Fantasy Bob has noticed current controversy in the popular press (well the Scotsman newspaper anyway) about the Gaelic Language Plan being developed by the National Galleries of Scotland. As FB understands it, all public bodies in Scotland have to prepare such a plan designed to promote the Gaelic language which, most regretably, is teetering on the verge of extinction. As FB's body is pretty public, or at least it was one Saturday last season as he came out of the Carlton shower to discover the back door wide open, unless and until he receives contrary legal advice, he assumes this requirement attaches to him.
Scottish history suggests that c
ricket was not that popular in the Gaeltacht at the best of times but playing numbers dipped big time after the Test at Culloden in 1746. Bonnie Prince Charlie put the Hanoverians in to bat. The wicket wasn't as green as he imagined and he succumbed to an innings defeat. Something approaching genocide followed. Then lamentations. Some are still lamenting.
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| Hanoverian batsmen taking guard at Culloden |
So there is work to do. FB has therefore prepared the following handy translator for any cricketing situation. Careful use of the translator will allow the player or spectator to translate essential cricketing terms to or from Gaelic:
English | Gaelic |
cricket | cricket |
wicket | wicket |
yorker | yorker |
googly | googly |
.........er, that's it.
Slàinte mhòr agad.
Tapadh leat for that Fantasy Bob. Sadly the climate will always be the biggest barrier to cricket in the Gaeltachd.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, there has been a full-blown cricket league on the go in Argyll over the last few years, while the return of Calum MacLeod to join his brother at Uddingston may mean that we hear the mother tongue out in the middle at least once at Grange Loan this season.
And that may be better than some of the language that is heard on some Saturdays.
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