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Interest in language and culture

Interest in language and culture

Scanned in from the Ulster-Scot, given away in Saturdays Belfast Newsletter
Will be online in the next week or so at www.ulsterscotsagency.com

Also if you live outside Northern Ireland you can receive a free copy through the post if you send a request to info@ulsterscotsagency.org.uk with your name and address included.

Interest in language and culture
by Joanne Crockard

Recent market research undertaken for the Ulster-Scots Agency indicates an encouraging increase in public interest for the language and culture.
Some findings from an Omnibus telephone survey undertaken in Northern Ireland make interesting conclusions :-

• More than two-thirds of people think that it is important that the Ulster-Scots way of speaking is preserved.

• Nearly seven per cent of people said that they spoke Ulster-Scots, which equates to just over 100,000 people.

• Thirty per cent of people polled would like to learn Ulster-Scots as a language.

With regard to Ulster-Scots cultural identity -

• Seventy per cent of people believe that Ulster-Scots is a vital part of Ulster's heritage; with more than half of the Roman Catholic people polled agreeing with this.

• And 70 pc of Protestants and 40 pc of Roman Catholics polled said that Ulster-Scots was part of their cultural identity.

George Patton, Agency Chief Executive, said: "This research is highly encouraging for the promotion of the Ulster-Scots language and culture. It shows that the Agency's work over the last six years has borne fruit.

"We are delighted that there is cross-community interest and support as it validates our long-held view that Ulster-Scots can contribute greatly to the Province's cultural life as a whole."
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Kilsally - clock 02:12:39 - Saturday, 03.01.09 - Ulster-Scots - 2466x - pencil permalink
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