Postcolonial theory in a Scottish Gaelic context

This article explores concepts from postcolonial theory (both literary and translation studies) in a Scottish Gaelic context to allow for reflections regarding the difficult nature of the relationship between Gaelic verse and English translation in particular. It sets out to explore the validity of viewing the Gaelic literary situation through postcolonial eyes, taking into account definitions of post-colonial as negotiated by exponents of postcolonial theory. In conclusion I am arguing towards Gaelic literature as postcolonially conditioned rather than consciously post-colonial as a medium. This allows me to take debates around issues such as language use and development or the nature of meaningful communication as well as concepts such as the contact zone, hybridity and essentialism – all firmly established and discussed within the spheres of postcolonial studies – and apply them to the Gaelic situation. Given that anglophone postcolonial studies are rather concerned with the new literatures in English and with Gaelic, on the other hand, we are dealing with what could be called an ‘indigenous’ language, such debates and concepts, once viewed from this different perspective, allow for fruitful explorations with regard to the specific dynamics informing the existence of contemporary Gaelic verse. In that, the aim of bringing together postcolonial thought and Gaelic analysis is to stretch the debate around the nature of contemporary poetry in Gaelic rather than stretching the territory of postcolonial theory.