Anti-Gaelic Bingo
Is there a topic that you know a lot about, but that most people can only seem to grasp through stereotypes and misconceptions? A situation where no matter how hard you try, you cannot debunk people’s wrong-headed ideas?
Scottish Gaelic language and culture is like that. Even in Scotland. In fact, the Scottish media are a good place to find stereotypes, misconceptions, lies, and crazy ideas about Gaelic that just. Won’t. Die.
The bingo ladies do not approve.
My doctoral dissertation contains a long chapter titled “Ideologies of Gaelic in Scotland: Discourses of Death and Denigration, Revitalization and Redemption.” In that chapter, I analyzed the way that the Scottish media (and British/English media as well) talked about Gaelic. Using examples from 1999-2000 and earlier, I found certain recurring patterns of talk — repeating concepts, metaphors, and figures of speech. (I called them “discourses” — that’s one of many academic definitions of discourse.) Some of these ideas about Gaelic have been circulating in written form since the 1500s, like the idea that Gaelic resembles animal noises or that Gaelic speakers are animals. Others developed in later centuries with various trends in thinking (racism, Darwinism, neoliberalism, etc.). (In 2011, I published an article drawing on that dissertation chapter which has been pretty popular in academic circles.)
The thing about academic work is, once you put it out there in an approved format, other academics are responsible for taking it into account. It becomes part of “the literature” on that topic. If you are lucky, you may gather a small fan club of fellow academics who cite your stuff when they write their stuff. They might even assign your stuff to their students to read. You can sometimes lord it over people by saying “Clearly you haven’t read my article on the topic.” And if you are very lucky, your publication might help to earn or keep an academic job.
Beyond that, though, most people in the world will never read it, and will never care.
After I put this research out there on discourses of death, it would be nice to think that Scottish journalists, newspaper editors, and members of the public who write letters to said editors would read it and say “You know what? You’re right — we’ve been saying horrible and stupid things about Gaelic for centuries. We’ll change our minds now. We promise never to write or publish any lies, stereotypes, or easily disproven misconceptions again.”
Aye, right.
So, why not have some fun with it instead? BINGO!
Here are two bingo cards to use when you read newspaper articles about Gaelic. Playing a round of “anti-Gaelic bingo” will help you to spot the stereotypes, lies, and crazy ideas that are continually circulating, and recognize them for what they are. Consider it a form of cheap therapy to help you deal with the prejudice and misunderstanding. ’Se ur beatha.
Anti-Gaelic Bingo Card #1
Anti-Gaelic Bingo Card #2
I love this. I’m a non-native Welsh speaker and most of these things get said about Welsh too. It’s very tedious.
Your “Anti-Gaelic Bingo” would need few changes to be suitable as Anti-Welsh Bingo. Sadly, one hears very similar stereotypes, misconceptions, lies, and crazy ideas about Welsh.
An extra dimension in Wales is that the Welsh language is linked by the hard of thinking to one particular political party – Plaid Cymru. In vain I protest that there are Welsh speakers among members of all the political parties.
What a great idea. Have suggested an Anti-Scots version, including phrases like “dead or dying, has no grammar, has no standards, just a dialect of English like Brummie, old-fashioned, economically useless, Chewin the Fat, would stop children learning good English, working-class, can’t be taught, language of The Scheme, uneducated, reduced to a few dialects like Doric, rural, waste of money, artificial, an SNP plot, only spoken by pensioners, rough and unpleasant, Oor Wullie, Glaswegian/Doric/Shetland isn’t Scots, slang, Lallans, bad English, has no word for___, will have to wait till independence anyway”. As you see much of the anti-Gaelic discourse is used against Scots too. Sometimes, strangely enough, by Gaels!
A gan roond schuils in the auld grey toun learnin bairns Scots. Wan day a bairn says tae me, ” Ma mum says Ave no to speak Scots.”
Ye jist have says I ! (Weel, a wee bit)
A added, ” And whit aboot yir Spanish? Kin ye speak that?”
“Yes , that’s OK A think.”
So a language ye` ll only hear fir twa weeks a year in Benidorm is OK, but the leid that’s aw aroond ye ivry day isnae guid enough??
A didnae say that tae the puir bairn ,but it did gan through ma heid!!!
