The Cothrom project supported by the Soillse Small Research Fund is now complete. The project was presented by Gordon Wells at the recent Soillse Conference at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and the full report is now online. It can be accessed via this link, or directly from the Soillse website. The full project title is “Perceptions of Gaelic Learning and Use in a Bilingual Island Community: An Exploratory Study”. It sought to document a range of views among Gaelic supporting members of the Uist community, several of whom were also contributors to the Guthan nan Eilean/Island Voices project.

It is hoped to use this report as a basis for further discussion and action in the local community. The Cothrom Language and Culture group will be meeting soon to discuss ways of taking it forward.

Dick Johnstone is retired Professor Emeritus at Stirling University. For many years he directed Scottish CILT, and more recently he was the driving force behind the creation of Soillse.

He has a wealth of international experience in relation to bilingualism in education, and was visiting Uist in his advisory capacity to the small research project being conducted here. During his stay he was able, among other things, to visit the offices of Am Pàipear in Balivanich, and to meet some members of Cothrom’s new Language and Culture group who gather on a Monday afternoon to learn Italian together.

Here he talks to Gordon Wells (in English) about the benefits of bilingualism.

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(Gordon’s Gaelic introduction lasts about a minute.)