When crossing the Scottish border, we’re greeted with a sign that reads “Fàilte gu Alba” and to the average driver it may mean nothing but others will know it’s Scottish Gaelic for “Welcome to Scotland”. No different to “Fáilte go hÉirinn” signs in Irish or “Croeso i Gymru” equivalents for Welsh at their borders, immediately we’re made aware that we’ve entered a nation of rich Celtic culture; yet this heritage has been minoritised.
As written by Paul Kavanagh in Scotland’s Language Myths: “A minoritised language is a language which was once the language of the majority of a given country or large geographical region, but due to political and other factors became socially marginalised.” The Gaelic-speaking tradition predates even the reign of medieval Scottish Kings following Irish Gaelic’s arrival to Scotland around 500 AD.
Sadly, since then historical events like the Battle of Culloden and the ensuing Highland Clearances, education acts that banned Gaelic in schools, and the emergence of English-speaking dominance in society have seen Scots Gaelic wilt away. Of course, this plight is not exclusive to Gaels as many minority languages worldwide are in the same battle to exist in their own heartlands.
Bilingualism is the rule and not the exception in many countries, so why should Scotland differ? However, the next argument tends to be “well, be bilingual with a useful language!” That’s where our Scotsman readers come in. With over 1.5 million learners signed onto Gaelic on Duolingo, popular TV shows like Outlander featuring Gaelic, and new businesses opening like the Gaelic Cafe in Stornoway (which will hopefully inspire others), there is clearly a drive to use the endangered tongue.
So, to help us articulate that best we created an engagement post that read “Scottish Gaelic is worth learning because…” and our Scotsman readers offered hundreds of insightful answers that we have condensed into this well-meaning list of twenty-one reasons to learn Gaelic.
17. Gaelic is worth learning because… It supports cognitive performance
On the flip side (no ageism here) it was widely noted by many Gaelic-advocating folks that studying the language is also beneficial for boosting cognition in older people. Herald Scotland reported that research performed by Edinburgh University showed “Elderly men and women who studied Gaelic did better on tests of attention and other forms of mental sharpness after only a week.” Scottish Gaelic is a challenging - yet rewarding - language and by applying ourselves to master it in spite of its difficulties it effectively stimulates the brain such that we healthily exercise ourselves mentally. | Kampus Production on Canva Pro
18. Gaelic is worth learning because… Niche languages have benefits
The benefits of bilingualism come in many shapes and forms. What that means to each individual is unique to them but a common answer for the wider language-learning community may be the ability to have conversations “in secret”. In the case of Gaelic students commenting on our post, many noted that the “niche” language has advantages by way of being lesser known. For example, any scam callers are sure to give up quickly if you reply to them solely in Scottish Gaelic (they’ll have no clue!) Also, for cyber security reasons it can instil confidence to write passwords in Gaelic - no one would guess it. | AndreyPopov on Canva Pro
19. Gaelic is worth learning because… You can enjoy ancient poetry/literature
Our Pictish ancestors had their own language thought to be Brythonic in origin. However, that tongue is long-extinct and so Gaelic is thought of as Scotland’s “oldest living language” by many. The Scotland Organisation even says it is considered “the founding language of the country”. Therefore, Gaelic speakers can enjoy the rich literature and poetry that spans Scottish history, soaking in the very best of these ancient texts in their purest form; free of loss via English translation. Many of us have heard of the Scots Leid poet Robert Burns, but how many of us know about the Gaelic equivalent Rob Donn? Check him out. | MD Media on Canva Pro
20. Gaelic is worth learning because… Economic value in tourism etc.
Scottish Gaelic has a variety of institutions under its belt. There are private schools taught through the Gaelic medium in Scotland, a new ‘Gaelic cafe’ in Stornoway recently opened (that offers discounts if you order in Gaelic) and the language has been popularised by hit TV shows like Outlander that series writer Diana Gabaldon has intentionally sought to represent by including it throughout the show (“dinna fash, sassenach!”) What’s more, as evidenced by the number of learners in the US signing on to study Gaelic on Duolingo, there is definitely a market ready to be expanded upon, particularly in education. | Submitted