In Scotland, just about everyone speaks English, but we also have three other official languages as well as English.
English
English is spoken by the majority of Scottish people. You will come across different accents and dialects and these are the very components that make a Scottish person speaking English very interesting to listen to.
“Hello!” (Pronounced Heh-lo) Yes. It’s English for… well… hello.
Gaelic
Gaelic is alive and kicking thanks to some hard work by its protectors, the people who wanted to protect and promote this rich language. Gaelic was given to Scotland by the Celts and appears on road signs and at railway stations throughout Scotland. However, it is not consigned to the written word, Gaelic is widely spoken throughout Scotland, particularly in the Highland and Islands.
“Halò!” (Pronounced Hallo!) No, it is no error – it is Gaelic for hello.
Another great Gaelic word is “Fáilte” (Pronounced Fahl-cha or Fawl-cha) and you will see this on many signs around the highlands and islands as well as at train stations on the mainland in places like Glasgow.
Scots
Another official language of Scotland is Scots – a language spoken in parts of Scotland for centuries, heard in the East of Scotland, the lowlands, and the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland. Scots encompasses several dialects. Some examples of Scots, which has its root in the Germanic language with influences from Norse – can be witnessed in the poetry and songs of Rabbie Burns (Robert Burns), the first poet to write in Scots. Scots is not a dialect of the North East of Scotland. Children’s books such as The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Sheffler have been translated into Scots.
“Come awa’ ben the hoose!” This means “Welcome. Come into my house!”
Doric
Doric is a subset of vernacular Scots and is officially protected by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages – is it still afforded protection you may ask? The answer is yes. The Scottish Government fully supports this renaissance, and the Doric Board was established in 2019 to promote this colourful and expressive language and the culture and traditions of North East Scotland. Furthermore, the Scottish Government is preparing the Scottish Languages Bill for consideration – this is currently at the consultation stage.
Doric, this “mither tongue,” (mother tongue), spoken mainly in North East of Scotland from Keith and Nairn in Moray to Peterhead, Aberdeenshire to Dundee and Angus, is currently enjoying a revival. While some of you will be familiar with the Doric, it may be new to many of you. Indeed, its use was forbidden in schools, and many Scottish people are not even aware of its existence. The renewed interest in this little-known language may put it firmly on the map.
And finally, let us not forget the many other languages spoken in a multicultural Scotland that help to make it a rich and colourful culture. One that is always welcoming.
So, “Haste Ye Back!” (Hurry back!) to read more!
