The Scots Gaelic Myth

[CollinMacD]

I must correct one statement you made about the Jacobites. Jacobites were not just from the Highlands, many Jacobites lived in England as well as the Lowlands, but they did not talk about it and supported the cause during the uprisings. Jacobites were not just Roman Catholic, but were also Protestants too. The Jacobite cause was not as hated as you may think, much of the support of the Jacobites and their actions were done one the sly. Regarding the "speaking in tongue" as my Grandfather would say, I agree totally with Peter, after the Uprising, much of Gaelic made way for English, as it fell in disfavor, mainly because of fear, and never regained. However, Gaelic was brought over to Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland, and even in the U.S. in the Outer Banks were it flourished for years. Even slaves in the Outer Banks spoke Gaelic, learned by their Scottish Masters, and to this day, Gaelic in small pockets exist in the Outer Banks. So, I agree, it was spoken across Scotland, or very least understood, but as you go closer to the English border, it was less used. Same as Welsh, as you got closer to the Border of England and Wales, the Welsh language was used less and less.