Fàilte!

On Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides

Scots Gaelic was introduced from Ireland into Scotland in about AD 500. It developed into a distinct dialect by the 13th century. A common Gaelic literary language was used in Ireland and Scotland until the 15th century, by which time Scottish had diverged to such a degree from Irish that mutual intelligibility was difficult, and Scots Gaelic could be considered a separate language from Irish.

In some communities it is primarily used in the home, in church, and for social purposes. Books and journals are produced on various topics. Today the Scots Gaelic is spoken in the north and central counties of Ross, and the Islands of Hebrides and Skye, but also in Australia, Canada and USA.

Resurgence of interest in Scots Gaelic in the 1990s was given a boost by the establishment of Scotland’s own Parliament, for the first time in 300 years. 

Article from Wikipedia on Scottish Gaelic

Short video about Scottish Gaelic

Listen to Gaelic on BBC radio!

Learn songs in Gaelic (BBC)!

21 February every year is UNESCO International Mother Language Day

UNESCO website

What does the acronym "UNESCO" stand for?

When was UNESCO set up and what does it do?

UNESCO website on International Mother Language Day

Why is learning the local language important?

Message for 2014 from Director-General Irina Bokova 

In what year was International Mother Language Day launched?
What is the purpose of International Mother Language Day?
What is this year's "spotlight"?
Using three languages is "the norm" today; why is that a good thing?

UNESCO interactive atlas of languages in danger

Endangered languages project