IT’S unlikely that anyone is going to manage to pick up a grasp of Gaelic due to its addition to the roster of languages on Google Translate but its presence is good news nonetheless.

As Bruce Robertson, chief executive of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, observes: “This is another significant milestone in the re-emergence and normalisation of Gaelic as one of the global languages in use in 2016.”

Robertson is quite correct. Selection by Google further validates Gaelic as a significant world language and removes it from the cul-de-sac of “hobby language” in which some of its detractors might wish it placed. Anything that encourages further interest and participation in the language is a cause for celebration.

And, of course, typing in a few choice phrases is always fun. Sgoinneil!


Scots Gaelic one of 13 new languages on Google Translate


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Calum MacLeoid: Gaelic becomes latest tongue to be mangled by Google’s much-derided Translate