Tóth József (szerk.): Nyelv, kultúra, megértés: új kutatási módszerek a humán tudományok területén
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2. Nyelvhasználat és interkulturalitás
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Contemporary speaker attitudes in language revitalization • Levente Nagy, Ildikó Hortobágyi
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5. Relevant conclusions for Gaelic languages

5. Relevant conclusions for Gaelic languages

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Gaelic languages, including Irish and Scottish Gaelic, have a rich cultural heritage and play an important role in the history and identity of the communities in which they are spoken. However, public perception of these languages has been mixed throughout history and continues to be an issue of concern. Historically, Gaelic languages have faced suppression and marginalization, particularly in Ireland and Scotland, where they were seen as a hindrance to economic and political progress (MacAulay, 1992). The decline of these languages was accelerated by policies of forced assimilation and the promotion of English as the dominant language (Ó Riagáin, 1997). In recent years, however, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of preserving and revitalizing Gaelic languages, and a shift in public perception towards greater support for these languages. This shift has been driven in part by a growing awareness of the cultural, social, and economic benefits of preserving linguistic diversity, as well as efforts by governments, organizations, and communities to promote and revitalize Gaelic languages.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Previous research on the topic (Nagy, Hortobágyi, 2022) has collected a number of important pointers regarding the development of the speaker base of these languages. Based on the 2011 census (National Records of Scotland, 2015)1, ~60,000 people (roughly 1% of the population) reported being able to speak Gaelic, which is more than a thousand speakers less than in 2001. Despite the decrease on this front, the number of speakers under age 20 showed no decrease between 2001 and 2011. As insignificant as that may seem, Gaelic essentially forges an incredibly tight bond between the speakers themselves – even if they mock and squabble among themselves, Scots will immediately come together should you criticise their country, make fun of their language, or God forbid dare to insult them. Without knowing one another, their only “identification” is that they speak Scottish English, or even in rare cases Scottish Gaelic. Of course, this argument can be made for almost any language in any region, regardless of what part of the world it happens to be situated in.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Even though it is not as common as it once was, the Welsh tongue is perhaps one of the most iconic ones to have challenged English in its region. Welsh has enjoyed a steady increase in the number of language speakers; based on data reported from the Annual Population Survey, the 2011 census (Office for National Statistics, 2012)2 reported 562,000 speakers above the age of 3 – this number has grown to 892,000 according to census data published in 2021 (Office for National Statistics, 2022)3. This massive growth in speaker numbers serves to validate the status of Welsh – as of 2011, it is the only de jure official language in the United Kingdom, alongside English being the de facto.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Last but certainly not least, we can examine the Irish, or Gaelige language for additional information regarding its position. As per the Irish Constitution, Irish Gaelic is established as the national language, as well as the first official language of the Republic of Ireland alongside English. Despite this, the majority of official topics such as business deals and governmental debates are held in English. Based on data from the 2016 census (Central Statistics Office Ireland, 2017)4, 40% of the population, roughly equalling 1,761,000 persons over the age of 3 reported being able to speak Irish Gaelic. Further narrowing this data, roughly 600,000 speakers used the language less often than weekly, around 111,000 respondents claimed to speak it weekly, while the smallest speaker group comprised of about 73,000 individuals reported using the language every day.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Despite these positive developments, public perception of Gaelic languages continues to be influenced by factors such as limited opportunities for education and employment in these languages, the dominance of English in media and public life, and persistent stereotypes and prejudices against speakers of Gaelic languages. To address these issues and improve public perception of Gaelic languages, it is important to continue to raise awareness of the value and importance of these languages, as well as to provide greater opportunities for education and employment in Gaelic languages. This can include initiatives such as increasing the availability of Gaelic language resources, promoting Gaelic language media, and providing financial support for Gaelic language organizations and initiatives. While there has been a positive shift in recent years, much work remains to be done to ensure the long-term survival and revitalization of these important languages.
 
1 Scotland’s Census Report, 2015. https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/media/cqoji4qx/report_part_1.pdf. Accessed on 01/10/2022.
2 Annual Population Survey data, 2012. https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Welsh-Language/Annual-Population-Survey-Welsh-Language/annualpopulationsurveyestimatesofpersonsaged3andoverwhosaytheycanspeakwelsh-by-localauthority-measure. Accessed on 01/10/2022.
3 Annual Population Survey data, 2021. https://gov.wales/welsh-language-data-annual-population-survey-2021#:~:text=Main%20points&text=For%20the%20year%20ending%2031,equates%20to%20around%20892%2C200%20people. Accessed on 01/10/2022.
4 Central Statistics Office census data, 2016. https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cp10esil/p10esil/ilg/#:~:text=Open%20in%20Excel%3A,the%202011%20figure%20of%201%2C774%2C437. Accessed on 01/10/2022.
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