Gaelic at point of ‘societal collapse’ as numbers decrease
The number of Gaelic speakers in Scottish island communities has dramatically decreased in the past ten years, according to a study by the Language Sciences Institute at a prominent Highland researcher.
Professor Conchúr Ó Giollagáin, the director of the Language Sciences Institute at the University of the Highlands and Islands, believes that the language has come to the point of “societal collapse” across the country, as many children are attending schools in urban areas.
In the 2011 Scottish census, just over 58,000 people reported themselves as Gaelic speakers, however the study estimates that the vernacular group located on the islands, where speakers are more heavily concentrated, does not exceed 11,000.
The major study on the language, which will be published next year, highlights the lack of support for existing speakers, saying Gaelic “will continue as the language of school and heritage but not as a living language” in an article in the Guardian.
After extensive fieldwork in the Western Isles, Skye and Tiree, the researcher concluded he believed that existing policies to promote Gaelic focus too heavily on encouraging new speakers, mainly in urban areas, or promoting it as a heritage language.
Brian Ó headhra, the arts and culture adviser at Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the public body with responsibility for the Gaelic language, said: “We also have to be realistic about the numbers, because this is not just about language but societal shifts, with ongoing population decline in the Gaelic heartlands.”
The story came on the final day of the Royal National Mod. Crìsdean Maccoinnich and Isabelle Bain won the Traditional Final competition, and the event ended with a ‘Final Fling’ at the iconic Barrowland Ballroom.
John Morrison, chief executive of An Comunn Gàidhealach said: “As this year’s Mòd comes to a close here in Glasgow, we cannot leave without thanking the city and its people. It’s been an incredible time here and to celebrate Gaelic culture in a big city is great for the community and the growth of Gaelic. We look forward to seeing more of the same in Inverness.”