Efforts to established to include Gaelic on a computer translation service have received backing from the Scottish Government and language officials.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser is pushing to have Gaelic popular handled by the Google Translate app, which is used all over the world.
More than 90 languages are handled by the app including Welsh and Irish.
Mr Fraser has now received letters from the tax-payer funded Gaelic Board, Bord na Gaidhlig, and Minister for Scotland’s Languages Alasdair Allan of their willingness to work with Google and their counterparts in News Zealand who brought Maori onto the app.
Mr Fraser welcomed the positive responses and looked forward to hearing what progress is made.
“Hopefully, with their involvement strides can be made to have an easily accessible online Gaelic translation tool,” he said.
“Extending Gaelic’s reach can only be a good thing and its presence on Google Translate would give it a global reach not usually afforded to minority languages.
“I would stress that any service must prioritise accuracy over content as I have been made aware of translation issues with more complex languages. Nonetheless, it is important that officials think big when it comes to protecting Gaelic.
“Smaller languages must seize any opportunity to help safeguard their future and I believe Google translate could be a great starting point in helping Gaelic synchronise with the digital age.”