Ulster Scots phone line has had no calls since 2004

(Oct 23, 2008)
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/ulster-scots-phone-line-has-had-no-calls-since-2004-14011178.html
“The Government's Ulster Scots voicemail line is still awaiting its first message — despite being well into its fifth year of existence.”
...“A similar Irish Language line has had 29 messages in total over the same period.”

Extra news bits

I've been collecting some extra news items, and just haven't had the impetus to mention them here. Well, folks, right now it's either mess with the WYSIWYG editor or work on my master's paper, so here I am, and here are the first two, on Ulster Scots:

Letters: Debate on Ulster Scots is tiresome (August 2, 2008)
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/debate-on-ulster-scots-is-tiresome-13926663.html
“How tedious it is to continually read about the trifling and foolish verbal differences about whether Ulster Scots is a language or a dialect.
“Can we not all accept that Ullans is the variety of the Scots language traditionally found in parts of Northern Ireland and Donegal, and is identical to that spoken in south west Scotland?
“As the originator of the concept of an Ulster Scots Academy, based on the Friesian Academy in the Netherlands, I look forward to the time when such issues are finally resolved.”

City hosts Ulster Scots festival (August 5, 2008)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7542543.stm
“The festival runs until Friday 8 August and features the story of the city's siege, reenacted on the walls.
“Organisers say Ulster Scots could boost the tourist industry.”

Shetland Dialect

We often speak of the different and various dialects of Irish, and how they may be mutually unintelligible. Well... English is not off the hook in this area! Try to figure out what Lorcan is saying in this YouTube video. He gives a couple good examples of Shetland English.

Da Shitlind Accent

Background: The Shetland accent is not just an accent. It is a separate and distinct sub-dialect of Scots English. It contains many words, and even grammar characteristics, from the extinct Scandinavian language called Norn, which was a variety of Norse spoken in the Shetlands and Orkneys before the islands were pawned to Scotland. The last speaker of Norn was said to have died in the 1850s. On top of the already diverse Scots dialect, the Norn influence places the Shetland dialect a few steps away from the Queen's English.

You can see more of Lorcan and his Shetland adventures here:

SteveTheSkorie

Thanks, Lorcan!

P.S.F.Y.I A skorie is a Shetland dialect word for a young seagull. 

Ulster-Scots gets BBC boost

(April 25, 2008)
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/UlsterScots-gets-BBC-boost.4020025.jp
“BBC Northern Ireland yesterday announced a share of extra funding of almost £4 million for Ulster-Scots language and culture programming over the next three years.
“BBC Northern Ireland Controller Peter Johnston said: 'This additional investment will increase the range and volume of our output in Irish and Ulster-Scots and will allow us to explore new development opportunities.'”

EU-related news items

Gaeilge costs EU €13,000 per minute (Jan 21, 2008)
http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=53174-qqqx=1.asp
“Less than 30 minutes of Irish was spoken in the European Parliament in the first full year as an official language — working out at a little less than €13,000 a minute.
“Despite pressure to have Gaeilge recognised as an official language, records show six of our 13 MEPs have never used Irish in parliamentary debates since January 1, 2007.”

EU bonanza for language software developers (Jan 21, 2008)
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single10059
"The European Commission has made its collection of about one million sentences and their translations in 22 languages available for free. The data is highly sought after by developers of computer-assisted translation technology and is expected to spur development of linguistic software tools.

Wiktionary!

For all your "see if they have that word as Gaeilge" needs

If they have the word you put in, Yay! You get to see what that string of letters may mean in other languages too.
If they don't have the word you put in, add it yourself. It's a wiki afterall.

Wiktionary

Poots praises Irish attitude to Ulster Scots

(Nov 20, 2007)
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Poots-praises-Irish-attitude-to.3504638.jp
"DUP culture minister Edwin Poots has praised his Irish counterpart for his attitude towards Ulster Scots issues.
"Mr Poots says Gaeltacht minister Eamon O'Cuiv has been very co-operative on Ulster Scots matters."