Scottish Gaelic in Business

Exploratory work on the language and whether there is any research on the benefit to businesses.

The methodology consisted of desk research.

The majority of Gaelic speakers live in rural Scotland - predominantly the Highlands and Islands (75%) but new learners are growing in the major cities thanks to the rise in Gaelic Medium Education (GME). Economy Sectors with higher proportions of Gaelic speakers are - Education, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing and Creative industries. Again, predominantly sectors found in rural areas. There is evidence to show that the use of minority languages can positivity impact on an economy particularly labour market outcomes. Another study showed the potential economic value of Gaelic as an asset to the Scottish economy could be in the region of between £82M and £149M. Benefits to businesses include: enhancing distinctiveness/ uniqueness of products and services; enhancing perceptions of authenticity and provenance; increasing appeal of products/services to target markets.

The report makes no recommendations.