Scottish vs. Irish
There are a range of differences between the Scottish and the Irish. There are differences in the people themselves, their literature, their heritage, their food and their culture, to name just a few things.
Both countries have left colorful marks on the pages of world history and are both qualified to be called ‘great’ nations. Unfortunately Scotland and Ireland have never reached the status of other great nations such as England and Germany and tend to be lesser known.
So what are some of the basic differences between the Irish and the Scottish that you ought to learn? You’re certainly already aware of their geography, and no doubt you know something of their histories, and their people. There is still one more thing you need to learn about the Scottish and Irish. You’ve heard the way they speak: their accent and intonation. Their ‘English’ may have sounded indecipherable. That ‘English’ however, just so you know, is their own language. It is one of the most remarkable languages in the whole world. It depicts both of the country’s deep culture and rich history. It is ancient yet it’s still living. And what language is that you ask? Scottish Gaelic and Irish.
Gaelic is an adjective which means ‘pertaining to Gaels’. It includes its culture and language. If it is used as a noun, Gaelic would refer to a group of languages spoken by the Gaels. Gaels, by the way, are speakers of Goidelic Celtic languages. Although Goidelic speech originated in Ireland, it spread to Scotland long ago.
Scottish Gaelic, to begin with, is still spoken actively in the northern most regions of Scotland. Some say that this language was first spoken in Argyll and was established way before the Roman Empire. But most people don’t know the exact period when the Scottish people first started to speak it. However, what is certain is that Scottish Gaelic spread across Scotland when the ancient province of Ulster was linked to Western Scotland during the 4th century. It was even made popular in the language of the Scottish church. By the 5th century, place name evidence showed that Gaelic was spoken in the Rhinns of Galloway. It was in the 15th century that Gaelic was known in English as Scottis. But after that, the highland and lowland boundary line started to emerge and Gaelic slowly lost its status as Scotland’s national language.
Irish Gaelic, on the other hand, is found widely spoken on the western part of Ireland these days. In fact, you can see plenty of signage and street guides in Ireland that are written in two languages: English and Gaelic. It was taught to them by the fierce and conquering tribesmen known as Celts. However, sometime during the 8th century A.D., Ireland became the target of the Vikings. When the Vikings successfully conquered Ireland, a new set of language and learning was introduced. This marks the significant difference of the grammatical and phonetic aspects of both Scottish and Irish languages.
The root of Irish Gaelic is the same with the Scottish’. Irish or Erse, referring to the people, was once called Gaelic and was classified by the English conquerors as the lowest class of people. These people spoke Gaelic even when the Anglo-Saxons expected their language to slowly die. On and on the language evolved and it almost died, but a few Irish lads and lassies have kept it alive despite the odds. Now, about 60,000 people in Ireland can speak fluent Gaelic.
SUMMARY:
1. Both Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic came the same root: Celts.
2.Scottish Gaelic is spoken widely on the northern part of Scotland, whereas Irish Gaelic is spoken widely on the western part of the Irish region.