APC the Leader of the resistance?

It looks like author Angus Peter Campbell/Aonghas P(h)àdraig Caimbeul has emerged as the leader of the anti-establishment movement in the Gaelic world. Recently he spoke out about the unelected members of Bòrd na Gàidhlig who speak on the behalf of the Gaelic community. He was scathing about them. Before that he was writing in his WHFP column about the lack of support for Gaelic literature. Now his publicity for an appearance at a book festival states.

'Angus Peter enjoys robust discussion and is disappointed that Gaelic-speaking MPs grunt at the trough along with the other Orwellian piglets.'

An Claigeann aig Damiean Hirst and other stories

An uair 's gun tèid thu ann brùth air sgeulachd airson earran:

Once you get there click on a story to read a gaelic extract:

An Claigeann aig Damiean Hirst

For reasons that may be obvious to some, Tìr nan Còtaichean Geala is the Gurnmeister's favourite story in this collection :-)

Oidhche mhath a chàirdean

Forargyll mygaleic thread comes back to life.

One for serious study if you have an interest in whether Bòrd na Gàidhlig gave value for money with the £250,000 mygaelic.com site and attendant publicity. The forargyll thread has been around for a while but has recently come back to life, it's a long read but illuminating.

Where bilingual signs are not a problem

Thanks to Hamish for forwarding this picture from a part of Britain where bilingual signs are commonplace.

Beanntan, Uisge agus Spòrs

Blog le Dòmhnall ann an Gàidhlig le cuideachadh airson luchd na Beurla / Donald's blog in Gaelic with help for non-Gaelic speakers. Beanntan, Uisge agus Spòrs

Film goirid mu Julie Fowlis

Lorg bhidiothan eile mar seo air AbairThusa

Gaelic In The Home TIP Course Coming To Nairn

Brath naidheachd CNSA

CNSA are pleased to announce that the hugely popular and effective Gaelic In The Home TIP Course will be coming to Nairn for 2 weeks, in July 2009.
It is also good to state that this much sought after course, will have a number of new aspects that will do much to bring the Gaelic learner, to fluency even quicker than before.
What we want is for those who are joining a course and are fortunate enough to have access to a fluent speaker, be they husband, wife, aunt, uncle, cousin, friend; in fact any acquaintance that one can encourage, cajole, persuade, whatever, to come along and participate. The idea is to have them play a part in extending and enhancing the course strategies beyond their current range, both in the course arena and the learner’s home.
Such actions will add another 2 strong dimensions to the Gaelic experience that a learner is immersed in. Firstly they will hear in both environments much more Gaelic than they were previous subject to. And secondly, it will bring Gaelic back into their home where, it naturally should be.
The second point is an absolute essential ingredient if we are truly serious in wanting to establish family intergenerational models; vital to the future of Gaelic.
Accordingly, if you or any member of your family or any of your friends are fluent in Gaelic, then please get in touch with CNSA …01542-836322,
or email finlay@cnsa.org.uk as we are always in need of people to help and support us with our work, especially with courses.
If you do join the growing band of Gaelic speaking families; we want everyone to join in, not just families, we also want to see other adults, I promise you will find the experience both enjoyable and pleasantly rewarding, irrespective as to whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced Gaelic learner.

Soidhnichean rathaid da-chananach, Bilingual road signs

There's been a lot of talk recently about bilingual road signs being potentially dangerous after the statement from the Scottish transport minister Stewart Stevenson. Mr Stevenson has since claimed his statement has been widely misunderstood and now it seems the review will be considerably speeded up. Quite enjoyable was the reaction from Doctor Micheal Foxley, one of the three leaders of the Highland Council, at the Gaelic committee meeting on Thursday:

“The view that your cognition skills are reduced by 41% in terms of reading bilingual signs indicates that you have a serious mental health problem and you’re not fit to drive a modern car. If you can’t cope with bilingual signs you just need to walk, or the keys should be taken from you and you should be taken home gently." A full report of that meeting here.

Folk in other countries seem to manage well why should Scotland be any different?

Thanks to Akerbeltz for the picture.

Leabharlann Inbhir Narann - Nairn Library

Nairn resident Russell Foley recently had a letter published in the Press and Journal. He has a legitimate argument that is worthy of debate, he thinks Gaelic cannot be a modern means of mass communication. Here's his letter as it appeared in the P&J:

Hieroglyphics belong in the past
SIR, – In the middle of Nairn High Street is a building displaying some hieroglyphics, which I cannot read, and have no intention of learning.
Alongside these incomprehensible words is also written Nairn Highland Library. As a long standing resident of Nairn, and a regular library user, I have never known anyone who could not find Nairn Library or who has inquired about it in anything but English.
I would therefore suggest that the proliferation of such dual-language signs should be low down on the spending of public monies.
I am not against spending money on the preservation of Gaelic. But we should not try to make it into something it is not, a modern means of mass communication.
We must recognise that the Gaelic world as it formerly existed is gone.
Russell Foley,
Nairn.

Fair enough Russell on the mass communication point, it is worthy of debate, however the Gurnmeister would like to take issue with you over the matter of the Gaelic name for Nairn library being 'hieroglyphics'. That is taking your argument a bit too far isn't it? 'Narann' is pretty close to Nairn and 'Inbhir', there's no shortage of Inbhir/Inver' s in Scotland. There's one just along the road at Inverness (Inbhir Nis), the modern name for Nairn has dropped its Inver but remember we have an establishment in Nairn that continues the name with the Invernairne Hotel. 'Leabharlann' means library, a difficult one yes if you have no previous knowledge of Gaelic. As to the cost factor, proponents of bilingual signs say that it actually costs very little to put into practice if you simply do it every time signage needs replacement. Perhaps a bit more Gaelic signage in the High Street might liven the place up a bit and make it more interesting for locals and tourists alike.