Hidden language

Lesley Riddoch (Perspective, 19 August) confronts the poor health of certain parts of the Scottish population and mentions “meaningless lives”.

In that meaning and language are clearly related, there is a simple first step which ties in to the cultural argument about the “Scottish independence in the Edinburgh Festival debate” in The Scotsman of previous days.

Given that most of the disadvantaged citizens normally speak some Scots and many a 
lot, why not inform them of their cultural distinctiveness, teach their children more 
Scots in school, and let their 
parents realise the value to their well-being of their mother tongue.

If it is considered that the Scots language has no cultural or political force, then it has to be asked: why is there no Scots in the media; why the answer to the question “Do you speak, read, write Scots?” in the last census (2011) has not been published; why the Scottish Government does not make more than nominal efforts to support it; and why no plays, poetry, drama, or indeed opera in Scots feature in the Edinburgh Festival?

Does this constitute cultural suppression?

Iain WD Forde

Main Street

Scotlandwell, Kinross-shire