Gaelic in place

Published on Thursday 2 July 2009 20:51

Dr Michael Newton (Letters, 26 June) accuses the editors of The Scotsman's place names booklet of "intellectual laziness or some enmity towards the Gaelic language" as they state that, the Lothians and Borders "were never Gaelic speaking".

It is surprising that an academic should be so misinformed as to think that the Lothians and Borders were Gaelic-speaking at any time, unless he is referring to the small and insignificant settlements made by the aristocracy from Scotia, who undoubtedly were granted lands there when the area became Scottish in the late tenth century. However, at no time before then, or thereafter, was Gaelic the language of the Lothians and Borders. There are a few Gaelic names in the area, but very few indeed. In my experience, WJ Watson, to whose book Dr Newton refers, attempts to give every place name a "Celtic" origin.

However, if Dr Newton is thinking of other kinds of so-called "Celtic" place-names, there are, indeed, plenty. One only has to consider the likes of Roslin and Tranent, Penicuik and Peebles to realise the significant pre-Anglian origins of many place-names in the area. They are not, however, Gaelic, but Brythonic (Cumbric).

The Lothians and Borders are unique in Scotland in that they were never a conquered area, unlike Pictland, or the South-west. Thus, there was no forced imposition of Gaelic here as there was elsewhere in Scotland. Even in King David I's reign, the "English" nature of the South-east of Scotland (or "Lothian", as it was called) was clearly acknowledged in place names, personal names, customs and even basic measurements. It was not until the 13th century that the South-east of Scotland even considered itself Scottish.

ANDREW HN GRAY

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh