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Cunntas-sluaigh na h-Alba 2001

10/10/2005

Tha figearan air am foillseachadh an-diugh a' sealltainn gu robh, ann an 2001, beagan comais sa Ghàidhlig aig còrr air 92,000 duine an Alba (dìreach beagan nas lugha na 2 sa cheud den àireamh-sluaigh) agus gu robh faisg air dàrna leth nan daoine sin a' fuireach anns na h-Eileanan Siar, a' Ghàidhealtachd no Earra-Ghàidheal & Bòid.

Bha na figearan ann an aithisg a chaidh fhoillseachadh an-diugh le Clàradair na h-Alba mu chleachdadh na Gàidhlig an Alba, air an toirt bho Chunntasan-sluaigh 2001 agus 1991.

Thuirt Duncan Macniven, Clàradair na h-Alba:

"Tha an aithisg seo, a tha stèidhichte air mion-sgrùdadh de Chunntas-sluaigh 2001, a' sealltainn gu bheil piseach agus crìonadh a' tighinn air a' Ghàidhlig. Thuit an àireamh de luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig 7,300 rè nan 1990an. Ach, mheudaich an àireamh de dhaoine a bha a' leughadh Gàidhlig 3,200 agus dh'èirich an àireamh de dhaoine comasach air sgrìobhadh ann an Gàidhlig 3,100.

"Chithear bhon Chunntas-sluaigh gu bheil a' Ghàidhlig a' crìonadh anns na prìomh sgìrean traidiseanta aice, gu sònraichte sna h-Eileanan Siar, ach a' fàs ann an iomadh pàirt eile de dh'Alba - agus am measg òigridh. B' urrainn do mu 430 a bharrachd de dh'òigridh, aois còig gu naoi, bruidhinn Gàidhlig ann an 2001 na ann an 1991. Tha i a' gluasad bho bhith na cainnt-beòil gu bhith na cànan a thathar a' bruidhinn, a' leughadh agus a' sgrìobhadh."

'S iad na prìomh thoraidhean:

• Bha beagan comais sa Ghàidhlig aig 92,400 daoine aois trì agus os a chionn (1.9 sa cheud den àireamh-sluaigh) ann an 2001.
• Bha barrachd dhaoine le comas sa Ghàidhlig a' fuireach sna h-Eileanan Siar (18,420), Roinn na Gàidhealtachd (18,360) agus Earra-Ghàidheal & Bòid (6,520) na ann an roinn comhairle sam bith eile.
• Chaidh an àireamh de dhaoine aois a trì agus os a chionn comasach air bruidhinn Gàidhlig sìos 11 sa cheud eadar 1991 agus 2001. Mheudaich an àireamh a b' urrainn leughadh Gàidhlig seachd gu leth sa cheud agus mheudaich an àireamh comasach air sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig 10 sa cheud anns an aon ùine.
• Thuit an àireamh de dhaoine a b' urrainn bruidhinn, leughadh no sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig gu 3,800 nas lugha (sia sa cheud) eadar 1991 agus 2001, agus dh'èirich an àireamh le comas Gàidhlig nas motha, a b' urrainn an cànan a bhruidhinn, a leughadh agus a sgrìobhadh gu 1,800 a bharrachd (sia sa cheud) anns an aon ùine.
• Ann an 2001 b' e luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig a bha ann an 63 sa cheud de dhaoine aois a trì & os a chionn le beagan comais sa Ghàidhlig, agus bha 29 sa cheud comasach air tuigsinn Gàidhlig ach cha robh air a bruidhinn, a leughadh no a sgrìobhadh.
• Mheudaich ìrean labhairt Gàidhlig eadar 1991 agus 2001 do dhaoine aois eadar còig agus naoi, ged a bha tuiteam airson nan aoisean sin ann am prìomh sgìrean Gàidhlig nan Eilean Siar agus an Eilean Sgitheanach & Loch Aillse.
• Ann an 2001, bha luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig aois trì & os a chionn timcheall air còig bliadhna agus ochd mìosan nas sine na ball cuibheasach den àireamh-sluaigh.
• Ann an 2001, bha comas sa Ghàidhlig aig 72 sa cheud de dhaoine a bha a' fuireach anns na h-Eileanan Siar, na b' àirde na roinn ùghdarrais ionadail sam bith eile an Alba.
• Taobh a-muigh nam prìomh cheàrnaidhean Gàidhlig, b' e dìreach aon sa cheud den àireamh-sluaigh aig an robh comas sam bith sa Ghàidhlig ann an 2001.
• Thuit an àireamh agus an àireamh sa cheud de dhaoine a' bruidhinn Gàidhlig anns na h-Eileanan Siar eadar 1991 agus 2001 airson a h-uile buidheann aoise.
• B' ann aig sgìre Bharabhais, ann an iar-thuath nan Eilean Siar, a bha a' chuibhreann a b' àirde de luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig ann an Alba gu lèir (75 sa cheud ann an 2001 agus 87 sa cheud ann an 1991).

