To what extent might the multicultural language policies introduced since 2001 by the British and the Scottish governments to “revitalize” the Gaelic language effectively counter its relentless decline?

Before English became the main language spoken in Scotland in the 18^th century, there were different languages and dialects spoken across the country: whereas Gaelic was the dominant language in the Highlands and Islands—the Gàidhealtachd—the Lowlands adopted the language of Scots. From the 1380s onward, the country was increasingly understood to be the union of two distinct spaces and peoples (with the clan system predominating in the Gàidhealtachd). And up to the 1950s, “many cultural commentators stereotyped the Gaidhealtachd as geographically isolated, poverty stricken, disloyal, disorderly, and barbarous” (University of Glasgow. 2023. MOOC: The Scottish Highland Clans: Origins, Decline and Transformation).

Although Scotland has appropriated some typical features of the Highlands clans’ culture—such as tartans, whisky, bagpipes—as emblems of its national traditions since the 19^th century, it was only in 2005 that the Scottish government, through the adoption of the Gaelic Language Act, officially recognized Gaelic as “an integral part of Scotland’s heritage, national identity, and current cultural life,” after the UK government had ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2001. After fighting the Gaelic culture and language for six centuries, both governments have finally adopted multicultural language policies.

In this short essay, I first examine the decline of the Gaelic language since mediaeval times in Scotland, through its competition with Scots and shift to English. Then, I present recent Census’ results about the number and distribution of Gaelic speakers in the country and discuss to what extent the language policies introduced by the Scottish government to “revitalize” the Gaelic language since 2005 might effectively counter its relentless decline.

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