Yes, an ancient and rich Celtic language, closely related to Irish and Manx Gaelic, as well as from the same family as Welsh, Cornish and Breton.<\/p>
It was the main language of Scotland from its earliest times, as the kingdom of D\u00e0l Riata in the 6th Century, through the 9th Century, when the country was united under King Kenneth McAlpin, up until the 15th Century when English started to spread from the Lowlands. It was still the first language of the Highlands and the West of Scotland until the late 18th and 19th Century, when it was systematically and actively supressed for political reasons. There were also communities of ex-pat Gaels who, when exiled from their homes, took the Gaelic with them to far-flung shores. A key example of this is Nova Scotia (Alba Nuadh) where the language still thrives.<\/p>
However in recent years, it has experienced a renaissance, with the number of speakers according to the national census rising from 60,000 in 2001 to more than 130,000 in the last census. Pride in the language, culture, poetry and music of the Gaels is flourishing, and with the expansion in popularity, there's never been a better time to learn.<\/p>
Take a look at some of the resources below, and begin your own journey to discover a vibrant and ancient culture :<\/p>
Sabhal M\u00f2r Ostaig<\/strong> - https:\/\/www.smo.uhi.ac.uk\/?lang=en<\/a> <\/p> Colaisde na G\u00e0idhlig | The Gaelic College <\/strong>- https:\/\/gaeliccollege.edu\/<\/a> <\/p> Love Gaelic<\/strong> - https:\/\/www.lovegaelic.com\/<\/a> <\/p> Gaelic with Jason<\/strong> - https:\/\/www.gaelicwithjason.com\/<\/a> <\/p> Learn Gaelic<\/strong> - https:\/\/learngaelic.scot\/index.jsp<\/a> <\/p>
Sabhal M\u00f2r Ostaig is the Scottish National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture. Based in Sleat in the Isle of Skye, it is the only centre of Higher and Further Education in the world that provides its learning programmes entirely through the medium of Gaelic in an immersed, language-rich environment. You can study there in person, or choose from it's range of distance learning courses. And, speaking from experience, visiting for a residential short course is an absolute treat!<\/p><\/li><\/ul>
The Gaelic College, in St. Ann's, Nova Scotia, is the only institution of its kind in North America, where students can learn the language, culture, crafts and tradition of the Scottish Highlands. They offer Gaelic language teaching both on-line and in person.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>
A wide range of courses and levels are provided, both on-line and in person, by Ann from her base on Uist. The website is also full of resources.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>
A most engaging, US-based teacher, Jason has studied in both Nova Scotia and Scotland and now provides a wide range of course options including a large amount of content on YouTube. Visit his website for more details, and some fascinating topics.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>
A huge amount of useful content on this website supported by the B\u00f2rd na G\u00e0idhlig, MG ALBA, BBC ALBA, B\u00f2rd na Ceiltis (Alba) and S\u00e0bhal M\u00f2r Ostaig.
There are articles and units on a wide range of topics, but more than anything, there is an on-line dictionary, that includes audio to let you hear how words should be pronounced. Incredibly useful, especially early on in your Gaelic studies!.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>