Gàidhealtachd

The Gàidhealtachd ( kɛ ː əl ˠ ̪t̪əxk }, German: called Gälentum, sometimes A ' Ghàidhealtachd, usually refers to the Highlands of Scotland and in particular to the Scottish Gaelic language and culture of the region, the corresponding Irish- Gaelic term Gaeltacht refers to an Irish. - Gaelic-speaking region with a particular legal status for the official use of language with respect to the English and Gaelic. , the Scottish term involves the Gaeltacht areas in Nova Scotia ( Nova Scotia ) in Canada.

The term A ' Ghàidhealtachd does not correlate exactly with the geographic region of the Scottish Highlands match because he is related to the language and not to the geography in the first place. In addition, large parts of the Highlands have no appreciable Gaelic-speaking population more, and in some parts of the Scottish Highlands, the Germanic languages ​​Scots or English are spoken: Caithness, Cromarty, Grantown -on-Spey, Campbeltown, etc. On the other hand, there are some Gaelic-speaking communities outside of the traditional Scottish Highland, Argyll and Bute, for example, as well as the outer and inner Hebrides. For this reason, the Gàidhealtachd includes not only the Gaelic speaking areas of Scotland, but also of Nova Scotia and other communities in Canada as Glengarry County, is spoken in the Scottish Gaelic by a majority of the population today.

History

• Scottish Gaelic
• Scots
• Norn

Until the 18th century the Gàidhealtachd included still large parts of today's Scotland north of the Firth of Forth and Galloway, with the exception of Orkney and Shetland islands, which never belonged to the Gaeltacht area. Gaelic place names show that here was originally Celtic settlement area: Dundee from Gaelic Dùn deagh, Inverness Inbhir of Nis, Argyll by Earra - Ghàidheal, Galloway Gall - Ghaidhealaibh and probably of Stirling Sruighlea ( the etymology is unclear ). Gaelic speakers who are considered today as in English, are George Buchanan in Stirlingshire and Robert the Bruce and Margaret McMurray from Galloway and Ayrshire.

Historical developments meant that with by the cultural influence of the Scots -speaking royal court in Edinburgh and the establishment of trading cities on a large scale in the southern and eastern parts of Scotland Gàidhealtachd massively to today's region of the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides, north-western highlands Skye, Lochalsh and Argyll and Bute ) is limited. Small groups of speakers are also found in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Another reason for the decline of Scottish Gaelic is the unfavorable demographic development. Not too long ago, many Gaels lived in the rural highlands. Due to the expulsions - Clearances - in the 18th and 19th centuries and by the emigration to North America, the number of Gaelic speakers declined steadily. Still dominate the Gaelic language, many young people see their future in the English-speaking cities in the south of Scotland and in England and North America.

Modern Gàidhealtachd

Through the Internet and other modern communication technologies succeeds in Scottish Gaelic diaspora increasingly to contact each other and so to use the language outside of the closed language area. Many interested lay people from different countries will also receive access to the latest Scottish Gaelic original texts. In addition, there are a variety of language courses on the net that can be used on the website YouTube. Scottish Gaelic pop groups like Mànran, Capercaillie or Run Rig help the Gaelic language also to international fame and reputation. The same can be reported via the medium of film. The film " Seachd - The Inaccessible Pinnacle ", the first 88 -minute feature film in Scottish Gaelic as well as films in which the Scottish Gaelic language is used in selected scenes, the endangered idiom also help to increase validity. Examples include the Walt Disney film " Merida - Legend of the Highlands ", " Rob Roy " and "The Eagle of the Ninth Legion ."

Canadian Gàidhealtachd

Scottish Gaelic is spoken of in the towns on the Cape Breton Island and south of the descendants of Scottish immigrants, further in Glengarry County in present-day Ontario, Prince Edward Iceland and Neufoundland. However, in Newfoundland Irish Gaelic is spoken.