Tha na h-earrannan a leanas san aithisg seo:-

Bruidhinn, leughadh, sgrìobhadh agus tuigsinn Gàidhlig

Eisimpleirean de na toraidhean aig ìre Alba: Bha beagan comais sa Ghàidhlig aig 1.9 sa cheud den àireamh-sluaigh aois 3+ ann an 2001; bha 1.2 sa cheud a' bruidhinn Gàidhlig; b' urrainn do 0.9 sa cheud leughadh Gàidhlig; b' urrainn do 0.7 sa cheud sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig; b' urrainn do 1.6 sa cheud tuigsinn Gàidhlig air a labhairt; thuit an àireamh de luchd-labhairt 11 sa cheud bho 1991, agus mheudaich an luchd-leughaidh agus luchd-sgrìobhaidh 7½ agus 10 sa cheud, fa leth, anns an aon ùine; thuit na h-àireamhan comasach air bruidhinn, leughadh n o sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig 6 sa cheud bho 1991; mheudaich na h-àireamhan comasach air bruidhinn, leughadh agus sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig 6 sa cheud; b' urrainn do faisg air treas earrann den fheadhainn le beagan comais sa Ghàidhlig tuigsinn Gàidhlig air a labhairt ach cha b' urrainn dhaibh a bruidhinn, a leughadh no a sgrìobhadh.

Eisimpleirean de na toraidhean aig ìrean sònraichte an Alba: Sheall 22 roinnean comhairle meudachadh anns an àireamh de daoine comasach air bruidhinn, leughadh n o sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig bho 1991; bha beagan comais sa Ghàidhlig aig faisg air trì-chairteal de dhaoine anns na h-Eileanan Siar ann an 2001; b' e dìreach 1 a-mach à 95 daoine taobh a-muigh nam prìomh cheàrnaidhean Gàidhlig aig an robh eòlas Gàidhlig ann an 2001; sheall na h-Eileanan Siar an crìonadh as motha ann an daoine a tha comasach air bruidhinn, leughadh no sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig bho 1991; b' urrainn do faisg air dàrna leth nan daoine le beagan eòlais air Gàidhlig anns na h-Eileanan Siar agus san Eilean Sgitheanach & Loch Aillse a bruidhinn, a leughadh agus a sgrìobhadh ann an 2001; Bha cuibhreann na bu mhotha de luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig ann am Barabhas na ann an sgìre sam bith eile an Alba.

