Friday, March 25, 2011

Chunnaic mi soidhne dà-chànanach an-diugh!


Delighted that a bilingual sign has gone up in Lochloy - the first one of its kind in Nairn I think.
Tha mi air mo dhòigh glan gun deach soidhne dà-chànanach a chur suas ann an Lochloy - . Saoilidh mi gur e seo a' chaidh soidhne den leithid seo ann an Inbhir Narann.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

what is its purpose?

Graisg said...

a bilingual sign gives you the name of a place in two languages :-)

Anonymous said...

One language will be understood by close on 100% of those that see it, the other by ??%, so what is it's useful purpose?

Anonymous said...

One language can be read by close on 100% of those who see it. Important to delivery drivers,emergency services. posties, visitors to houses etc. The other language can be read by ??% of those who see it. Important to .....

Graisg said...

Useful purpose? That really depends how you feel about Gaelic and whether you support the language and thus want to see it receiving a greater public profile.
Personally I think it worth supporting.
Some folk will support this type of signage and think it useful, some will not. Apparently it doesn't cost much more to put both languages on new signs - you can see other good examples on the new road to the airport.
It is Council policy now to have all replacement and new signs bilingual so if you disagree then it is perhaps there that you should complain. It is interesting that all parties in the Scottish Parliament supported the Gaelic Act when it was passed unopposed - they wouldn't be offering public support to the language if they didn't think that was reflected in the Scottish population as a whole.

PS here's one that went up on the Dava last year:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gurnnurn/5019340331/in/pool-soidhnicheangaidhlig

Anonymous said...

All party support - all parties desperate to gather every possible votr.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure Anon if there are 100% Gaelic fluent people in Nairn, but there are quite a few people living here who have the language (some as their 1st language)

Nairnac said...

On the Gaelic issue in general, my heart says yes, but my head says no.
As for the bilingual signs, I find the gaelic interpretation makes the signs confusing and difficult to read and I can't see how anyone can argue otherwise, (although I'd be intersted to hear it), and as a propoganda excercise, as far as I'm concerned, they have back-fired on the proponents, by irritating me every time I see one.
Unfortunately the well paid single issue Gaelic Mafia in the Highland Council have a habit of getting up my nose, and that's sad since I'm speaking as someone with a bit of gaelic blood in me (so to speak).

Anonymous said...

Achareidh, Balblair, Cranloch, Lochdhu, Balmakeith, Altonburn,Druim, Drumduan, Hill of the Ord - just some of the Gaelic that surrounds us and we recognise everyday. Where's the confusion, where's the problem?

Anonymous said...

In actual fact there are more asian speaking people living in Scotand than Gaels.. Does that mean we will get 3 or maybe 4 languages on all signs? That will be fun...One rule for one...........

Nairnac said...

If I translate my earlier post into the gaelic, will you maybe publish it ? :)

Anonymous said...

If Birches Court and Dava signs please some people then that is fine. They are probably harmless. Bilingual signs on the A96 (airport roundabout) maybe not so good - more information than required, will need a second look by some drivers, a distraction at what can be a junction needing full attention to other road users.

Anonymous said...

This myth about drivers is always a bit of a red herring. Is there something wrong with drivers in this country (no, don't answer that) when everytime the issue of bi-lingual signs comes up someone says that they (the drivers) will have problems or be confused? How do drivers in other countries such as Wales, France, Belgium, Spain and Canada (to name a few) manage to cope?

Graisg said...

@ Nairnac It's up, for some reason I didn't get e-mail notifcation of that one. I thought you were referring to the Sandy one and not this thread

Yoshi said...

Tha mise air mo dhoigh ... mu dheireadh thall ...
[which roughly translates as "just because so many self-appointed Arbiters of Reason have been putting down our beautiful language for so many generations, doesn't make even ONE of them right"]
'S ann a bhios a choir mar a chumar i