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Campaign groups call on Humza Yousaf to appoint dedicated Minister for Scottish Languages

The Scots supporting group Oor Vyce and Gaelic supporting group Misneachd have launched a petition.

First Minister Humza Yousaf is being asked to create a new ministerial role.
First Minister Humza Yousaf is being asked to create a new ministerial role.

Activist groups for Scots and Gaelic have called on First Minister Humza Yousaf to appoint a dedicated minister for Scottish languages.

The Scots supporting group Oor Vyce and Gaelic supporting group Misneachd have combined and launched a campaign demanding the change.

They believe there is a “pressing concern” to preserve and develop Scotland’s “unique linguistic heritage”.

Now Mr Yousaf has appointed his cabinet, they have criticised the lack of clear accountability for Scots or Gaelic.

At the moment, responsibility for languages, including Scots, Gaelic, and British Sign Language, falls within the remit of education and skills secretary.

Former transport secretary Jenny Gilruth was given the role in Mr Yousaf’s cabinet shake-up.

Petition launched to rally support

Although the campaign groups say they have heard “warm words around Scots and Gaelic” in the SNP leadership campaign – they now want action.

They argue both languages require immediate action to prevent further decline.

A petition has been launched so the public can show its support for the new ministerial role.

Scots language
Doric street art in Aberdeen from the Graffiti Granarchists.

Oor Vyce campaigning for all Scots dialects

Campaign group Oor Vyce is a group of Scottish entertainers, writers, academics and political campaigners.

It wants to see Scots and all its dialects classified as a “legal language” and has been lobbying the Scottish Parliament to give Scots comparable funding, protection and legitimacy within society as Gaelic.

In December, a member of the organisation Iona Fyfe called out the BBC for poorly representing north-east accents on the TV show Granite Harbour which was set in Aberdeen.

Phil Reid, chairman of the group said: “The north-east Doric, Shetland, Orkney and Caithness all have extremely strong and vibrant dialects of Scots.

The chairman of Oor Vyce, Phil Reid. Image: Phil Reid.

“But Scots goes right down to the Borders.

“One thing Oor Vyce is trying to achieve is to bring these families of dialects together and realise there is more than connects them than separates them.

“It is good to be teaming up with the Gaelic language, sometimes people see us as in competition but it does not have to be like that.”

Listen to the different dialects of Scotland by clicking on the map below:

Misneachd focusing on wider Gaelic issues

The campaign has also been organised by Gaelic campaign group Misneachd, which was founded in 2016.

Its goals will be broader than Oor Vyce’s and will focus on wider issues impacting Gaelic speakers.

Gaelic is widely spoken on the Western Isles. Image: Sandy McCook. DC Thomson.

As well as the language, it will be raising concerns around the issue of lack of housing for young people which causes a “fatal” threat to the language.

Campaigners await consultation findings

Advocates for both languages are currently awaiting the results of the recent consultation on the Gaelic and Scots and Scottish Languages Bill.

A Scottish Languages Bill is expected to be passed during this parliament based on its findings.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The education secretary is the senior member of government for languages – which includes Gaelic and Scots.

“Gaelic and Scots are significant elements of Scotland’s culture and we are committed to seeing them both thrive and grow across the country.”

To sign the campaigner’s petition, visit the change.org website.

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