North American Gaels: Speech, Story, and Song in the Diaspora

In recent decades, there has been a growing recognition of the significant North American Gaelic diaspora, which has been overlooked by historians, folklorists, and literary scholars. North American Gaels explores the ways Gaelic-speaking immigrants from marginalized societies have negotiated cultural spaces in their new homeland through a diasporic Gaelic narrative from the mid-eighteenth century to the twenty-first century. The book treats themes such as the sociolinguistics of minority languages, connection with one's former home, and the tension between modernity and tradition.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 512 pages
Publication date: 18 November 2020
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press

A mere 150 years ago, Scottish Gaelic held the prestigious third position as the most widely spoken language in Canada, while Irish enjoyed widespread popularity among hundreds of thousands of people in the United States. However, a recent surge in awareness has brought to light the significant North American Gaelic diaspora, a community that has long been overlooked by historians, folklorists, and literary scholars. North American Gaels, a groundbreaking exploration of these interconnected migrant ethnic groups, delves into the diverse ways Gaelic-speaking immigrants from marginalized societies have carved out cultural spaces for themselves in their new homeland.

In the macaronic verses of a Newfoundland fisherman, the pointed addresses of an Ontario essayist, the compositions of a Montana miner, and lively exchanges in newspapers from Cape Breton to Boston to New York, these groups proudly proclaim their presence through vibrant traditional modes, skillfully adapted to suit the unique climate of North America. Through meticulous investigations spanning from the mid-eighteenth century to the twenty-first century, the book explores overarching themes such as the sociolinguistics of minority languages, the connection with one's former home, and the interplay between the desire for modernity and the enduring influence of tradition. By asserting a strong claim for Gaelic studies on this continent, North American Gaels sheds new light on the profound ways Irish and Scottish Gaels have left an indelible mark through speech, story, and song.

Weight: 788g
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780228003793