Languages of Scotland


The languages of Scotland are the languages spoken or once spoken in Scotland. The numerous languages spoken in Scotland during its recorded linguistic history fall into either the Germanic or Celtic language families. The classification of the Pictish language was once controversial but it is now generally considered a Celtic language. Today, the primary languages spoken in Scotland are English, Scots and Scottish Gaelic. The dialect of English spoken in Scotland is referred to as Scottish English.

Read more about Languages Of Scotland:  Celtic Languages, Germanic Languages, Norman French, Ancient Greek and Latin, Sign Languages, Overview and Statistics, Other

Famous quotes containing the words languages and/or scotland:

    The less sophisticated of my forbears avoided foreigners at all costs, for the very good reason that, in their circles, speaking in tongues was commonly a prelude to snake handling. The more tolerant among us regarded foreign languages as a kind of speech impediment that could be overcome by willpower.
    Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)

    Four and twenty at her back
    And they were a’ clad out in green;
    Tho the King of Scotland had been there
    The warst o’ them might hae been his Queen.

    On we lap and awa we rade
    Till we cam to yon bonny ha’
    Whare the roof was o’ the beaten gold
    And the floor was o’ the cristal a’.
    —Unknown. The Wee Wee Man (l. 21–28)