The Scots Gaelic Myth

[davidlpope]

However, Gaelic was brought over to Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland, and even in the U.S. in the Outer Banks were it flourished for years. Even slaves in the Outer Banks spoke Gaelic, learned by their Scottish Masters, and to this day, Gaelic in small pockets exist in the Outer Banks.

What's your source for this? The Outer Banks of NC, particularly Ocracoke, have a distinctive dialect, but it's not Scots Gaelic, most likely derived instead from the West Country of England.

Scots Gaelic was spoken by the Highlanders who settled in the Cape Fear region of NC (modern Fayetteville), but that's a long way from the Outer Banks and a different settlement pattern.

Scots Gaelic died out in the Cape Fear region after the American Civil War.

http://shimajournal.org/issues/v2n1/...Shima-v2n1.pdf

https://www.ncpedia.org/hoi-toiders

https://www.ncpedia.org/gaelic-language

[tripleblessed]

Scots Gaelic was spoken by the Highlanders who settled in the Cape Fear region of NC (modern Fayetteville), but that's a long way from the Outer Banks and a different settlement pattern.

Scots Gaelic died out in the Cape Fear region after the American Civil War.[/url]

Both my parents came out of Montgomery County, Georgia. A history of said county included newspaper clippings and interviews which referred to
landowners teaching their servants to speak Gaelic in the home, as that was the family practice. I believe that had disappeared by about WWI. I
know that neither parent mentioned having heard it, but I find it interesting that it wasused. It is perhaps related to the fact that many came to these
shores by force, not choice. Having never had much of a shot at owning anything, they became owners of land; many to most grants were in excess
of 200 acres, control (NOT ownership) over which would have made them close to wealthy in Scotland. Many happily viewed themselves as landed
gentry and attempted to live so. My folk owned much land, some in the thousands of acres, but my grandfather was born in a log cabin. By my
childhood, everyone spoke in terms of being "poor dirt farmers". Changing times and perceptions.

[OC Richard]

Scots Gaelic died out in the Cape Fear region after the American Civil War.

http://shimajournal.org/issues/v2n1/...Shima-v2n1.pdf

https://www.ncpedia.org/hoi-toiders

https://www.ncpedia.org/gaelic-language

Thanks for those links! The third link is a fascinating article about Scots Gaelic in the Cape Fear River Valley beginning in 1739 and as you say waning following the ACW.

(The first two links BTW are about the English West Country accent in the Outer Banks, one of the oddest accents I've heard.)

[davidlpope]

(The first two links BTW are about the English West Country accent in the Outer Banks, one of the oddest accents I've heard.)

Correct. I was making the point that the dialect of the Outer Banks is not derived from Scots Gaelic.