Utilitarian language

It could, of course, be argued, as Michael Fry does, that, since English has become an international utilitarian language and a knowledge of it is necessary for business, it is a "futile exercise" to attempt to rejuvenate Gaelic. On this basis, at a global level, it could be argued on commercial grounds that the study of all surviving languages, other than English, is a waste of time and money.

We would then be moving towards a world with no cultural roots, where everybody knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. "Greed rule is ok" would have become an international universal religion. This is a recipe for global social collapse.

Before 1603, when James VI blithely took his court to London, nearly everybody in Scotland who did not speak Scots spoke Gaelic.

It would be very odd, indeed, if an independent Scotland were to ignore the cultural significance of Gaelic, the language of the ancient Scots kingdom, and Scots, which was the state language of Scotland before 1707.

(DR) DAVID PURVES

Strathalmond Road

Edinburgh