Why Gaelic is important and worth studying …
1) ’S e cànan brèagha a th’ ann / It is a beautiful language.
When you hear a fluent speaker, his or her words roll just like the rolling landscape around us.
2) Tha Gàidhlig a’ dèanamh ceangal ri dualchas agus cultar na h-Alba / Gaelic connects with Scottish heritage and culture.
By expressing yourself in Gaelic, you’re expressing Scotland’s culture and history. You’re using the oldest national language of Scotland. Speaking it gives you a connection with what has gone before. Gaelic is still spoken by a significant minority of our local communities – a little less than 20%. Just look at a map of the local area to see an example of our Gaelic heritage.
3) Tha cultar Gàidhlig an latha an-diugh beothail / Modern Gaelic culture is vibrant.
Gaelic is far more valuable now in terms of employment than ever before. The language is bustling with activity, including a dedicated television station,BBC Alba. Gaelic’s musical culture is rich and very much alive. Many jobs (especially in the Highlands) are either advertised as Gaelic-essential or Gaelic preferred.
4) Tha thu a’ toirt taic do chànan a tha, gu ìre, ann an cunnart / You’re doing your part to help a language that is, to an extent, endangered
Gaelic is actually in a far healthier situation than the vast majority of the world’s languages. Despite this, the population of Gaelic speakers is relatively small. You’re certainly part of a select group of speakers and learners.
Our former Gaelic pupils have gone on to use their Gaelic in many enriching ways. You can read more about their stories here.
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