McCaig`s Tower, Sat 5 Jul 22:05

I’m led to believe that true bilingualism is beneficial. And it seems clear that learning a second language helps you to learn further languages. I did Gaelic at school for a year but switched to Latin, which was probably more useful (although I’ve rarely had the opportunity to use it).

Like Oz, one set of my grandparents were Gaelic speakers but they decided their children should speak English, as it was in their best interests. I’m sure this was the view in much of the highlands and islands 60 to 100 years ago and was frequently enforced.

I suspect that much of the decline in Gaelic can be traced to the introduction of the radio (and, latterly) television allowing English to invade Hebridean homes and flourish. Increased globalisation and social movement from the shires to the cities will have accelerated this trend.

There are arguments that one should allow nature to take its course and let languages die. But I think that’ a bit like saying that Giant Pandas should be allowed to become extinct because of their reluctance to breed and their restricted diet.

Zwei Pints Bier und ein Päckchen Chips bitte