Renewed Calls for Scottish Gaelic Edition of the Harry Potter Books

This is North Scotland reports that despite renewed requests for a Scottish Gaelic edition of the Harry Potter books, Bloomsbury now says it does not have any plans to release this version any time soon. In an email, a spokesperson for the UK publishers of the series is quoted as saying “We still have no information to give you but it is unlikely, if published, to be so within the next couple of years.”
Those who favored publishing the book in the ancient Scottish language were surprised at this with one bookseller noting “They have been put in Arabic, Greek and Latin and they have got them in Welsh and in Irish Gaelic, so why not complete the circle and publish Harry Potter in Scottish Gaelic?”

“Donald Martin, chief executive of Comunn na Gaidhlig, said he was surprised at the publisher’s response as his organisation had been led to believe Bloomsbury did intend to publish the books in Gaelic.

Mr Martin said: “Some years ago we started initial discussions with Bloomsbury and at that time they were very interested and they asked us for a list of potential translators and editors. That was sent off to them and they got two of them to submit draft first chapters.”

He added that the indication was that one of the Harry Potter books would be published in Gaelic at the end of this year, and added: “We would welcome it. It would enhance the status of the Gaelic language.”

Thanks Lisa!