Learn Scots Gaelic!

If you are Scottish, you can learn Scots Gaelic to reconnect with your roots. Although everyone in Scotland speaks English (or at least Scots English which is a slightly different beast), many people also speak Scots Gaelic. People of Scottish ancestry throughout Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, England and throughout the world maintain interest in the language as well.

Scots Gaelic is a celtic language, closely related to Irish Gaelic and Manx, and a little less closely related to Welsh, Cornish and Breton. Like its cousin Celtic languages, there are few published resources to learn Scots Gaelic, but there are a decent number of online sources to learn from, and there are plenty of resources to use to maintain your knowledge of Scots Gaelic, once you've learned a bit.

Internet/Free LearnGaelic.net This site, along with the BBC (which partners with the site), is probably your best source of learning materials for learning Scottish Gaelic. There are extensive video lessons from a television series, as well as lots of other resources. There are lessons for complete beginners, and for intermediate and advanced learners. There are also learning resources for kids. Excellent quality materials and they are free.

Internet/Free BBC Learn Scots Gaelic The BBC has a number of good resources for learning languages, particularly those of the British Isles. This is a series of lessons for the beginner with audio files. There are also lots of additional resources to use when you have gained some proficiency with Scots Gaelic.

Internet/Free Scottish Radiance This site has a lot of general information on Scots Gaelic, phrases, everyday sayings and with audio files.

Internet/Free Scots Gaelic Resource Directory This is a great list of quality resource links to learn Scots Gaelic and put it to use when you've learned some.

Software/Inexpensive
Teach Me Gaelic
This is one of the few commercial products dedicated to learning Scots Gaelic. Linguashop makes their language teaching software method in a variety of uncommon languages and thankfully, Gaelic is one of them. The software is easy to use and easy to customize. Teach Me Gaelic comes with an audio cd and a small booklet of short stories in Gaelic used in the program. It is reasonably comprehensive and provides a good foundation in Scots Gaelic.


Software
BYKI Scottish Gaelic
BYKI is a great flashcard program from Transparent Language. It has thousands of words and phrases, native-speaker audio, images and more. One of the features I most like about Byki is that it is editable - you can add your own words, phrases, audio and images from other sources, or even create new sets or add new languages. This gives the program plenty of long-term usefulness and value. You can download a limited free version, or upgrade to the more complete deluxe version. Read my review of BYKI.

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