Pàtran-sluaigh

Eisimpleirean de na toraidhean: bha an fheadhainn le comas Gàidhlig na bu bhuailtiche na an àireamh-sluaigh san fharsaingeachd a bhith aois 25 agus os a chionn; mheudaich a' chuibhreann de dhaoine aois 5-9 a' bruidhinn Gàidhlig eadar 1991 agus 2001, ach thuit a' chuibhreann aois 3-4 agus 25 & os a chionn; agus an àireamh sa cheud de dhaoine a' bruidhinn Gàidhlig anns na h-Eileanan Siar airson a h-uile buidheann aoise; ann an 2001, bha neach-labhairt Gàidhlig aois 3 & os a chionn timcheall air 5 bliadhna agus 8 mìosan nas sine na an àireamh-sluaigh coitcheann;

Feartan cultarail

Eisimpleirean de na toraidhean: bha luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig na bu bhuailtiche a bhith air am breith an Alba na an àireamh-sluaigh gu h-iomlan; chaidh a' chuibhreann a bha neo-gheal aig an robh Gàidhlig suas barrachd air a dhà uiread eadar 1991 agus 2001; cha robh daoine le beagan comais sa Ghàidhlig faisg cho buailteach a bhith gun chreideamh idir.

Gàidhlig ann an teaghlaichean

Eisimpleirean de na toraidhean: far an robh gach pàrant ann an teaghlaichean le càraid pòsta nan luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig, bha 70 sa cheud den chloinn cuideachd a' bruidhinn Gàidhlig; far an robh dìreach aon phàrant a' bruidhinn Gàidhlig, bha dìreach 23 sa cheud den chloinn a' bruidhinn a' chànain.

Tinneas, slàinte agus frithealadh

Eisimpleirean de na toraidhean: airson daoine fo aois 55, bha na daoine le tinneas bacaidh fad-ùine na bu bhuailtiche comas a bhith aca sa Ghàidhlig; airson an fheadhainn aois 55 agus os a chionn, cha robh daoine air taobh a-muigh nam prìomh cheàrnaidhean Gàidhlig le tinneas bacaidh fad-ùine na bu bhuailtiche a bhith le comas Ghàidhlig no às aonais; airson cha mhòr a h-uile buidheann aoise, bha luchd-cùraim na bu bhuailtiche eòlas sa Ghàidhlig a bhith aca.

Coitcheann

Eisimpleirean de na toraidhean: bha na bu lugha de dhaoine le comas sa Ghàidhlig ag obair làn-ùine ach bha barrachd dhaoine ag obair air an ceann fhèin; anns na prìomh cheàrnaidhean Gàidhlig, bha daoine le eòlas Gàidhlig na bu bhuailtiche a bhith ag obair ann am foghlam; ann an gach cuid na prìomh cheàrnaidhean Gàidhlig agus an còrr de dh'Alba, agus na bu lugha de dhaoine le comas Gàidhlig ann an dreuchdan rianachd; bha barrachd dhaoine le eòlas air Gàidhlig ionnsaichte gu ìre ceum, ged a bha na bu lugha ann an cuid de phrìomh sgìrean Gàidhlig; bha clann a bha a' bruidhinn Gàidhlig na bu bhuailtiche a bhith aois 12-15 ach cha robh iad cho buailteach a bhith aois 3-4.

Coimeas eadar diofar bhuidhnean aoise eadar 1991 agus 2001

Eisimpleirean de na toraidhean: bha an àireamh de dhaoine aois 30-39 bliadhna ann an 2001 2 sa cheud na b' àirde na an àireamh de dhaoine 20-29 bliadhna ann an 1991 ach, airson luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig, thuit na h-àireamhan 6 sa cheud.

Imrich

Eisimpleirean de na toraidhean: bha imrichean beagan na bu bhuailtiche comas sa Ghàidhlig a bhith aca na neo-imrichean; chaill na h-Eileanan Siar mu 1 sa cheud den àireamh-sluaigh le Gàidhlig aca tro imrich gu pàirtean eile de dh'Alba anns a' bhliadhna ron Chunntas-sluaigh; b' e imrichean a bha a' fuireach anns na prìomh sgìrean Gàidhlig a bu bhuailtiche a bhith a' còmhnaidh ann an roinn ùghdarras ionadail eadar-dhealaichte aon bhliadhna air ais.Gheibhear an aithisg Cunntas-sluaigh na h-Alba 2001, Aithisg Ghàidhlig (ann an Gàidhlig agus Beurla) bho GROS Customer Service (faic para 6 shìos) agus faodar a leughadh no a luchdadh sìos cuideachd bho làrach-lìn GROS aig:
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/census/censushm/scotcen/scotcen2/scotcen-gaelic/index.html

B' e ainm na h-aithisge Ghàidhlig bhon Chunntas-sluaigh mu dheireadh (1991) 'Cunntas-sluaigh 1991, Gàidhlig, Alba' (ISBN 0-11-495255-8).

