Calls have been made not to forget the importance of Doric language and culture in efforts to promote Gaelic.
Members of Moray Council corporate committee agreed a draft Gaelic language plan should go out for consultation at a meeting this week.
The move was widely backed. However, there was concern that encouraging the use of Gaelic could negatively impact the use of Doric.
SNP councillor for Keith and Cullen Theresa Coull said: “I’ve a little bit of a worry. I hope that it won’t be detrimental to our own Doric language. It is getting used less and less with each generation.”
She asked if it was possible for both languages to be taken forward together. However, she was advised while work was ongoing to promote Doric and Scots in schools, unlike Gaelic there was no statutory obligation to do so.
I’ve been a councillor for 24 years, and I’ve only had one constituent that’s raised the issue of Gaelic.”
— Elgin South councillor John Divers
Marc Macrae, Conservative member for Fochabers Lhanbryde said: “I think it’s important that the Scottish Government shows as much respect to our language, dialect and culture here in the north-east of Scotland.”
Appetite for Gaelic language and culture
Labour councillor for Elgin South John Divers felt promoting the language was not a priority for people in the area.
He said: “I’ve been a councillor for 24 years, and I’ve only had one constituent that’s raised the issue of Gaelic.”
SNP councillor for Fochabers Lhanbryde Shona Morrison believed there was “great passion and desire” from younger people to learn the language.
She said: “There’s quite an appetite from our young children and teenagers to embrace the Gaelic language and culture.
“Lots of people maybe don’t speak it but they sing it.”
The council’s Gaelic language plan will go out for a six week consultation from Thursday.
A revised plan will then be brought to the committee for approval. It will then be formally submitted to Bord Na Gaidhlig.
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