Irish Translation Forum

I would like to know what the differences are between Scots and Irish Gaelic? Can two people still understand one another with the differences? Is it equivilant to the different types of Spanish like Spain verses Mexico? Thank you for anyone's help.
Kelli

I would say that someone raised speaking the Ulster Irish dialect would have little trouble understanding someone speaking Scottish Gaelic.

The languages split in the Middle Ages and have remained very similar.

There also is an Irish variation of Scottish Gaelic called Ullans, short for "Ulster Lallans"

Just a random note, "Scots" is something else, not Gaelic.


anyone else have something to add?

Nowadays, it's probably like the difference between Spanish and Portuguese. There's a huge common vocabulary, but the pronunciation and grammar have diverged, and each has a lot of words specific to it, and each one has different meanings for some of the same words. The Irish spoken in Ulster comes closest to Scottish Gaelic, but even so, it's very difficult to tell understand.

Scots Gaelic (Gaidhlig) is eerily similar to Irish Gaelic (Gaeilge). There are some differences in grammar, spelling, stress marks, etc.

I'm not sure if Irish can understand Scottish. Up in the Ulster Province of Ireland, I think they can understand Gaidhlig. (Ask Conor).

I have both a Gaelic and Irish grammar book and the content tells me that the two languages are very similar. They both come from the Celtic language family. This includes Welsh, Manx Gaelic, Scots Gaelic, and Irish.

I'm not sure which language is oldest, but I think it's probably either Irish or Scots. There are some people on the forum that can probably answer yar question better than myself.

Ádh mór ort! Slán go fóill.

Nowadays an Irish speaker could not understand a Scottish Gaelic speaker. The languages are similar (especially when written down) but as Oisín says we used some of the same words differently.

Thank you to all whom answered me back. THe only reason I ask is I would like to learn the Scottish Gaelic having come from Scottish roots but my better half wants me to learn the Irish instead so we can practice with one another. Thanks again.
Kelli

shh, learn Irish... lol, naw learn what ever you want to.

slán

I speak Munster Irish. I have little trouble understanding Donegal Irish except for tthe occasional unusual word or phrase but I couldn't understand Scottish Gaelic at all.

Tom, both languages are the same age as they both originated from middle Irish.

Méabh, Ullans is not a variation of Scottish Gaelic but of "Scots" which is a language or dialect closely allied to English.

According to Lars Bräsicke Ullans is the Scottish spoken in Ireland

Ullans is Ulster Scots, the English spoken in the Lowlands of Scotland (Lallans) that got transported across the water from the Plantation on afterward.