Ann an Cunntas-sluaigh 2001, chaidh ceithir ceistean fhaighneachd do dhaoine mun Ghàidhlig - am b' urrainn dhaibh:

• Tuigsinn Gàidhlig air a labhairt,
• Bruidhinn Gàidhlig,
• Leughadh Gàidhlig,
• Sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig.

B' e 2001 a' chiad Chunntas-sluaigh anns an robh ceist mu chomas duine tuigsinn Gàidhlig air a labhairt. Leis nach robh a' cheist seo air a faighneachd ann an 1991, b' e prìomh bhuaidh an atharrachaidh ri foirm Cunntas-sluaigh 2001 gun tuirt mòran a bharrachd de dhaoine gu robh beagan comais sa Ghàidhlig aca ann an 2001 an coimeas ri 1991.

Ann am mòran de na clàir anns an aithisg seo tha dàta aig ìre Alba air a bhriseadh sìos a rèir sia "ceàrnaidhean Gàidhlig". Tha na ceàrnaidhean sin air am briseadh sìos mar a leanas:

i. Na h-Eileanan Siar - tha seo co-ionann ris an roinn ùghdarras ionadail den aon ainm.

ii. An t-Eilean Sgitheanach & Loch Aillse - a' riochdachadh, cho faisg 's a ghabhas, an sgìre ùghdarras ionadail den aon ainm a bha ann ron Ghiblean 1996.

iii. An Còrr den Ghàidhealtachd (ach a-mhàin an t-Eilean Sgitheanach & Loch Aillse) - an còrr de roinn ùghdarras ionadail na Gàidhealtachd.

iv. Earra-Ghàidheal & Bòid - co-ionann ris an roinn ùghdarras ionadail den aon ainm aig an àm seo.

v. Prìomh Cheàrnaidhean Gàidhlig Eile - eileanan Shiorrachd Àir a Tuath, ceann a tuath Pheairt & Ceann Rois agus roinnean comhairle ceann a tuath Shruighlea.

vi. An Còrr de dh'Alba.

Tha toraidhean Cunntas-sluaigh 2001 gu lèir air an atharrachadh gus dìth fiosrachaidh measraichte anns a' Chunntas-sluaigh a ghabhail a-steach stèidhichte air modh-obrachaidh Cunntas-sluaigh Àireamh a h-Aon, a chleachd toraidhean Sgrùdadh air Fiosrachadh Chunntas-sluaigh (tha barrachd fiosrachaidh mu Chunntas-sluaigh Àireamh a h-Aon ri fhaotainn air làrach-lìn GROS). Ann an grunn chlàir san aithisg tha figearan bho Chunntas-sluaigh 1991 nach robh, mar a bha an fheadhainn airson 2001, air an atharrachadh airson dìth fiosrachaidh. Mar sin chan eil figearan bho 1991 co-ionann ris an fheadhainn bho 2001.

Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh mun chothrom air clàir a bharrachd, cuiribh fios gu:

Customer Services

Dissemination & Census Analysis Branch

General Register Office for Scotland

Ladywell House

Ladywell Road

Edinburgh, EH12 7TF

Fòn: 0131 314 4254

Facs: 0131 314 4696

Post-d: customer@gro-scotland.gov.uk

In English

Figures published today show that, in 2001, over 92,000 people in Scotland (just under 2 per cent of the population) had some Gaelic language ability and that almost half of these people lived in Eilean Siar, Highland or Argyll & Bute.

The figures were in a report published today by the Registrar General for Scotland about the use of Gaelic in Scotland, drawn from the 2001 and 1991 Censuses.

