They should. Although of course Doric is still a vibrant language which is spoken naturally by many in the North -East without the need to be artificially kept on life support.
I can't remember is it after the Kessock bridge or the Dornich Firth that road signs have place names in Gaelic above English and in larger print ? (leading to confusion for everyone apart from the locals)
Doric place names wouldn't be too different apart from Turra and Fogieloan and people do actually call Turriff and Aberchirder those names. I had to think about what the proper name was for Foggie.
I would love to see all official Government documents issued in Doric!
It's a couple of years since I was north of Inverness, don't recall the roadsigns at all but then I knew where I was going.
When they first introduced Gaelic roadsigns in the western isles in the 80's, my Stornoway-born, Gaelic first language speaking friend pissed herself laughing. Like most native speakers back then, she was illiterate... (Fully literate in English, though.)
These days, there are fewer native speakers, but most who learn in school learn to read and write at the same time as they learn to speak. I have no objection to Gaelic roadsigns, they don't cost anything more than a wee bitty paint.
I remember my first day in my new primary school in Aberdeen aged 7 not having a clue what people were saying. Now nearly 30 years later and no longer in Aberdeen I can speak it like a native. When I met il's they asked me if I could understand what sil said because they had known her 14 years and we're only up to about 80%. She's from Peterheed
I worked in Fareham for a while and my boss was from there, she coped with my accent but when my Aberdonian colleague was on the phone she just couldn't cope. She finally broke when he was on the phone to his mother and said "fit kwine, yer dippit" and she had to ask for a translation, then shouted at him for being rude to his mum.
Doric place names wouldn't be too different apart from Turra and Fogieloan and people do actually call Turriff and Aberchirder those names.
My family are in Buchan. I genuinely though the Broch and Fraserburgh were different places. Similarly Fishie and Fetterangus and Crichie and Stuartfield.
Something lovely and warm about being invited for "8 o'clocks and a fancy piece"..
My family are in Buchan. I genuinely though the Broch and Fraserburgh were different places. Similarly Fishie and Fetterangus and Crichie and Stuartfield
Apologies I had overlooked them. And Fittie for Footdee
YouMake My dear departed DM was from Durris. Her family had moved to the Borders when she was about 6, and her older sister (my aunt) was about 12. My aunt had retained her accent and a lot of the Doric words, and we hooted with laughter at STW, so we thought we'd be fine when we went to visit distant rellies in Durris for a weekend when I was 16. The rellies had never left Durris. DM was fine, she joined in like she'd never been away, but DF and I couldn't follow a word of the conversation!
I remember when I was at early primary in Aberdeen being furiously told off for not speaking proper 'English' (mixture of doric and v. strong Aberdeen accent). Result was I developed a 'posh and proper' accent for school. So much so that when we moved further south new stuck up school teacher was surprised I came from Aberdeen because 'you dont sound like you come from Aberdeen'. Asked if I went to private school. Think she was a bit upset/somewhat surprised when she realised i came from a v. poor background
Am aytin a bowil o Cullin Skenk is a set n read es anoo! N am nae jokin' eethur.
Wis jist speakin aboot es i' wurk es week. I teach at the school n a the bairns er encouridged t' speak and write in thur ain tongue! Wu've evin go' a language uni' far the gi' take watch Scotland the What, bi' i' wid be 'fit' far I'm fae, nae 'what'!
Mony a pupil has deen weel in thur creative writin grade be writin in Doric or indeed oni ither dialect kaint bae thumsels!
I was back home recently for a wedding just outside Peterheed, and DD2 met some of the relatives that she hadn't met before - and stood there with a fixed smile, as she had not the least clue what they were saying! I haven't lived in Aberdeenshire for 40 years, but when I go home (and it is still home - something in the air there sings to me), i can pick up as though i had never left. I moved to the Borders when I was 10 (and escaped several years ago) and never got the hang of their slang, which didn't and doesn't bother me. Why shouldn't Doric not be added to the signs? To me, Gaelic looks like someone has been sick with the alphabet.
Start new thread in this topic |
Watch this thread |
Flip this thread |
Refresh the display
