CONTRARY to the view expressed by William Ross of Gullane (Letters, January 23), Gaelic has not appeared surreptitiously on our signs but has recently finally started to replace old colonial phoneticised nonsense after much determined campaigning.

Recently, Highland Council proved that dedicated Gaelic medium education, once fully established in Gaelic medium units and schools, was not only cheaper than English medium education but provided major educational benefits.

Finally, our only conflict with the Scots language and recent Burns mania will be to re-establish Alasdair MacMhaighstir Alasdair Nights for Old New Year in the Highlands and Islands.

Michael Foxley,

2 Achaphubuil,

An Gearasdan (Fort William).