Language barrier

Making a fetish of these odd creations called “countries” reaches new heights in Ian Johnstone’s attack (Letters, 9 November) on a reader who spoke of Gaelic as a hobby language. He writes: “Crawford Mackie is really relishing a low opinion of himself.”

His reasoning seems to be that Gaelic is crucial to Scotland and that, living here, Crawford Mackie is somehow identical to Scotland, so in attacking the promotion of Gaelic Mr Mackie is attacking himself.

Mr Johnstone should try to appreciate a different perspective on countries. They are artificial creations, often brought into being by thugs or crooks, and with all sorts of accidents entering into their creation (such a rainstorm on a wet Wednesday preventing a cavalry charge so that the other lot were able to kill most of this lot).

It is a sad thing when people identify themselves or others with countries, and that applies just as much where the country is England or Britain as where it is Scotland.

Paul Brownsey

Larchfield Road

Glasgow