Abstract Language activists, teachers and policymakers in Scotland and Nova Scotia often allude to the role that new speakers may play in ensuring the future maintenance of Scottish Gaelic on either side of the Atlantic. In many ways, globalisation and greater digital connectivity have mitigated the effects of physical distance between Gaelic speakers on either side of that ocean, whilst simultaneously cementing the dominant position of English. Meanwhile, second language teaching is increasingly utilised to create new cohorts of speakers, as intergenerational transmission continues to decline. Based on five years of ethnographic research in Scotland and Canada, this paper examines six new speaker narratives concerning future prospects for language revitalisation in each country. Challenging sociodemographic circumstances in the remaining Gaelic-dominant communities contrast with current discourses concerning the language's future prospects. In particular, I consider Nova Scotian new speakers' relative sense of optimism for the future of their language in the province.

中文翻译：

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语言政策和前景：跨大西洋少数族裔社区中关于社会破坏和语言维护的元语言话语

摘要 苏格兰和新斯科舍省的语言活动家、教师和政策制定者经常提到新的演讲者在确保大西洋两岸苏格兰盖尔语的未来维护方面可能发挥的作用。在许多方面，全球化和更大的数字连接减轻了大洋两岸盖尔语使用者之间物理距离的影响，同时巩固了英语的主导地位。与此同时，随着代际传播的持续减少，越来越多地利用第二语言教学来创造新的说话者群体。基于在苏格兰和加拿大五年的民族志研究，本文考察了六个关于每个国家语言复兴未来前景的新演讲者叙述。其余盖尔语占主导地位的社区具有挑战性的社会人口环境与当前关于该语言未来前景的讨论形成鲜明对比。特别是，我认为新斯科舍省的新发言者对该省语言的未来持相对乐观的态度。