Since the gods have blessed me with a Scots ancestry, I know without looking it up that “Gàidhlig” is Scots Gaelic. While I read and generally understand spoken Scots (a completely separate and distinct language from English or Gàidhlig), I’m in bad shape then it comes to Gàidhlig, so I must warn you that achievieving luency won’t be a peace of cake even if you have all of Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis’ recordings.

As you can tell by the graphic, I didn’t throw a dart at the calendar to pick when all of you will start learning Gàidhlig.

Benefits of learning Gàidhlig

• You can listen to Julie Fowlis’ songs without having to read the “liner-notes” translation.
• When you visit Scotland, especially the Outer Hebrides, and hear people shouting, you’ll be able to tell whether or not they’re swearing at you. If you hear, “Gorach Pios De Cac,” you should leave.
• You and your significant other can whisper sweet nothings to each other here in the States without other people listening in. For example, you can say “Feumaidh sinn rùm fhaighinn” and those next to you in the Walmart checkout line won’t have a clue–not that they do anyhow–unless you’re acting like you need to get a room.
• You’ll be supporting the efforts of those who are trying to keep Gàidhlig from becoming extinct. Only 1.1% of Scots speak it while 30% speak Scots.
• You’ll be doing your part to make the world a better place. As the World Gaelic Week site suggests, Remember that you download the official Seachdain na Gàidhlig Resources here or access Gaelic language resources here.
• You’ll know how true Highlanders really speak as opposed to the Scots that many novelists have them speaking. (For shame.)
• And, you’ll know my feelings about you, dear reader:

Tha thu am measg cuid de na leughadairean as fheàrr air aghaidh na Talmhainn agus bu chòir dhut duais fhaighinn airson mo bhlog a leughadh.

—Malcolm