Scots Gaelic Language
Scots Gaelic, also known as Gàidhlig, is a Celtic language with rich historical and cultural significance in Scotland. Its origins can be traced back to Old Irish, evolving after settlers from Ireland arrived in Scotland around the fourth century C.E. This language is part of the Indo-European family and is related to other Celtic languages such as Irish and Welsh. Historically, Scots Gaelic was widely spoken across Scotland, but its prominence dwindled due to various socio-political influences, including the spread of English and the impact of the Act of Union.
The language faced significant repression during the eighteenth century, particularly after the Jacobite uprisings, resulting in a decline in its use and the suppression of Gaelic culture. However, by the twentieth century, attitudes towards Scots Gaelic began to shift positively, leading to efforts to revive and protect the language. Today, it is spoken by over 80,000 individuals, primarily in the Highlands and certain regions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The modern resurgence among younger generations highlights its cultural importance, and official recognition by institutions like the Scottish Parliament underscores ongoing efforts to preserve this historic language.
Scots Gaelic Language
Scots Gaelic (also known as Scottish Gaelic, Gàidhlig, or simply Gaelic) is a Celtic language that is poetic and expressive with deep roots in the oral tradition. The origins of Scots Gaelic intermingle with Irish, dating back to Old Irish, which developed before 900 C.E. Immigrants from the northeastern corner of Ireland settled in Scotland, and the Scots Gaelic language began to diverge.
History and Classification
The Scots Gaelic language is an Indo-European language that descended from Celtic, Insular Celtic, and Goidelic. It is closely related to Manx, Welsh, Cornish, Breton, and Irish. Celtic languages have similarities in grammar but not much common vocabulary. Germanic and Latin languages often influenced Celtic-speaking people, giving Scots Gaelic loanwords from Old Norse, Latin, and English.
Experts theorize that Scots Gaelic arrived in Caledonia (the Latin name for Scotland) around the fourth century C.E. with immigrants from Ireland who traveled across the narrow straits between Ulster and Galloway. These settlers established Gaelic-speaking communities in southwestern Scotland, gradually expanding their territory northward and eastward, overtaking settlements of Picts and Vikings. The Gaels established a stronghold kingdom known as Dál Riata, led by Cináed mac Alpín, which united with the Picts in 844, forming Scotland.
The Gaelic clans in the Scottish Highlands had their own laws and customs written in Scots Gaelic; however, as influence from the English and Scots dialect of English continued to grow northward, Scots Gaelic was used less. Between the ninth and eleventh centuries, Scots Gaelic was spoken throughout Scotland except for territory in the north and southeastern regions. In 1069, King Malcolm III of Scotland married Margaret of Wessex, an English princess, whose sons were raised in the English rather than Gaelic tradition. After Malcolm's death, the throne passed to his brother, who attempted to remove all English influence from Scotland; however, he was ultimately defeated when his nephews attacked with an English army. Their subsequent reigns further spread English influence and decreased the prominence of Scots Gaelic. Eventually, Norman French became the language of the court, while the Scots dialect of English was used for everyday speech. The Act of Union, which joined Scotland to England, cemented the replacement of Scots Gaelic by other languages. By the seventeenth century, the Scots Gaelic language was relegated to the Highlands and the Western Isles, as those territories remained remote and not easily accessible.
The latter half of the eighteenth century was a time of trouble for the Scots Gaelic language. Prince Charles Edward Stuart led a rebellious group of Jacobites, supporters of King James, who sought to restore James to the English and Scottish thrones. A major battle at Culloden Moor in April of 1746 resulted in disastrous defeat for the rebels, who were mercilessly punished by English forces. Gaelic culture was systematically suppressed, with traditional dress being banned, and the Scots Gaelic language often violently discouraged. The government also outlawed bards, the wandering storytellers, and poets who preserved Scots Gaelic culture and language. By 1872, English-speaking state institutions had replaced Gaelic schools. It was in this century that the Highland Clearances occurred, driving resettlement and emigration out of the Highlands and into other areas. Many Scots Gaelic speakers in the Highlands were evicted, often with violence, and their homes and villages destroyed to make way for pastureland. Many resettled along the coastline, but others were forced to move to Canada and Australia. Those who remained in the region faced tremendous poverty and repression; a lack of roads until the eighteenth century and limited access to outside trade and wealth hindered the community.
During this period, Scots Gaelic poetry continued to be produced despite English opposition. Poets and writers such as Alexander MacDonald wrote in Scots Gaelic, both as a cultural tradition and as another form of rebellion against the English. In 1741, MacDonald published a Gaelic to English glossary, followed by a poetry collection.
By the twentieth century, official and public attitudes about Scots Gaelic had changed. It was viewed as a traditional language and a connection to ancient culture and heritage. In 1975, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar was established as an institution that uses both Gaelic and English in its activities and on public signs, working to preserve Scots Gaelic. In the twenty-first century, although not an official state language, Scots Gaelic is a recognized minority language that is encouraged and protected by the European Union.
Geographic Distribution and Modern Usage
Scots Gaelic is closely related to Irish. There is no standard dialect, but all Scots Gaelic dialects are mutually intelligible, and speakers can also understand written Irish, although pronunciation and vocabulary may differ. The Scots Gaelic alphabet has eighteen letters, each of which is named after a tree or shrub. Scots Gaelic was first written in the twelfth century with the Latin alphabet, with Scots Gaelic notations in the margins of the Book of Deer. Although writing existed, most traditions and lore were handed down orally, what the Scots called beul-aithris. In the twenty-first century, Scots Gaelic is spoken by more than eighty thousand people in Scotland, and in additional communities in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. In Scotland, the language is mostly confined to the Highlands, Outer Hebrides, Isle of Skye, and Argyll & The Isles. In Canada, Scots Gaelic–speaking immigrants settled in Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island, which is where the first Scots Gaelic newspaper, Mac Talla, ran from 1892–1904.
A modern resurgence of interest in the Scots Gaelic language has made it popular among young adults of the twenty-first century. It is viewed as an expression of cultural pride, and its influence is recognized in place names and landmarks and on official buildings and bilingual road signs. Scots Gaelic is a recognized minority language of the United Kingdom as well as in Canada. In 2005, the Scottish Parliament passed the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act, giving formal recognition to the Scots Gaelic language.
Bibliography
"About Gaelic." VisitScotland. VisitScotland. Web. 3 Aug. 2015. http://www.visitscotland.com/en-us/about/arts-culture/uniquely-scottish/gaelic/about-gaelic
Dalby, Andrew. Dictionary of Language: The Definitive Reference to More than 400 Languages. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004. 209–210. Print.
"Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005." Legislation.gov.uk. Gov.UK. Web. 3 Aug. 2015. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2005/7/crossheading/gaelic-language-plans
MacAulay, Donald. The Celtic Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. 322–325. Print.
MacLean, Magnus. Literature of the Highlands. London: Blackie, 1904. 21–46. Print.
"Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)." Omniglot. Simon Ager. Web. 3 Aug. 2015. http://www.omniglot.com/writing/gaelic.htm