by Melissa Puthenmadom With the Scottish independence referendum looming over the horizon—scheduled to take place on September 18, 2014—the presence of Scotland’s regional and minority languages has become more relevant than ever. Today, the only official language in Scotland is English, while Scottish Gaelic and Scots are recognized as regional languages. You might ask: what’s the difference? As with any group of people, language both unites and distinguishes those who speak it. As Scotland considers defining a political identity separate from the United Kingdom, it’s worthwhile to look at both Gaelic and Scots as having unique linguistic merit within Scotland’s cultural landscape and the formation of Scottish identity. The main difference between the languages is that Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language with ties to Old Irish, while Scots is a Germanic language descending from Old English. Image based on http://www.dsl.ac.uk/SCOTSHIST/output4.php?file=NEW-Revised1Introduc...