About Gaelic
Gaelic is one of the national languages of Scotland and is a Celtic language which has been spoken in Scotland for a long time, dating back to at least the 6th Century AD. The Gaelic place names throughout Scotland show how far Gaelic speakers and their language spread across Scotland.
Gaelic is still a community language in several areas of Scotland and the Scottish Executive, through legislation, and Bòrd na Gàidhlig are trying to promote and develop the status of the language. Gaelic is evident in different areas of modern Scottish life such as: education, broadcasting, employment, heritage and the arts. Bòrd na Gàidhlig strives to increase the access people have to Gaelic in every aspect of life in Scotland.
Although Gaelic is still in decline, there is cause for hope with increasing numbers of pupils being educated through the medium of Gaelic, and with the advent of the Gaelic Act itself which gives legislative vigour to the campaign to sustain and preserve Gaelic and its culture. Gaelic is a precious inheritance which the people of Scotland should be proud of, and it is a living language which is relevant in every way in today’s world.