Executive Summary
A Strategy for Scotland's Languages highlights the key areas of language policy that are currently being promoted by the Scottish Executive. These include a wide range of language activity from language learning in schools to training British Sign Language interpreters. This document contains discussion of these and other key areas of language activity, describing the initiatives that are in place and the direction of current policy. This document also offers the opportunity to bring together in one place the Scottish Executive's reasons for promoting this wide range of language activity. These reasons are described in the text and have been identified as:
- Celebrating cultural diversity
- Promoting respect and confidence
- Encouraging mobility and communication
- Facilitating access and inclusion
- Increasing economic opportunity
- Enriching education.
This document also offers a number of guiding principles to shape the development of language provision in Scotland. These guiding principles are largely derived from the language activity that is currently being promoted. These principles will seek to ensure that:
- As many people in Scotland as possible will be equipped with fluent English language skills
- That there will be fair and equal linguistic access to information and services
- That linguistic diversity will be celebrated and multilingualism will be valued
- That language learning and acquisition will be promoted
- That respect for the languages spoken in Scotland will be promoted
- That the Gaelic language will be protected and promoted
- That the Scots language will be treated with respect and pride.
The aim of this strategy is to celebrate and promote the rich diversity of languages spoken in Scotland; to raise the profile of these languages; to ensure that this rich heritage is recognised as a national resource; and to encourage people living in Scotland to learn languages other than their own.