Scottish Gaelic: A Comprehensive Grammar

Scottish Gaelic: A Comprehensive Grammar is a definitive description of contemporary Gaelic.

The volume presents an authoritative account of modern Gaelic grammar, attending to both idealised usages - as typically taught in formal education - and more colloquial forms. Core chapters include useful observations about dialectal and register differences, such as variations in inflection, pronunciation and word forms. The book also demystifies nuances of the language that many users find opaque, according to recent research. In each chapter, the most important, basic information is presented first (e.g. standard verb conjugations), followed by increasingly detailed information for more advanced users. This way, the book addresses the diverse needs of its intended audience.

Brimming with authentic examples, the volume accommodates readers of all levels, from complete beginners to professional linguists. It is both an ideal textbook for structured coursework and an indispensable companion for independent study.

William Lamb is a Professor of Gaelic Ethnology and Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh. Originally from Baltimore, Lamb spent over a decade living in a Gaelic-speaking community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. He brings a unique blend of academic rigour and knowledge of everyday Gaelic to this new descriptive grammar.