Madainn mhath! (Welcome!) We have great news: The popular language-learning APP has launched a Scottish Gaelic course created with the help and advise of volunteers across Scotland and more than 25,000 people have already signed up to learn Scottish Gaelic on Duolingo.
This course will probably open up Scottish Gaelic to millions of people in the UK and across the world. So we are over the moon. Tocat del Bolet (Nuts) is committed to the protection of minority —and minoritised— languages and, needless to say, we love Scotland.
Scots Gaelic language, also called Scottish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic or Gà idhlig, is a member of the Goidelic group of Celtic languages. It is currently spoken along the northwest coast of Scotland and in the Hebrides islands. Australia, the United States, and Nova Scotia in Canada are also home to Scots Gaelic communities.
A language involves a way of understanding the world, of relating to one another, of loving and feeling. That’s why Scottish Gaelic, like any other minority language, must be protected and regarded as a cultural treasure.
There is concern about the state of Scots Gaelic. In the 2011 census of Scotland, 57,375 people (only 1.1% of the Scottish population) were reported as able to speak Gaelic, 1,275 fewer than in 2001. It was classed as an indigenous language under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which the British government has ratified, and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 established a language-development body, namely, Bòrd na Gà idhlig.
Now Duolingo is contributing to the revival efforts and we would like to thank the popular APP for doing its bit.
So, Scots of the world, unite! Don’t let Scottish Gaelic disappear. We also encourage non-Scottish people to learn this interesting language. As Charlemagne put it, to have another language is to possess a second soul.
Tapadh leibh! (thank you!)
Recommended links
Scottish Gaelic ⇆ Catalan Simple Greetings
Most important Catalan Sayings and Proverbs translated to English