A 2020 newspaper article about the history of Scottish Gaelic maintenance and revitalization in N
Also Known As:
Gaelic, Scottish, Gaelic (Scots), Scottish Gaelic, Scotch-Gaelic, Gàidhlig, Gaelic, Scots Gaelic, Albannach Gaidhlig, Erse, Gadhelisch
Dialects & Varieties
- Inner Hebrides
- Outer Hebrides
- Western Isles
- Highland
- Glaswegian Gaelic
- Canadian Gaelic
Europe and North Asia
Salminen, Tapani. 2007. "Europe and North Asia." In Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, edited by C. Moseley. 211-282. London & New York: Routledge.
Threatened
80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
20,000-30,000
Native Speakers Worldwide
Speaker Number Trends
Speaker Number Trend 3
Only about half of community members speak the language. Speaker numbers are decreasing steadily, but not at an accelerated pace.
3
Transmission
Transmission 1
Most adults in the community, and some children, are speakers.
1
Speakers
Native or fluent speakers:
No results found.
Second-language speakers and learners
No results found.
Semi-speakers or rememberers
No results found.
Children:
No results found.
Young adults
No results found.
Older adults
No results found.
Elders
No results found.
Ethnic or community population
No results found.
Year information was gathered
No results found.
Comments on speakers
There are 20,000 to 30,000 active users; more than 50,000 others claim knowledge of the language.
Location and Context
Countries
Scotland
Location Description
Spoken in rural areas of the Western Isles (Lewis, Harris, North Uist, South Uist, Barra) and Skye, and a few locations in the rest of the Inner Isles
and the Highland mainland (mainly Sutherland, Ross and Cromarty, Inverness, and Argyll counties). Scottish Gaelic is also spoken elsewhere in Scotland, and by some speakers in immigrant communities in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada.
Government Support
No results found.
Institutional Support
No results found.
Speakers' Attitude
No results found.
Other Languages Used By The Community
None
Number of Other Language Speakers:
None
Domains of Other Languages:
None
Writing Systems
Standard orthography:
No results found.
Writing system:
No results found.
Other writing systems used:
No results text.
Comments on writing systems:
No results found.
Recent Resources
Language Revitalization, Education, and Learning
Language in the Community
Language Revitalization, Education, and Learning
Language in the Community
Short video (11m29s) on youth in Nova Scotia; From the video description: Dòchas means 'Hope' in
Language, Culture, and Arts
Language Revitalization, Education, and Learning
Language in the Community
Short video (15m30s) Seo leasan GaB ann a bhi a' cur a’ bhùird an ordugh.
