Do people speak Gaelic in Wales?

Answer 1

Welsh is considered a CELTIC language, although from another branch of Celtic.

Gaelic refers to the Celtic languages of Ireland. the Scottish Highland and Man.

Welsh is more closely related to Breton and Cornish.

Answer 2

No. They are classed as separate languages. They are both derived from Insular Celtic but diverged from each other thousands of years ago.

Irish Gaelic is called 'Irish' in English in Ireland itself and the term Gaelic is associated with Gaelic football there. In Ireland, among Irish speakers, the language is called Gaeilge. Nonetheless people outside Ireland often use 'Gaelic' for the language. Probably to distinguish it from from Hiberno-English (Irish English), far and away the most common language among the Irish.

A somewhat similar problem exists with Scottish Gaelic. Scotland has two languages:

Scots, a form of English so distinctive some may believe it is a separate language and Scottish Gaelic (a Celtic language). The second is often referred to as simply "Gaelic' (though until the 19th century the language was usually referred to as Irish by English speakers). The term 'Scottish' therefore can mean two languages.

Perhaps the best approach is to use 'Irish Gaelic' and 'Scottish Gaelic'; this may not appease some in Ireland and Scotland, but it is preferrable to just saying 'Gaelic'.

The names for the languages in the languages themselves are Gàidhlig for the Scottish variety (pronounced 'gallic') and Gaeilge for the Irish variety. Gaeilge is pronounced 'gael-gih' in standard Irish, but 'gaelic' in Ulster Irish dialect (perhaps adding to the confusion).

I hope this explanation clarifies the situation for people in Ireland and Scotland as well as the people living elsewhere.

Answer 3

Most people speak English, around 21% speak Welsh which is

a Celtic language but not Gaelic (which is spoken in Ireland and Scotland).

There may be some Welsh who know Irish or Scottish Gaelic, however.

Answer 4

no, two completely different languages.

However they are both Celtic languages.