In fact, your Anti-Gaelic bingo could, with very few adjustments, be used for most endangered minority languages of the world. Thanks for the idea!
Truth be told, Anti-Gaelic bingo, slightly modified could be used while reading any of the various types of discourse around discrimination, no matter its stripe (be it based on language, skin color, religion, etc.). Those who spout this type of rhetoric are not very creative. They are, unfortunately, far too pervasive.
Another term to add to the Bingo card – “Medieval”. I was quite puzzled by the headline “Medieval Gaelic singer and poet lands dream role in Scottish-based US show Outlander” in Scotland Now. The singer in question is Gillebrìde MacIlleMhaoil, who is younger than I am, and I am not Medieval. Just middle-aged.
Neither is Gillebrìde’s repertoire in any sense Medieval, nor does he sing in anything but modern Gaelic. Quite often people who are anti-Gaelic or just ignorant of Gaelic will suggest it is not a modern language, but a relic of the past. “No one’s spoken that since the Middle Ages, have they?” and so on.
I’m with Johanna – from a linguistic point of view, the actual wording and patterns may vary, but conceptually, I think most minority languages are victims of such prejudices.
You could easily do a similar study on so-called “regional” languages in France – the comments people make on online media platforms are very similar – “waste of money”, “nationalistic”, “forced down on children” etc. I’ve definitly read these before on articles related to Occitan and Corsican, but I’m pretty sure deeper search would identify these patterns for other languages too. Pitiful really.
Many thanks for the fun anyway. I was thinking of trying to adapt the cards into French, but as you say, they’re discourse patterns, so a corpus analysis would be necessary first and I’m only a casual blogger. Still, maybe just one card…
This is wonderful! you’ve inspired me into making a Low Saxon Bingo Card as well. The same stereotypes, prejudices, and misconceptions are very much alive in Dutch media, and frankly, all Dutch public expressions regarding Low Saxon, and in fact, all Dutch minority languages (did you know there were three more? Well there you go). People keep repeating this horse sh*te :).
There’s a clear distinction though between well- and ill-intended stereotypes. They’re both wrong, but some are meant to make people feel better about it, while in fact they only make it worse. I mean romantic images such as old, rural, “just so much more expressive”, “there’s no formality in it”, etc.
I’m glad to hear it’s inspired you, and sorry to hear of the need for it. If you do make a card, please post a link here! (And feel free to tweet to me about it, @EmilyMcFujita on Twitter)
Hi Emily, thanks for your reply. the Low Saxon Bingo Card is right here:
https://www.facebook.com/Wearldsproake/photos/a.172058262815898.36398.130982260256832/1279188248769555/?type=3&theater
Thanks again.
Done one for Scots: https://www.facebook.com/MAKFORRIT/posts/1006113419573371. Thank you for the idea!
Mòran taing! Looks great. I will update the other Anti-Gaelic Bingo blog post with a link to it!
Mòran taing!
Is there anywhere to read your original paper? After following your link to the university of Chicago website it required a login and a quick google search came up short. I work as a Gaelic Development Officer and I’m currently trying to write a myth-busting article so would love to read the original paper!
I am actually getting ready to publish a volume of my collected essays in early 2019 and the original paper will be included in it! But please drop me a line through the blog contact form in the meantime!
What’s the title?
Thank you for the reminder! The was published the week that everything locked down for the pandemic–perfect timing! It is titled Gaelic Language Revitalization Concepts and Challenges:
https://www.bradanpress.com/books/gaelic-language-revitalization/
Tapadh leibh! Another resource I’d recommend you add (if you haven’t already) is Duolingo. It makes learning the language fun and memorable. I particularly have a dying need to convey the information “Tha Mairi a’ goid drathais a-rithist.” That phrase cracks me up just thinking of it. Duolingo also promotes IRN BRU, Runrig, Peat and Diesel, and guga.
Hi – just watched Jonathan Meades on BBC4 last night – titled Jargon. The program discussed jargon, it moved onto regional accents, including stating that there were too many Irish accents and finally told blatant lies about BBC Alba – 65000 people employed to produce programs for 55000 Gaelic speakers. The tired old lies continue even by academics!
Add “not practical” or “you’ll never use it” That was also used for a non-local languages (French) when I was growing-up (a process I’ve not completed at 57, soon to be 58).