Scottish Gaelic Language

We are one of the leading translation agencies for the Scottish Gaelic language and have provided Gaelic translations to many high profile Scottish public bodies including:

• The Scottish Parliament
• Historic Scotland
• Scottish Qualifications Authority
• NHS Scotland
• The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Please visit our Gaelic language page to see some of our work. If you would like further information about Scottish Gaelic translations or would like to discuss your requirements with us, please contact us.

Gaelic Translations

Because Scottish Gaelic is a language native to the British Isles and because demographic information shows there are no longer any people who only speak Scottish Gaelic (everyone can speak English as well), it holds a unique place among the languages we frequently translate.

Almost no translations are carried out from Scottish Gaelic into English, and very few are required by individuals or for businesses in the private sector. Most of our work is therefore translations into Scottish Gaelic for public sector organisations. Typical projects include:

• Press releases
• Information leaflets
• Educational materials
• Posters, Notices & Signs
• Website text
• Tourism materials

Historical Background

Scottish Gaelic (pronounced "Gah-lic" not "Gay-lic" in Scotland) is a native language of Scotland, which is currently spoken by about 60,000 people, mostly in the western Highlands and on the islands off the north west coast of Scotland. There are also small Gaelic communities in Scotland's cities, particularly Glasgow.

Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language and as such is closely related to Irish Gaelic (pronounced "Gay-lic" not "Gah-lic"!) – an official language of the Republic of Ireland – and more distantly related to Welsh. Gaelic was once spoken over a large part of Scotland, and in medieval times was the language of the Scottish court.

Some common English words of Gaelic origin include: bard, glen, bog, slogan, whisky, brogue, galore, clan and loch.