Assistance needed

[An t-Ileach]

Gaelic is spoken frequently and fluently on Scotland's western islands. During the 1980's I was employed as an education authority lawyer and often when I visited the island schools on Tiree, Mull or Islay, people would talk to one another in gaelic.

An anecdote to illustrate Cessna's point: a couple of years ago we went to stay on Islay to visit the rels. We were meeting in a cafe in Bowmore for lunch - my wife and daughter were sitting down ordering in English when I got there (they don't have the Gaelic). I just stood and listened to the waitress taking their order in English and at the same time carrying on a conversation with the next table in Gaelic about what a crime it was that the island's creamery was being shut down by the government (they were being none too polite about it either).

[TimC]

National Geographic did an article on the Celtic resergence and the article pointed out serveral place in the Scottish Islands where it is still spoken. I believe it was April or May's issue of this year. Hope it helps.

-Tim

[auld argonian]

Check these out:

Gaelic:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/alba/

Welsh:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/welsh/default.stm

obviously there is some sensitivity to these languages at the Beeb....although it could be that they are obliged by law to provide it.

Best

AA

[Valencian Kilted]

Apart of the use of gaelic in Ireland, scottish isles and some parts of Wales, there's also a gaelic language spoken in French Brittany.

...yes... I can just call this "my cent".

¡Salud!

T O N O

[starbkjrus]

Another example for you is the British Royal Website (www.royal.gov.uk) . It's available in English, Welsh and Gaelic.

Interestingly HRH The Prince of Wales' website is only available in English.

[Ruanaidh]

The rough numbers of native speakers are for Scotland 65,000; Wales 600,000; Nova Scotia 1, 000; Republic of Ireland 1,500,000; Northern Ireland 142,000; Isle of Man 650; Britanny 1,000,000.

[Scott Gilmore]

Well, as Clan Morrison is an Isle of Lewis tribe, I'll chime in on this thread if you don't mind.

Many Hebridean Web sites carry an English and a Gaelic version. Here are a few examples:
The West Highland Free Press
An Lanntair (art center)
The Gaelic Arts Agency
Ness Historical Society

And even when the Web site is in English, Gaelic can clearly be seen as a part of the culture by its liberal use. In this example, for most of the place names: Ness - Isle of Lewis, which states that "Rural Lewis has traditionally been Gaelic speaking, which has largely shaped the unique culture and way of life of the Nisich – the people of Ness." And in this example: Fios - Ness Community Newspaper.

Gaelic is far from being a dead language.

Regards,
Scott Gilmore

[Colin]

Maybe somebody from the East Coast can confirm this, but I have heard there are still some Gaelic speakers in Nova Scotia and the maritimes of Canada.