Duncan Macniven, Registrar General for Scotland said:

"This report, based on detailed analysis of the 2001 Census, shows that Gaelic is thriving as well as declining. The number of Gaelic speakers fell by 7,300 during the 1990's. However, the number of Gaelic readers increased by 3,200 and the number of people able to write in Gaelic rose by 3,100.

"The Census suggests that Gaelic is declining in its traditional heartlands, particularly in the Western Isles, but growing in many other parts of Scotland - and among young people. Around 430 more young people, aged five to nine, could speak Gaelic in 2001 than in 1991. It is moving from being an oral language to being a language spoken, read and written."

The main findings are:

• 92,400 people aged three and over (1.9 per cent of the population) had some Gaelic language ability in 2001.
• More people with Gaelic language ability lived in Eilean Siar (18,420), Highland (18,360) and Argyll & Bute (6,520) than in any other council areas.
• The number of people aged three and over able to speak Gaelic declined by 11 per cent between 1991 and 2001. The number who could read Gaelic increased by seven and a half per cent and the number able to write Gaelic increased by 10 per cent over the same period.
• People who could speak, read or write Gaelic fell by 3,800 (six per cent) between 1991 and 2001, while the number with more extensive Gaelic ability, who could speak, read and write the language, rose by 1,800 (six per cent) over the same period.
• 63 per cent of people aged three & over with some Gaelic language ability were Gaelic speakers in 2001, while 29 per cent could understand Gaelic but could not speak, read or write it.
• Levels of Gaelic speaking increased between 1991 and 2001 for those aged between five and nine, despite falls for these ages in the chief Gaelic heartlands of Eilean Siar and Skye & Lochalsh.
• In 2001, Gaelic speakers aged three & over were approximately five years and eight months older than an average member of the population.
• 72 per cent of people living in Eilean Siar had Gaelic language ability in 2001, the highest of any local authority area in Scotland.
• Outwith the main Gaelic areas, only around one per cent of the population had any Gaelic language ability in 2001.
• The number and percentage of people speaking Gaelic in Eilean Siar fell between 1991 and 2001 for all age groups.
• The Barvas parish, in the north-west of Eilean Siar, had the highest proportion of Gaelic speakers in all of Scotland (75 per cent in 2001 and 87 per cent in 1991).

The report contains the following sections:-

Speaking, reading, writing and understanding Gaelic

Examples of the results at Scotland level: 1.9 per cent of population aged 3+ had some Gaelic language ability in 2001; 1.2 per cent spoke Gaelic; 0.9 per cent could read Gaelic; 0.7 per cent were able to write Gaelic; 1.6 per cent could understand spoken Gaelic; number of speakers fell by 11 per cent since 1991, while readers and writers increased by 7½ and 10 per cent, respectively, over the same period; numbers able to speak, read or write Gaelic fell by 6 per cent since 1991; numbers able to speak, read and write Gaelic increased by 6 per cent; almost a third of those with some Gaelic language ability could understand spoken Gaelic but could not speak, read or write it.

Examples of the results at sub-Scotland level: 22 council areas showed an increase in the number of people able to speak, read or write Gaelic since 1991; almost three-quarters of people in Eilean Siar had some Gaelic language ability in 2001; only 1 in 95 people outwith the main Gaelic areas had Gaelic knowledge in 2001; Eilean Siar showed the greatest decline in those able to speak, read or write Gaelic since 1991; almost half of those with some knowledge of Gaelic in Eilean Siar and Skye & Lochalsh could speak, read and write it in 2001; Barvas had the highest proportion of Gaelic speakers of any Scottish parish.

Demography

Examples of the results: those with Gaelic ability more likely than the population as a whole to be aged 25 and over; proportion of people aged 5-9 speaking Gaelic increased between 1991 and 2001, but proportion aged 3-4 and 25 & over fell; number and proportion of people speaking Gaelic in Eilean Siar fell for all age groups; in 2001, a Gaelic speaker aged 3 & over was approximately 5 years and 8 months older than the general population;

Cultural attributes

Examples of the results: Gaelic speakers more likely to be born in Scotland than the population as a whole; proportion of those with Gaelic language who were non-white more than doubled between 1991 and 2001; people with some Gaelic language ability much less likely to have no religion.

