SUPERSEDING GAELIC: linguistics and cognitive effects in Gaelic young adults
RESEARCH IN MORE DETAIL
How the Gaelic language is perceived by secondary school pupils attending a Gaelic medium education program (GME), and its effects on their linguistic and cognitive development, was addressed for the first time to further the debate on the use of Gaelic in the young generations.
The project, currently on going, is looking at young adults about to leave Gaelic school, after 15 years of education in Gaelic. Young adults are at a crucial point in their lives where the decision to continue or stop using Gaelic depends entirely on them. A protocol covering Cognition, Language skills and Language Perception will be adopted to test effects of GME on both brain and language.
Collaborators
Prof Bernadette O’Rourke
Bernie is a sociolinguist based at Glasgow University. She has promoted the concept of New Speakers at European level, leading the New Speaker Cost Action. Together we are looking at perception of Gaelic speakers acquiring the language in medium education.
Prof Antonella Sorace
Antonella is Professor of Developmental Linguistics at The University of Edinburgh.
Her research brings together linguistics, experimental psychology and cognitive science. She is the Director of Bilingualism Matters.
PUBLICATIONS
Garraffa, M., Kutasi, T., O’ Rourke, B. and Sorace, A. (2018). Growing up with a minority language: a study on cognitive and linguistic skills, and on language attitudes in Gaelic-English young adults. Poster for Barcelona Summer School on Bi- and Multilingualism.
ACTIVITIES
Garraffa, M. (2017) Exploring learning Gaelic. Being Human Festival. Film screening and discussion of the Video Growing up with a minority language. 18th November. Oban, Scotland. https://vimeo.com/223902648
Garraffa, M. (2017). Public panel on minority languages in medium education. Coimbra, Portugal September.
FUNDERS and PARTNERS
