LL-L "Language use" 2009.07.08 (01) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 08 July 2009 - Volume 01
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From: Henno Brandsma <hennobrandsma at hetnet.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Language use" 2009.07.07 (04) [EN]

From: Elsa Primo <elsa_primo at yahoo.com>
Subject: Looking for Scots speakers from Inverness

Our family was a Graham from the Inverness area. They did not speak English
according to the family historian and his recollections of family lore..
Would that be a version of Scots?

I'd say (from the Highlands context) it would have been Scots Gaelic that
they would have spoken, which was for a long time the dominant language
there. Now the Gaelic speakers are motly concentrated on the Western Isles
(I've heard it spoken at Skye, e.g.). A Celtic language, close to Irish
Gaelic.
Regards,

Henno Brandsma
(the Netherlands)

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language use

Elsa,

I go along with our Henno. Gaelic would be my pick as well.

Even these days, Inverness (Gaelic *Inbhir Nis*, pronounced roughly like "In
yir NEESH") still has a significant number of Gaelic speakers. But it is the
fastest growing city of Europe, which probably means that the percentage of
Gaelic speakers is going down.

As Henno said, the language is closely related to Irish (*Gaeilge*). In
fact, its ancestor *came* from Ireland (which means that it is *not* the
original language of Scotland, contrary to popular assumption).

Read more:
Gaelic: http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/gaidhlig-info.php
Irish: http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/irish-intro.php

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

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