In case you were unaware, today is Gaelic Twitter Day in Scotland and the Scottish Football Association have translated their twitter page into 'Gaidhlig'. The SFA is thus known as CB na hAlba for a day.
For today, we've translated the Scottish FA Twitter page into #Gaidhlig as part of Gaelic Twitter Day. #TIML2016
— CB na h-Alba (@ScottishFA) April 21, 2016
A nice gesture but things aren't so simple in Scotland. Those with acute political antennae immediately sensed that this would be interpreted as a deeply provocative act in some quarters.
Certain fans of a certain football club in Glasgow have been taking a great deal of umbrage at the gesture, in many cases choosing to regard it as nothing less than a two fingers up to the birthday girl herself.
In their eyes, the Queen was enjoying her birthday, and she shouldn't have to put up with this shit from her Northern subjects.
They have rushed to defend her honour in the face of this calculated insult.
@ScottishFA thank fk your shite team didn't qualify for France you disrespectful bunch of kunts. God save our Queen ??????????
— 4 Men Had a DREAM (@WeKnowHeKnew) April 21, 2016
@ScottishFA to think of all the money me and my family spent supporting our national team, no more if this is all the respect you have
— Je Suis Billy Boys (@Kyle5haw) April 21, 2016
@ScottishFA Fvck this foreign language, we speak English.
— John Jones (@Dorchesterblue) April 21, 2016
.@ScottishFA Give me strength.
— David Darlington (@deejsaint) April 21, 2016
@ScottishFA what's gaelic for shit football team wont be at Euro 2016
— Stephen Green (@SGreen1157) April 21, 2016
@ScottishFA The 5 speakers of this dead language will be enthralled. No money for decent hybrid pitch at Hampden, but money to do this pish!
— Mr T. Wood (@Thiepvalwood) April 21, 2016
Many are bemoaning the money spent on the promotion of Scots Gaelic, a language spoken by a tiny minority of the population. However, translating a twitter account for the day hardly represents a significant financial commitment.
The hostility to the language is ironic.
Scottish author Andrew Higgins Wynham wrote in 'Re-Imagining Ireland' that the name 'Ibrox' itself is derived from the Gaelic term 'Atha Bhroc', meaning 'Badgers Den'. A couple of years ago, the BBC ran a report into the Rangers supporters club on the Isle of Lewis up in the Hebrides where the conversation is conducted exclusively in Scots Gaelic. It's clear that some of the objecting Rangers fans may be Englishmen of the British Nationalist variety.
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