How many Gaelic speakers are there?

P

Paul748

New member
I've been watching some of the subtitled BBC Alba output. Thinking. just how many people in Scotland have Gaelic as the language of hearth and home and how many more are fluent but don't use it? How does it compare to Irish percentage wise?

In Wales it's about 18% of the population use Welsh as their first language and in the Conwy district which stretches from Ogwen Cottage to near Corwen, it's 60% apparently.

One thing that has always struck me when I go to the Highlands is the striking lack of bi-lingual road signs compared to Wales. Is the SNP government pushing Gaelic more than the old Labour administration who probably aren't that bothered if Gaelic survives or not ?
 
they reckon there is about 60,000 gaelic speakers in scotland, which in a population of 5 million is roughly fcuk all percent. in fact there are more fluent polish speakers in scotland than there are gaelic speakers. so why do we waste money on a tv channel for so few people.

personally i think it has less relevance than latin in this modern society. gets right on my tits so it does:mad:
 
Agus Fire Engine!

Agus Postman Pat agus Black and White Cat!

I picked this up on the occassions I watched the gaelic BBC!

Not bad eh??:D
 
here s one just for Ed (if he reads this thread....)

Cò an caora sin còmhla riut a chunnaic mi an-raoir?

sorry Ed couldnt resist :whistle:
 
paraletic said:
here s one just for Ed (if he reads this thread....)

Cò an caora sin còmhla riut a chunnaic mi an-raoir?

sorry Ed couldnt resist :whistle:
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...couldn't quite make out the word sheep but I'm sure there was some kind of reference to them!!! :D :D :o

I'm off out now so any answer will be picked up later. And I don't care anyway, I'm resigning my membership to this rubbish forum anyway!!!!! :eek: :eek: ;)
 
gordj65 said:
they reckon there is about 60,000 gaelic speakers in scotland, which in a population of 5 million is roughly fcuk all percent. in fact there are more fluent polish speakers in scotland than there are gaelic speakers. so why do we waste money on a tv channel for so few people.

personally i think it has less relevance than latin in this modern society. gets right on my tits so it does:mad:
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hmmmm well "we" have the choice not to watch it u know ....as for relevance gaelic isnt my cup o tea but to say it isnt relevant is a bit narrow sighted if u dont mind me saying ..just because we live in a "modern" society doesnt mean we have to loose the old ways ....just my 2p worth :D
 
ProjectImola004 said:
...couldn't quite make out the word sheep but I'm sure there was some kind of reference to them!!! :D :D :o

I'm off out now so any answer will be picked up later. And I don't care anyway, I'm resigning my membership to this rubbish forum anyway!!!!! :eek: :eek: ;)
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it says "who was that sheep I saw you with last night"

apoligies again but when I was checking my spelling for another phrase I saw that and thought of you.... and of course as they say ... its the thought that counts :rolleyes: :kiss:
 
You know, I'm a great Runrig fan. I love it when they sing in Gaelic, but I have no idea what they are singing about. I just love the sound of this ancient language. :)
 
69jme69 said:
hmmmm well "we" have the choice not to watch it u know ....as for relevance gaelic isnt my cup o tea but to say it isnt relevant is a bit narrow sighted if u dont mind me saying ..just because we live in a "modern" society doesnt mean we have to loose the old ways ....just my 2p worth :D
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I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAY AND IF A LAW WAS BROUGHT IN TO BAN GAELIC ID BE THE FIRST TO DISAGREE WITH IT AND THE LAST TO STOP FIGHTING IT. i just cant be arsed with it :D :D :D though i always snigger at the name @@@@as
 
ProjectImola004 said:
You know, I'm a great Runrig fan. I love it when they sing in Gaelic, but I have no idea what they are singing about. I just love the sound of this ancient language. :)
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its funny you saying that cause as a general rule i dislike any songs that are sung in a different language to my own.I suspect this is mainly down to my own ignorance i suppose and a lack of tolerance on my part. luckily for me this has never stopped me saying its all crap, cause im a self opinionated @@@@.:lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
 
gordj65 said:
I suspect this is mainly down to my own ignorance i suppose and a lack of tolerance on my part. luckily for me this has never stopped me saying its all crap, cause im a self opinionated @@@@.:lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
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Self knowledge is a wonderful thing :)
 
I remember when I was younger, camping in Abersoch we would go into the shops and the locals would switch from speaking English to Welsh when they realised we were English so do that do that in the Gaelic speaking parts of Scotland?
 
Steve748 said:
I remember when I was younger, camping in Abersoch we would go into the shops and the locals would switch from speaking English to Welsh when they realised we were English so do that do that in the Gaelic speaking parts of Scotland?
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Probably the reverse, in that Gaelic is the first language for a lot of people born and bred in the Outer Hebrides (Lewis, Harris, Uists etc); of course you start to worry when they keep on speaking Gaelic and you begin to wonder what they're saying about you.
 
I lived in Harris for 21 yrs and am ashamed to say I only picked up a wee bit of the Gaelic lingo, but kept quiet as to how much I could understand. Its still very much a first language for a lot of the population up there, and certainly for the over 50's. There can be a bit of a Gaelic mafia culture but for most of the native speakers its just their way of life. It might seem a dead language in other parts of Scotland but its certainly alive and well up there. Dont see a problem with a Gaelic TV channel. Its personal choice to watch it or not. Wont be tuning in myself but there are plenty of minorities in this country who want to keep their culture alive.
There 2p added :D
 
Can't speak a word, and just for the record it's "the gaelic" pronounced The GALLIC, and not GAY LICK :eek: :eek: that some others state, think they are getting confused with some other activity :eek: :eek:

I think it's part of our heritage so I would hate to see it dwindle out - besides that l love the road signs in both....

We have our own brand of paper called "Saibhir" which is Gaelic for ?????

wealth
 
paraletic said:
I lived in Harris for 21 yrs and am ashamed to say I only picked up a wee bit of the Gaelic lingo, but kept quiet as to how much I could understand. Its still very much a first language for a lot of the population up there, and certainly for the over 50's. There can be a bit of a Gaelic mafia culture but for most of the native speakers its just their way of life. It might seem a dead language in other parts of Scotland but its certainly alive and well up there. Dont see a problem with a Gaelic TV channel. Its personal choice to watch it or not. Wont be tuning in myself but there are plenty of minorities in this country who want to keep their culture alive.
There 2p added :D
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Which part of Harris did you live in? My dad spent his last dozen years in Leverburgh. Many's the gloomy pint I've had in the Rodel (though I believe it's been spruced up).
 
1996, unfortunately the whisky and ciggies caught up with him. Still, I don't think he would have wanted to end up anywhere else than somewhere in the Hebrides, and he certainly had some good friends and neighbours there.
 
I was there from 1985 to 2006 and I know the house, sure our paths will have crossed. As you know its a very small place
 
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