Gaelic in families

Examples of the results: where both parents in married couple families were Gaelic speakers, 70 per cent of the children also spoke Gaelic; where only one parent spoke Gaelic, just 23 per cent of the children spoke the language.

Illness, health and caring

Examples of the results: for people aged under 55, those with limiting long-term illness more likely to have Gaelic language ability; for those aged 55 and over, people outwith the main Gaelic areas with limiting long-term illness neither more nor less likely to have Gaelic ability; for almost all age groups, carers more likely to have knowledge of Gaelic.

General

Examples of the results: fewer people with Gaelic language ability working full-time while more people self-employed; in the main Gaelic areas, people with Gaelic knowledge more likely to work in education; in both the main Gaelic areas and the rest of Scotland, less people with Gaelic ability in administrative occupations; more people with knowledge of Gaelic qualified to degree level, though fewer in some Gaelic heartlands; Gaelic speaking children more likely to be aged 12-15 but less likely to be aged 3-4.

Comparison of different age groups between 1991 and 2001

Examples of the results: the number of 30-39 year olds in 2001 was 2 per cent higher than the number of 20-29 year olds in 1991 but, for Gaelic speakers, numbers fell by 6 per cent.

Migration

Examples of the results: migrants slightly more likely to have Gaelic language ability than non-migrants; Eilean Siar lost around 1 per cent of its Gaelic speaking population through migration to other parts of Scotland in the year before the Census; migrants who lived in the main Gaelic heartlands were least likely to have been resident in a different local authority area one year earlier.

The report Scotland's Census 2001, Gaelic Report is available (in both Gaelic and English) from GROS Customer Service (see para 6 below) and is also available for viewing or downloading from the GROS website at:

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/census/censushm/scotcen/scotcen2/scotcen-gaelic/2001gaelic-report.html

The published report on Gaelic from the previous (1991) Census was entitled '1991 Census, Gaelic Language, Scotland' (ISBN 0-11-495255-8).

In the 2001 Census, people were asked four questions about the Gaelic language - whether they could:

• Understand spoken Gaelic,
• Speak Gaelic,
• Read Gaelic,
• ·Write Gaelic.

2001 was the first Census to include a question about a person's ability to understand spoken Gaelic. As this question was not asked in 1991, the main effect of the change to the 2001 Census form was that many more people reported some Gaelic language ability in 2001 compared with 1991.

Many of the tables in the report contain breakdowns of Scotland level data by six "Gaelic areas". These areas are defined as follows:

i. Eilean Siar - exactly equivalent to the local authority area of the same name.

ii. Skye & Lochalsh - replicates, as closely as possible, the local authority district of the same name which existed prior to April 1996.

iii. Rest of Highland (excluding Skye & Lochalsh) - remainder of the Highland local authority area.

iv. Argyll & Bute - exactly equivalent to the current local authority area of the same name.

v. Other Main Gaelic Areas - the islands of North Ayrshire, the north of Perth & Kinross and the north of Stirling council areas.

vi. Rest of Scotland.

All 2001 Census results have been adjusted to take account of estimated undercoverage in the Census based on the One Number Census methodology, which used the results of the Census Coverage Survey (more information on the One Number Census is available on the GROS website). Several tables in the report contain figures from the 1991 Census which, unlike those for 2001, were not adjusted for underenumeration. Figures from 1991 are therefore not precisely comparable with those from 2001.

For further information on the availability of further tables, please contact:

Customer Services

Dissemination & Census Analysis Branch

General Register Office for Scotland

Ladywell House

Ladywell Road

Edinburgh, EH12 7TF

Telephone: 0131 314 4254

Facsimile: 0131 314 4696

E-Mail: customer@gro-scotland.gov.uk