History Of The Scots Language
In the Tenth and eleventh centuries Scots Gaelic had been at its most widely used as a language where a lot of people who resided in Scotland spoke the language. Nowadays there is actually only about 1.6% who are able to speak Gaelic. The majority of pro- Gaelic speakers might state that this had been the strategy of the English – in order to free the British Isles of its Gaelic language and substitute it by the English language. However there are many of causes of the decrease of Gaelic as a language.
First, by about 1400 the differences between the Highlands and the Lowlands was definitely acknowledged. A scholarly man known as John of Fordun had this to note regarding the distinctions between the highlanders and the lowlanders in 1380:
”The people from the coast tend to be of domestic and civilised behavior, trusty, patient, as well as urbane, respectable in their attire, affable, and tranquil, devout in Divine worship, but constantly willing to reject a wrong at the hands of their opponents. The highlanders and also individuals from the islands, in contrast, are a savage and untamed nation, rude or obnoxious and self-sufficient, given to rapine, ease-loving, smart and also speedy to master, comely in person, yet unattractive in dress, inhospitable towards the English people as well as language, and, due to the variety of dialog, also to their own nation, and very vicious. These people are nevertheless faithful and obedient to their own king and nation, and easily made to submit to regulation, if appropriately ruled.”
Consequently it may be asserted the main cause for the reduction of the Gaelic language was as a result of the break down amongst the various regions of Scotland. And by the sixteenth century the divergence between both was at a record high due to historical factors and a different language spoken. James VI had two key concepts for his Highland policy – one was to help to make an income and the other was to increase the amount of plantation. He suspected that the highlanders and especially the islanders weren’t paying their own reasonable taxation and he wanted to adjust this.
In 1597 he set up three burghs in the Highlands with the intent of allowing a number of the lowlanders to rule. With the strengthening Campbell clan and the dislike for the lowlanders of the Highlanders and the Islanders, more disruption was to follow. It was costing the King more money than he cared to spend.
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