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The Main Languages of the UK

English, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Ulster Scots and the place each holds in modern Britain.

English is the main language of the UK, but it is not the only one. Welsh is an official language in Wales and is taught in schools there alongside English; road signs and government documents are bilingual. Scottish Gaelic is spoken by a small minority in Scotland, mainly in the western Highlands and Islands, and has official status under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. Irish and Ulster Scots are recognised in Northern Ireland.

Further reading: an editorial guide on this topic opens in a new window for additional context.

British Sign Language was given legal recognition as a language of England, Wales and Scotland in 2003 and was given full statutory status by the British Sign Language Act 2022. The handbook also notes that many UK residents speak languages from their family heritage at home.

You may be asked which language is spoken in which nation, which Acts give Welsh and Gaelic official status, or what language road signs in Wales are written in (Welsh and English).

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