Explanation in English
This page is for information on Email lists devoted to speakers and learners of the Gaelic language.

There are three varieties of Gaelic: Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic, and Manx Gaelic. These are closely related and very similar, but they are not mutually understandable except to speakers who have had the equivalent of at least a couple of days contact with the other variety. (The other three Celtic languages, Welsh, Cornish and Breton, belong to a different branch and are not so closely related to Gaelic.)

Once upon a time there was the Email list Gaelic-L - for conversation in all three varieties of Gaelic. This list was very successful. However, it grew too big. Membership topped 1300, each receiving 20 or more messages per day. So other lists were set up:

• Gaeilge-A - for fluent speakers of Irish Gaelic (no English)
• Gaeilge-B - for Irish Gaelic learners (English allowed)
• Gaidhlig-A - for fluent speakers of Scottish Gaelic (no English)
• Gaidhlig-B - for Scottish Gaelic learners (English allowed)
• Gaelg - for Manx Gaelic (both fluent speakers and learners)

Gaelic-L itself is still very much alive. It is of interest particularly to those who are fairly fluent in at least one variety of Gaelic and who also know or want to know a bit of the other varieties.

The page above contains links to information which is shared or of relevance to all the lists. To go to information specific to one of the lists you have to click on the list name.

If your interests are not in speaking or learning to speak Gaelic, but are rather peripheral to this, you may find these other English-language lists to be of more interest:

• CELTIC-L - Discussion of things celtic.
• IRTRAD-L - Irish traditional music.
• CELTLING - Formal linguistics of the Celtic lanugages.
• Celtic-T - For celtic language teachers