SP
The 1.1% stat was for Gaelic speakers in Scotland at the last census, according to Wikipedia.
JO
I've read that very page, Steve, and it's very worrying.
It doesn't have critical mass now and it's hard to see how it can achieve that, even with the existence of BBC Alba, the Gaelic radio station, and the slow growth in Gaelic-speaking schools.
johnnyboy
Founding member
The 1.1% stat was for Gaelic speakers in Scotland at the last census, according to Wikipedia.
I've read that very page, Steve, and it's very worrying.
It doesn't have critical mass now and it's hard to see how it can achieve that, even with the existence of BBC Alba, the Gaelic radio station, and the slow growth in Gaelic-speaking schools.
KE
I'm not sure myself. I have Sky and I can get them both but I have no idea about Virgin.
To be honest, I was thinking more about viewership with Scotland itself rather than rUK.
I find the case of BBC Alba very interesting. I am a linguistics graduate who obviously loves language and I am fully in favour of that channel and S4C in their efforts to preserve and promote a language. These languages are an intrinsic part of our island's story, as are the languages of the people who have come to live on the island in the last few decades and which have developed UK-specific varients. All of them need as much TLC as possible.
I worry for the future of Scottish Gaelic and I fear that efforts to save the language are around 100 years too late.
BBC Alba does have ways of appealing to non-Gaelic speakers, in order to increase its audience though.
For example, it includes English subtitles on some programmes. It also shows things like music and sport, which will appeal to non-Gaelic speakers.
It also shows Speaking Our Language, which will appeal to people to want to learn Gaelic.
Not sure that's a tremendously helpful comparison, as only 1.1% of the potential audience understand the language BBC Alba broadcasts in.
I'm not sure myself. I have Sky and I can get them both but I have no idea about Virgin.
To be honest, I was thinking more about viewership with Scotland itself rather than rUK.
I find the case of BBC Alba very interesting. I am a linguistics graduate who obviously loves language and I am fully in favour of that channel and S4C in their efforts to preserve and promote a language. These languages are an intrinsic part of our island's story, as are the languages of the people who have come to live on the island in the last few decades and which have developed UK-specific varients. All of them need as much TLC as possible.
I worry for the future of Scottish Gaelic and I fear that efforts to save the language are around 100 years too late.
BBC Alba does have ways of appealing to non-Gaelic speakers, in order to increase its audience though.
For example, it includes English subtitles on some programmes. It also shows things like music and sport, which will appeal to non-Gaelic speakers.
It also shows Speaking Our Language, which will appeal to people to want to learn Gaelic.
JO
I'm not sure myself. I have Sky and I can get them both but I have no idea about Virgin.
To be honest, I was thinking more about viewership with Scotland itself rather than rUK.
I find the case of BBC Alba very interesting. I am a linguistics graduate who obviously loves language and I am fully in favour of that channel and S4C in their efforts to preserve and promote a language. These languages are an intrinsic part of our island's story, as are the languages of the people who have come to live on the island in the last few decades and which have developed UK-specific varients. All of them need as much TLC as possible.
I worry for the future of Scottish Gaelic and I fear that efforts to save the language are around 100 years too late.
BBC Alba does have ways of appealing to non-Gaelic speakers, in order to increase its audience though.
For example, it includes English subtitles on some programmes. It also shows things like music and sport, which will appeal to non-Gaelic speakers.
It also shows Speaking Our Language, which will appeal to people to want to learn Gaelic.
I know the football is a big draw to many non-Gaelic speakers to the channel.
I do wonder how many viewers An La and the like get? It's interesting that they've launched both CBeebies and CBBC strands to their schedule. I also wonder how many, out of the 50,000 primary speakers of the language, are children?
johnnyboy
Founding member
Not sure that's a tremendously helpful comparison, as only 1.1% of the potential audience understand the language BBC Alba broadcasts in.
I'm not sure myself. I have Sky and I can get them both but I have no idea about Virgin.
To be honest, I was thinking more about viewership with Scotland itself rather than rUK.
I find the case of BBC Alba very interesting. I am a linguistics graduate who obviously loves language and I am fully in favour of that channel and S4C in their efforts to preserve and promote a language. These languages are an intrinsic part of our island's story, as are the languages of the people who have come to live on the island in the last few decades and which have developed UK-specific varients. All of them need as much TLC as possible.
