Scottish Gaelic
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A language of United Kingdom
57,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Over 87,000 people with any Gaelic language skills (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 60,130.
Highland county: northwest Scotland, Western Isles, islands of Colonsay, Lismore, Raasay, Skye, and Tiree; Edinburgh and Glasgow cities.
2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Scotland (2005, Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act).
Western Isles, Perthshire, Argyllshire.
VSO; prepositions; noun head initial; gender (masculine/feminine); definite article; case-marking (3 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; comparatives; 33 consonants, 18 vowels, 10 diphthongs; non-tonal; stress on first syllable.
Resurgence of interest in Scottish Gaelic in 1990s. A number of children learn the language but there are serious problems in language maintenance even in the core areas (Salminen 2007). Reportedly only 1 L1 speaker of Perthshire Gaelic (2019 N. Rees). Home, church, community.
Literacy rate in L1: 50% (1971 census). Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is a Gaelic college where students and faculty use only Scottish Gaelic. In bilingual areas Gaelic usually is the language of instruction for most primary subjects. Taught in a few primary and secondary schools, in Scottish-medium education in Scotland. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1801–2016.
Status rising since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1990s.