Feumaidh Bile nan Cànan a bhith gu math nas treasa na tha i

Le Bile nan Cànan ga chur air chois an t-seachdain ’s a chaidh, bidh beagan de dhòchas ann gun tig na h-oidhirpean air a’ Ghàidhlig a leasachadh anns na sgìrean traidiseanta a chur air slighe cheart mu dheireadh thall.

Tha a’ Ghàidhlig 'aig crois rathaid riatanach'

[English-language version below]

Gu deimhinne, tha na h-amasan farsaing a tha innte rim moladh (nach eil an-còmhnaidh). ‘S e an cnap-starra, ciamar as urrainn an coileanadh.

Chan eil mòran fiosrachaidh mhionaidich innte, aig an ìre-sa co-dhiù: chan eil guth air targaidean agus chan eil iomradh sam bith air maoineachadh, an darna cuid, am bi barrachd ri fhaighinn no an tig a’ phoit a tha ann an-dràsta a stiùireadh ann an dòigh eadar-dhealaichte.

An teas mheadhan na Bile, mar chlach-stiùiridh follaiseach, tha gum bu chòirear “Sgìrean Cudromach Cànain” a chruthachadh far a bheil ceangal eachdraidheil is culturail ris a’ chànan.

Tha fhios gur e dòigh a tha seo air cuid dhe na draghan a th’ ann a fhreagairt. Anns an sgrùdadh acadamaigeach, “The Gaelic Crisis in the Vernacular Community”, chaidh càineadh cruaidh a dhèanamh air poileasaidhean agus iad a’ cumail a-mach nach bi sgeul air a’ Ghàidhlig mar chànan coimhearsnachd ann an deich bliadhna eile mura tig cùrsa ùr a stiùireadh. Tha còrr air trì bliadhna bho nochd an aithisg sin.

Mar a bhios fios aig a’ mhòr chuid, tha airgead an Riaghaltais a thaobh na Gàidhlig air a stiùireadh tro Bhòrd na Gàidhlig agus chaidh càineadh gu leòr a dhèanamh orra-san air cho beag ‘s a bha iad a’ dèanamh dha leithid na h-eileanan.

Ann an co-chomhairleachadh poblach, dh’iarr cuid de luchd-iomairt Coimiseanair Cànain a stèidheachadh, mar a tha aca ann an Èirinn. Bhiodh uallach air an neach seo sùil fharsaing a chumail air gnothaichean poileasaidh agus na gearanan nach eileas a’ dèanamh gu leòr a làimhseachadh. Cha deach am moladh sin idir a thoirt air adhart anns a’ Bhile.

Tha mòran a-rèiste a’ crochadh air na sgìrean cànain a tha seo.

Tha e follaiseach gun tig barrachd feòil a chur air na cnàmhan, ach fiù ‘s aig a sin, bidh an uimhir a dhragh ann g’ eileas a’ cur na h-uimhir a’ chuideim air na h-ùghdarrasan ionadail, leis an staing ionmhais anns a bheil iad. Cha bhi mòran dòchas ann mas ann orra-san a bhios an t-uallach ‘s tha sin fìor mu foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig cuideachd.

Airson a’ chiad uair, tha am Bile a’ toirt àite dha Albais ann an reachdas, ach a-rithist, an tig sin le tuilleadh airgid (mar a tha cùisean, ‘s iongantach gun tig) no an tig oidhirp sam bith a thoirt à sporan na Gàidhlig?

Mar a thuirt Ball-Pàrlamaid nan Eilean Siar, Alasdair Allan, tha a’ Ghàidhlig “aig crois rathaid riatanach agus ‘s e an dòchas a th’ agam leis a’ Bhile a tha seo, an cois barrachd oidhirp aig ìre coimhearsnachd, gun neartaich e suidheachadh na Gàidhlig airson nan ginealach ri thighinn”.

‘S e an duilgheadas, ged-tà, a dh’aindeoin amasan taiceil, nach eil an slighe air adhart a dh’ionnsaigh a’ chinn-uidhe sin idir soilleir. Agus tha an ùine a’ ruith a-mach.

English-language version:

The publication last week of a new Languages Bill by the Scottish Government has given campaigners some sense of hope that efforts to revitalise Gaelic in its traditional communities can finally be put on the right track.

While the broad brush aims are, of course, commendable (aren’t they always), the stumbling block will be in how the Bill will actually achieve any of its stated aims, given the paucity of detail, the absence of measured practical outcomes and the failure to mention any additional or re-prioritised funding. A cynical perspective might well refer to a “Hill o’ Beans”.

A central element in the Bill seems to be the creation of “areas of linguistic significance” to help provide a better framework for Gaelic development in communities where there is a historic and cultural link. It’s hard to see this as anything but a direct response to the criticism contained in the acclaimed “Gaelic Crisis in the Vernacular Community” academic report, which decried a policy failure to arrest the decline in the traditional communities (ie, the islands) and which predicted that the language would disappear as a means of day-to-day communication in the space of ten years.

As anyone who has an interest in Gaelic-related matters will know, Scottish Government funding is channelled through the national development agency Bord na Gaidhlig, which has hardly escaped criticism themselves. In the public consultation leading up to the Bill, campaigners called for the establishment of a Language Commissioner, along similar lines to that which exists in Ireland, who could provide policy oversight. That, however, has been rejected in the Bill. So, it all seems to hang on these “areas of significance”.

It’s clear that the detail is intended to come later, but, even still, there will be concern over the direct reference to more action by local authorities, which have already been left facing the brunt of the public sector squeeze. Any expectation on them to pick up the burden, or to further enhance education provision, is unrealistic in the current climate and unlikely to result in any positive outcome.

For the first time, the Bill makes provision for Scots in legislation, but again it’s not clear if that will come with extra funding. As Na h-Eileanan an Iar MSP Alasdair Allan said, the Bill comes at a “critical juncture” for Gaelic. The only problem is that, as it stands, it fails to provide any real direction on a new way ahead.