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Ulster Scots phone line has had no calls since 2004
Thursday, 23 October 2008
The Government's Ulster Scots voicemail line is still awaiting its first message — despite being well into its fifth year of existence.
The special telephone number was established in 2004, to allow people to contact the Northern Ireland Civil Service in Ulster Scots.
But official figures have shown that it has yet to be used once in all that time.
A similar Irish Language line has had 29 messages in total over the same period.
It has been confirmed that the messages tally to the Ulster Scots number — 028 9025 8924 — still sits at zero.
The Belfast Telegraph checked the number yesterday, without breaking the service's duck and actually leaving a message.
A message in Ulster Scots could barely be heard on a crackly line. Callers are asked to leave their query “if ye dinnae mind” and are promised a reply “brave and quick”. But they are also advised to contact the civil service and speak in English if their case is urgent.
The voicemail facility is provided by the Linguistic Operations wing of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL), the Stormont department headed by the DUP's Gregory Campbell.
According to Tony Blair's Downing Street chief of staff Jonathan Powell, UUP leader David Trimble raised Ulster Scots during the negotiations that produced the 1998 Belfast Agreement.
Mr Powell's memoirs state that Mr Trimble's pitch for funding “left us in hysterics once he left the room”.
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Comments
41 Comments
going slightly off topic here, sorry, how can anyone Northern Ireland/six counties/northern/Ulster born and bred claim to be British. forgive me if I'm worng, bur I always thought that the UK consisted of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as per the passport definition. Therefore GB consists of Scotland, Wales and England. People from Northern Ireland/six counties/northern/Ulster can thus really only be Irish (being born in Ireland) or Northern Irish. They cannot be British. Identity crisis or wha' I dunna knae.
Posted by Derek | 30.10.08, 00:30 GMT
ulster scots is not a language its just bad english and there is no point in spending gov funds on somthing which not even the people who wanted it aren't using it it's actually hilarious
Posted by coli | 28.10.08, 19:15 GMT
I love this place...where else would you get such wonderful nonsense to fill an evening. What happens when an Ulster-Scot pairs off with an Irish person...would we need yet another phone line?
Posted by KQ | 27.10.08, 21:20 GMT
Well Tony Blair's track record for throwing billions at problems that could be remedied solely with commonsense is legend. I think Lord Laird already has it covered,
the man has an entire telephone exchange dedicated to him. If he switched to remunderated numbers he'd be minted, or more minted that is.
"A similar Irish Language line has had 29 messages in total over the same period."
I did 28 messages on that one for a bet.
Posted by Gregory Carlin | 27.10.08, 17:27 GMT
It's all ridiculous. A job creation scheme. Shut it down and out the funding into something worthwhile,
Posted by Whatever | 26.10.08, 16:33 GMT
we can all speak with an accent, it does not make you different.
Posted by paul deggan | 25.10.08, 14:45 GMT
THEY DINNA CARE
Posted by william campbell | 24.10.08, 17:26 GMT
Just think how different the world may be if King HenryVIII hadnt wanted a bit extra? Or Constantine stayed with worshiping Mars or Appolo? Or better still Darwin was around a few thousand years ago? What a wonderful world it could be....
Posted by soarer | 24.10.08, 16:39 GMT
All peoples are mixes of the original gene pool that migrated from Africa. The Celts were no different & what defined them was less as a distinct homogeneous group but a civilization & way of life. What separates the people on this island is more cultural and national affinity than "race". The fact that the people of the north east have primary originated in lowland Scotland (who themselves migrated from the European mainland & Scandinavian countries at an earlier time) whereas the population of the rest of the island are mixes of earlier movements of people from Britain/ mainland Europe - essentially the same pool.
Primarily religion prevented a closer bonding of the two groups in a common Irish identify. Regardless of this background a majority on the island now have an exclusively Irish view of themselves whereas unionists have a much less Irish sense replacing this with an Ulster & British identity in contract to the rest hence silly disputes over ulster-scots, irish etc etc
Posted by Jake M | 24.10.08, 11:53 GMT
Tim,
Many eminent historians and anthropologists dispute that your 'celtic' people even exist as a race.
The point I made was that St Patrick isn't Irish but was born in Britain.
And I agree that religion should have nothing to do with it - a mere accident of birth.
Posted by paul | 24.10.08, 09:11 GMT
I dinnie hope that tay are people out there that dinnie recognise this dialect. Aye and my pal Havish ha ta great time speakin ta dialect and hope that it gets ta same recognition as ta the Irish dialect. Dinnae nae bother.
Brian Bangor
Posted by Brian Bangor | 23.10.08, 21:47 GMT
On Sunday I bought the Sunday Post for my elderly aunt and glanced through it before giving it to her. I read the cartoon page. one part was about "The Broons" Now I realise I can speak Ulster Scots and I didne realise it. It was nae problem. Does anybody ken if they do "A" levels in this language?. I reckon another six Sunday Posts and I will be ready the noo.
Posted by Trevor | 23.10.08, 20:12 GMT
The so-called Ulster-Scots "language" is a joke. It is merely a dialect of English like so many regional accents. It has been invented by some unionists to try to counter balance the debate for promotion of the Gaelic language. It would be funny only for the fact is being used to siphon our money!
Posted by Tax Payer | 23.10.08, 19:33 GMT
Just phoned the number.. simple way to sort this is to update it.
live and let live.
Andy.
Posted by andy | 23.10.08, 18:06 GMT
what would willie drennan say hi? Slaw doon would yis!!
Posted by baps | 23.10.08, 17:49 GMT
Ulster Scots is a dialect of old english, NOT a distinct language
Posted by Tim Conroy | 23.10.08, 17:32 GMT
Paul, St Patrick was the son of a Roman govenor of briton, not a briton, and as you stated, there was mixing between all celtic peoples. Scots irish is part of that celtic mix so to say that you are only scots irish is a farse and religion has nothing to do with it, the Celts were celts long before any organized religion was imported
Posted by Tim Conroy | 23.10.08, 17:30 GMT
This stury nae tru at aw. I hae me a frien wha rings this here fonline aw tha time camplainin boot a hail load.
Thars thems what spakes tha hamely tangue a' tha Ulster-Scots an whas luckin for till hae oor ain stuff.
We shud hae oor ain school-hooses like wha tha gulderdickers hae.
Eksee peeksy tha noo!
Posted by Hamely Big Girl | 23.10.08, 17:05 GMT
I rang it there as well.....worst answerphone message ever!! Kerry Katona could have done a better job!! It's rather funny all the same. No doubt had more calls today than ever before.....!!!
Posted by bannside | 23.10.08, 16:22 GMT
Next there'll be a phoneline set up for those who speak scally/hoodie. What about a phoneline for those who converse in mobile txt language? This story is absolutely hilarious, but concerning that taxpayers are paying for such rubbish.
Amused, but concerned - Manchester
Posted by Mayo, Manchester | 23.10.08, 16:08 GMT
41 Comments