Gaelic is a Celtic language spoken in communities in the north-west of Scotland and the surrounding Islands. It is also used by many people in Scotland’s main towns and cities. Though the number of native speakers has fallen gradually over the last couple of centuries, Gaelic and its culture still attract a lot of interest today.
Despite the recent decline in Gaelic speakers even today entire TV and radio programmes are broadcast in Gaelic, so it would seem that a large portion of the country still understand the language and want to keep it alive. The 2001 UK Census showed a total of 58,652 Gaelic speakers in Scotland, mainly in the Western Isles (Na h-Eileanan Siar), where the overall proportion of speakers continues to be 61.1%, not such a dead language after all! Outside of the Western Isles the only areas with a high percentage of Gaelic speakers are the islands of Tiree, Skye, Raasay and Lismore in the Inner Hebrides.
To further demonstrate the interest in Gaelic today one can simply travel around the North of Scotland and see that most signs have now been translated into Gaelic, this can often mean simply re-adopting the traditional spelling of a name, but it’s an interesting sight for tourists and residents alike, especially attempting to pronounce it! This has been welcomed by many supporters of the language as a means of raising its profile and securing its future as a ‘living language’.
Historically, Gaelic has not been officially recognised as Welsh is, however, recently Scottish matters have begun to receive greater attention, and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act which gives formal recognition to the Scottish Gaelic language was enacted by the Scottish Parliament on 21 April 2005.
Gaelic has a rich oral and written tradition, having been the language of the Highland Scottish clans for several centuries preserving knowledge of pre-feudal laws and customs. The language suffered especially as Highlanders and their traditions were persecuted after the Battle of Culloden in 1746, and during the Highland Clearances.
It appears that after dwindling for centuries Gaelic is starting to become more prevalent in modern Scottish society attracting more attention and a wider audience. It’s difficult to say whether this is because it now has a dedicated TV and Radio channel and official status or whether it has each of these because of the increase and interest in Gaelic speakers. What is clear, however, is that Gaelic is no longer a dead language and there are many people committed to ensuring that the Gaelic language remains an important part of Scottish culture and heritage.
