Is Gaelic an endangered language?

Yes, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classifies Scottish Gaelic as an endangered language. The official status declared the Endangered Languages Project lists Gaelic's status as "threatened", with "20,000 to 30,000 active users". UNESCO classifies Gaelic as "definitely endangered".

How many people speak Gaelic? 

The number of Gaelic speakers fell from 254,415 in 1891 (6.3% of the Scottish population) to 57,600 in 2011 (1.1% of the Scottish population). However, the 2022 census showed a slight increase in Gaelic speakers with a figure of 69,701.

There can be serious challenges with maintaining the language, even in areas where it is spoken frequently.

The loss of Scottish Gaelic would mean the disappearance of a large part of Scottish culture. There are a number of Gaelic speaking jobs advertised through Bòrd na Gàidhlig 

In Scotland only a small percentage of the population use Scottish Gaelic every day, but the language is still an important part of Scottish heritage, nature, and history. The Gaelic language and culture are deeply connected to nature, and the language is full of words that describe the Scottish landscape, animals, plants, and birds. 

Gaelic names and folklore reveal how important nature and all its benefits were to Scotland’s Gaels. Here are some examples:

• Dùthchas: An ancient Gaelic word that describes the connection between people, the land, and other non-human beings
• An Dàmhair: The Gaelic for October, it comes from damh-dàir and means "deer roaring time"
• An Càrn Gorm: The Gaelic for the Cairngorms, which means "the blue mountain"
• Maoim-sneachda: The Gaelic for avalanche, which means "gushing forth of snow"
• Na Fir-chlis: The Gaelic for the aurora borealis, which means "the nimble men"
• Craobhan: The Gaelic for trees
• A' choille: The Gaelic for the forest

A is for Ailm (Elm), B is for Beith (Birch) and C is for Coll (Hazel) and so begins the Gaelic Tree Alphabet which contains just 18 letters. According to the Forestry Commission Scotland, the Gaelic Tree Alphabet was used to teach Scottish children their letters historically.

To learn more about the Gaelic language and nature click here for more information.

Did you know, Scotland actually has three recognised languages: English, Gaelic and Scots!