I blogged earlier that Historic Environment Scotland has announced a consultation on its Gaelic Language Plan for 2023-2026 (see http://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2023/03/historic-environment-scotland-gaelic.html). It's one of many public bodies to have done so, for example, the National Library of Scotland's current Gaelic Language Plan for 2019-2024 is available at https://www.nls.uk/about-us/corporate-documents/.
A key component of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 is the development of Gaelic Language Plans, which “help to formalise and communicate to an organisation's staff what its policy is in relation to Gaelic matters, and makes clear to users and learners of Gaelic what services they can expect to access through the Gaelic language” - the definition given by the Scottish Government (Riaghaltas na h-Alba) itself within its Gaelic Language Plan for 2022-2027, as outlined at www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-governments-gaelic-language-plan-2022-2027/.
The National Records of Scotland is a non-ministerial department of the Scottish Government. In 2019 I asked the NRS via Twitter whether it had a plan, and was advised that “NRS is working with stakeholders to develop a Gaelic language plan, in tandem with our work to prepare for Scotland’s Census 2021” (https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2019/06/nrs-is-working-on-gaelic-language-plan.html). The 2022 census (as it became due to Covid) was indeed made available bilingually to the public, which was very welcome (I filled in my own copy in Gaelic), but apart from this, there hasn't been a peep about the organisation's policy towards the language since then.
So today I asked again, as follows.
“Hi @NatRecordsScot, as a Non-Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government, can you advise how you are implementing the @scotgov Gaelic Language Plan 2022-27? What measures are being implemented to make #Gàidhlig more visble at our national archive? Thanks. @S_A_Somerville”
These were the responses:
“Hi there, today we announced the display of the Declaration of Arbroath which has a free downloadable information booklet in Gaelic. Gaelic culture has an important place in our archive.
“You can find more information on our website including the commemoration of the tragic sinking of the HM Yacht Iolaire and linkages of many famous Scots to Gaelic heritage.”
I have to be honest and say that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. A Gaelic Language Plan is simply not about having a web page online about a topic from history for several years (e.g. the Iolaire) and then claiming that this shows your organisation's undying love for one of Scotland's languages. Amongst many things it is about helping to raise visibility of the language itself, not stories from history, it's about encouraging the use of the language by staff, and to facilitate mechanisms so that members of the public, wishing to use the language, can be accommodated when making enquiries. It isn't about forcing the language on anyone who doesn't wish to use it, or taking away anything from the majority English speaking population.
Whilst the Gaelic Language Act created a Gaelic Language Board (Bòrd na Gàidhlig), it did not create obligations on statutory authorities to actually use the language, but it did create a framework for the creation of Gaelic language plans by Scottish public authorities, as advised by Bòrd na Gàidhlig. The wind of change in all things Gaelic is blowing harder by the day. The National Library of Scotland (Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba) has a Gaelic Language Plan is operation. Historic Environment Scotland (Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba) has a Gaelic Language Plan in operation, and is currently consulting on its replacement.
The National Records of Scotland (no equivalent Gaelic name on display, but it could go for Clàran Nàiseanta na h-Alba or Tasglann Nàiseanta na h-Alba), in failing to make any visible provisions for the language, is seemingly sticking two fingers up to the Gaelic speaking population of Scotland, both fluent and learners.
The same argument could also be made of all public bodies to those of the Scots speaking population, for which the political arguments for better representation still need to be made with the Scottish Government (and it is ironic to me as an Ulsterman that I come from a country that has better legal provisions for the Scots language than Scotland does itself). But there is legislation in place for Gaelic, and this is a question of compliance with the spirit of the law, as much as the letter of it. The NRS has always seemingly to me projected its own institution as being Edinburgh-centric, but the use of the word 'national' here seems particularly deficient.
I have again asked a question of the NRS in response to its replies to me:
Chris
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