App triggers Gaelic boom

IT is spoken by fewer than 58,000 Scots, official figures show.

But 1.5 million people have started to learn Gaelic on the popular language app Duolingo since the course was launched in 2019.

Màrtainn Mac a’ Bhàillidh, of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Skye-based National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture, said: ‘There has always been an interest in Gaelic language and culture, especially with such a vast Scottish diaspora.’

He added: ‘Gaelic on Duolingo has played a big part in the expansion of learning resources and opportunities across the board. Long may this growth continue.’

The free Duolingo course has seen a 25 per cent increase in daily learners since last year, with a significant number believed to be in the United States.

The primary motivation for learning the language is recorded as culture, with many seeking to reconnect with their heritage.

More than 30 Scottish secondary schools primarily offer lessons in the language.