Roadsign in Mallaig

In the Gàidhealtachd (the Gaelic-speaking parts of Scotland) the use of the Gaelic language on road signs instead of, or more often alongside English is now common, but has historically been a controversial issue of symbolic rather than practical significance for people on both sides of the debate. A road sign in Gaelic and English at Mallaig, western Scotland. ... A road sign in Gaelic and English at Mallaig, western Scotland. ... Mallaig harbour from the ferry to the Isle of Skye Mallaig is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. ... The Gàidhealtachd, sometimes known as A Ghàidhealtachd (the Gàidhealtachd), usually refers to the Scottish Highlands in Scottish Gaelic. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... A German Autobahn overhead direction sign A U.S. warning sign indicating that drivers who do not wish to exit immediately should merge left, and a prohibitory No Stopping sign Most countries erect signage, known as traffic signs or road signs, at the side of roads to impart information to... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

In the 18th and 19th centuries, map makers recorded Gaelic placenames in often erroneous anglicised versions. One would expect important towns like Stornoway or Portree to have slightly different names in different languages, but it is unusual for this to be the case with small hamlets or minor topographical features, and the Anglicisation of placenames was resented by educated Gaels. In the 20th century, Inverness County Council, which until the latter part of the century was known for its antipathy towards the Gaelic language, was responsible for erecting road signs throughout the Highlands. The council insisted that these be entirely in English and follow the spellings on the Ordnance Survey maps. Gaelic language organisations had limited resources and thus did not see opposition to this policy as a priority. Anglicisation is a process of making something English. ... Stornoway may refer to: Stornoway, the major town and administrative centre of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland; Stornoway, the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition in Canada; Stornoway, a television broadcasting and production company. ... Portree (Gaelic Port Rígh, the Kings port) is the only town on Skye in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. ... Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. ...

In 1973 however, the issue was forced onto the public agenda as a result of the Skye road sign controversy. The council was planning to build a new road south from Portree, and required to purchase a strip of land belonging to landowner Iain Noble. Noble offered to donate the land to the council on condition that the three signs which were to be erected on the stretch of road be bilingual. The proposal was fiercely resisted by the council, and in particular by Lord Burton, Chairman of the Roads Committee, who later that same year attempted unsuccessfully to introduce legislation in the House of Lords limiting the use of Gaelic by Scottish local authorities. However Noble was supported by a petition signed by many prominent Skye residents, and the experience of Wales, where bilingual signposting had already been accepted, was favourable. As the issue had aroused public interest, and a compulsory purchase order might have been slow and expensive, the council negotiated a compromise; Portree and Broadford both received bilingual signposts on an "experimental" basis. The Old Man of Storr, Skye The Isle of Skye, usually known simply as Skye (Scottish Gaelic: An t-Eilean Sgiathanach) is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. ... Motto: (Welsh for Wales for ever) Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff Official language(s) English, Welsh Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM Unification    - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056  Area    - Total 20,779 km² (3rd... Broadford is the second-largest town on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. ...

As Noble had hoped, and the council feared, this set a precedent, which was gradually followed throughout the 1980s and became generally accepted in the 1990s. Today, bilingual signposting is the norm throughout the Western Isles and also in large parts of the mainland. Its significance in marking a turning-point in the fortunes of the Gaelic language community generally cannot be underestimated.

Source

Roger Hutchinson, A Waxing Moon: The Modern Gaelic Revival, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh, 2005. ISBN: 1 84018 794 8.