mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) (12/23/83)
On Culloden: Remember that Culloden was not only Scots vs English,
but the supporters of a previous (and legitimate) Royal House vs
those of the Royal House brought in to bring some political stability
to the United Kingdom (not just England). Twice in thirty years,
the Highland clans had united in armed rebellion and had fought
well down into England. They formed a real threat to the Hanoverian
rule. Suppressing the tartan (symbol -- do you read this group, TC Wheeler?)
seemed to be a fairly effective way of reducing clan loyalties
(it didn't work). Removing the rights of Highlanders to bear arms
made some sense. I think the Hanoverian authorities were pretty
scared by the whole thing, and there was no guarantee that rebellion
would not break out once again.
On language teaching, the story has been a bit different recently.
Celtic languages, where they still exist, are encouraged in school
and on regional radio and television. I know they were suppressed
in earlier times, for what I suspect were a mixed bag of reasons.
On the charitable side, the authorities may have felt that talking
Welsh, Gaelic or whatever would be a handicap to children making
their way in the "modern" world. To be less charitable, they may
have wished to ensure that language did not provide a cultural
ghetto wherein dissatisfaction and rebellion might be nurtured.
Both of these proposed motives are just guesses on my part.
--
Martin Taylor
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