The state of the Gaelic language has been a hot topic on our Letters Pages since The Herald reported last week on the concerns of a Holyrood committee.
That prompted a response from a reader who argued that there are better uses for taxpayers’ money.
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Today a correspondent contends that the health of the language has more than a monetary value.
Ken Macdonald of Linlithgow writes: "'Wouldn't it be better to spend our hard-earned tax pounds on making us all a bit wealthier?' asks Stan Hogarth (Letters, July 26) with regard to the problems faced by the Gaelic language.
"I'm sure many people would agree with this sentiment which is largely selfish at heart. However, our taxes are spent on many things and none of us will have exactly the same priorities as each other. Sharing the £30million budget by the Government on the language in the last financial year throughout those priorities, that circa £6 per person will make little discernible difference at all to the services received. For example, if diverted in total into health and social care, it would represent only some 0.16% of its £19 billion budget or, if into education, around around 0.6% of its budget.
"However, let's look at it a different way. Consider if the Government were to announce that it was no longer going to support Historic Environment Scotland and, instead, spend that £68m budget on other activities to help make 'us all a bit wealthier'.
"There would be a furore, and quite rightly so. And, if our historical physical environment is seen to be worth saving, then why not other aspects of our culture? Add to that by recognising the influence Gaelic has on our natural environment; just look at a map and see how many of our place names are either in Gaelic or derived from it. Knowing Gaelic adds to the understanding of our country's natural environment as is perfectly illustrated by Strath Aibhne, now know as Strathaven. I'll leave Mr Hogarth to look at its meaning for himself.
"The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 was introduced by the Labour/LibDem coalition government we had at that time. It had the support of all parties and was passed unanimously. In closing the debate, Peter Peacock, the Education Cabinet Secretary at the time quoted Sorley Maclean who said that 'if Gaelic dies, Scotland will lose something of inexpressible worth, and the Gaels will lose almost everything'. That is as true now as it is was then and we will be a wealthier nation with Gaelic than without it."
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