and productive life in Norwegian in Norway. A Welsh or Gaelic speaker risks marginalization in their own country if they do not master English.
The problem with these "minority" Languages, such as Welsh and Gaelic, is that they are of no use or consequence at all outside their very limited localities, even within Scotland and Wales themselves.
At least in Wales there have been very determined measures to maintain the Language but there again only really effective in those areas where the Language is strongest......limited in area and mainly furthest away from the English border. In the capital city of Wales - Cardiff - only about 3% of the resident population, at most, are able to converse effectively in Welsh...most not at all.
Here in Edinburgh, capital city of Scotland, the % of the population able to understand, let alone speak, Gaelic is practically zero.
Scottish Gaelic is even more restricted, and even more localised...again confined almost entirely to the remotests parts of the north and north-west of Scotland, especially the Western Isles.
At least in Wales there have been very determined measures to maintain the Language but there again only really effective in those areas where the Language is strongest......limited in area and mainly furthest away from the English border. In the capital city of Wales - Cardiff - only about 3% of the resident population, at most, are able to converse effectively in Welsh...most not at all.
Here in Edinburgh, capital city of Scotland, the % of the population able to understand, let alone speak, Gaelic is practically zero.
Scottish Gaelic is even more restricted, and even more localised...again confined almost entirely to the remotests parts of the north and north-west of Scotland, especially the Western Isles.
***<<English is unknown in Scotland...totally alien.>>
Well that's certainly true in Glasgow!! ****
Bingo! ..... aye...I meant Glasgow really! :-)
Well that's certainly true in Glasgow!! ****
Bingo! ..... aye...I meant Glasgow really! :-)
There are several jobs in Wales which require a knowledge of Welsh before you can be considered for them - mainly local Government, teaching, the Police service and official occupations like those. I'm not sure if that requirement applies right across the board in Wales, or just in those areas where Welsh is strongest. I shall have to consult the oracle....my mate down in Anglesey...on that issue.
I can't believe that a knowledge of Welsh would be of much use in places such as Gwent (or Monmouthshire as it once was called) or in the other areas bordering onto to England, or in the cities of South Wales, or the Anglicised areas of North East Wales, but my mate will put me wise on that one.
I can't believe that a knowledge of Welsh would be of much use in places such as Gwent (or Monmouthshire as it once was called) or in the other areas bordering onto to England, or in the cities of South Wales, or the Anglicised areas of North East Wales, but my mate will put me wise on that one.
"A lot of the time, they converse with each other in English, but then speak Welsh to an English-speaker who can't speak Welsh. "
I suggest you take it as a hint Adam.
I suggest you take it as a hint Adam.
"JJM has hit the nail on the head I think ;). What I think the Irish and Welsh governments should do if they're seriously interested in helping their native languages survive, is to offer financial advantages to those using Welsh or Irish as the everyday language of their household. There's not usually a better incentive than money. :P
Tax deductions...........higher paid jobs...........etc. you get the idea.
Ben. "
Unfortunately there is a chance that the Irish government is moving in the opposite direction.Irish is presently compulsery in all schools from the time they start as a child and finish at seventeen/eighteen.It has been proposed to make Irish optional one a child goes to secondary school (12-17).
Tax deductions...........higher paid jobs...........etc. you get the idea.
Ben. "
Unfortunately there is a chance that the Irish government is moving in the opposite direction.Irish is presently compulsery in all schools from the time they start as a child and finish at seventeen/eighteen.It has been proposed to make Irish optional one a child goes to secondary school (12-17).
>>The simple, sad reason for the decline of these languages is that they are just not as useful as English in terms of making a living and getting on the world."<<
Just for the record, as has been stated before in this very thread, Welsh is NOT declining!
Just in case the Guest who said the quoted text somehow fails to understand my above line, I will say it again: Welsh is NOT declining!
Just for the record, as has been stated before in this very thread, Welsh is NOT declining!
Just in case the Guest who said the quoted text somehow fails to understand my above line, I will say it again: Welsh is NOT declining!