Scotland faces losing native Gaelic speakers 'within this generation'

Cottage on the Isle of Lewis with view of the sea in the background (Image: Tripadvisor)

SCOTLAND could have no native speaking Gaelic communities “within this generation”, an expert in the language has warned.

While there has been a recent increase in the number of people who can speak Gaelic, Conchúr Ó Giollagáin, Gaelic research professor at the University of the Highlands and Islands, said that was driven by people learning “symbolic Gaelic” as a second language.