I worry for the future of Scottish Gaelic and I fear that efforts to save the language are around 100 years too late.
BBC Alba does have ways of appealing to non-Gaelic speakers, in order to increase its audience though.
For example, it includes English subtitles on some programmes. It also shows things like music and sport, which will appeal to non-Gaelic speakers.
It also shows Speaking Our Language, which will appeal to people to want to learn Gaelic.
I know the football is a big draw to many non-Gaelic speakers to the channel.
I do wonder how many viewers An La and the like get? It's interesting that they've launched both CBeebies and CBBC strands to their schedule. I also wonder how many, out of the 50,000 primary speakers of the language, are children?
JA
Does the football on BBC Alba have an English soundtrack, like the sport on S4C does?
Rather confusingly though, on Virgin at least, it's the audio track labelled Welsh that has the English commentary, whereas the track labelled English has the Welsh.
Rather confusingly though, on Virgin at least, it's the audio track labelled Welsh that has the English commentary, whereas the track labelled English has the Welsh.
JO
Which sounds crazy but it means Welsh audiences would automatically get the English commentary otherwise.
BBC Alba has shown rugby with English commentary in the past but for most sport they don’t have the rights. Also it’s less important Alba because they don’t have any advertising.
Does the football on BBC Alba have an English soundtrack, like the sport on S4C does?
Rather confusingly though, on Virgin at least, it's the audio track labelled Welsh that has the English commentary, whereas the track labelled English has the Welsh.
Rather confusingly though, on Virgin at least, it's the audio track labelled Welsh that has the English commentary, whereas the track labelled English has the Welsh.
Which sounds crazy but it means Welsh audiences would automatically get the English commentary otherwise.
BBC Alba has shown rugby with English commentary in the past but for most sport they don’t have the rights. Also it’s less important Alba because they don’t have any advertising.
GL
I've read that very page, Steve, and it's very worrying.
It doesn't have critical mass now and it's hard to see how it can achieve that, even with the existence of BBC Alba, the Gaelic radio station, and the slow growth in Gaelic-speaking schools.
I wouldn’t worry too much. It’s a slow revival, but a revival nonetheless. The number of Gaelic Medium schools is increasing throughout the country, meaning thousands of kids with no recent Gaelic family connections are now fluent. The draw for parents is the excellent all-round results the schools achieve. One theory being that teaching in a bilingual environment stretches students more and helps them to learn other languages with ease. Gaelic has a future. BBC Scotland? Not so much!
The 1.1% stat was for Gaelic speakers in Scotland at the last census, according to Wikipedia.
I've read that very page, Steve, and it's very worrying.
It doesn't have critical mass now and it's hard to see how it can achieve that, even with the existence of BBC Alba, the Gaelic radio station, and the slow growth in Gaelic-speaking schools.
I wouldn’t worry too much. It’s a slow revival, but a revival nonetheless. The number of Gaelic Medium schools is increasing throughout the country, meaning thousands of kids with no recent Gaelic family connections are now fluent. The draw for parents is the excellent all-round results the schools achieve. One theory being that teaching in a bilingual environment stretches students more and helps them to learn other languages with ease. Gaelic has a future. BBC Scotland? Not so much!
JA
Which I guess leads to the strange situation where the vast majority of people watching can't understand the commentarry!
BBC Alba has shown rugby with English commentary in the past but for most sport they don’t have the rights. Also it’s less important Alba because they don’t have any advertising.
Which I guess leads to the strange situation where the vast majority of people watching can't understand the commentarry!
JO
Which I guess leads to the strange situation where the vast majority of people watching can't understand the commentarry!
What’s even odder on S4C and Alba you have often have the lead commentator swapping languages to bring the summariser in.
BBC Alba has shown rugby with English commentary in the past but for most sport they don’t have the rights. Also it’s less important Alba because they don’t have any advertising.
Which I guess leads to the strange situation where the vast majority of people watching can't understand the commentarry!
What’s even odder on S4C and Alba you have often have the lead commentator swapping languages to bring the summariser in.
DV
I got that too, not sure why.
In the latest Digiguide update, BBC 2 Scotland has been added back to the channel list.
I got that too, not sure why.