A resourceful analysis of the position of Scots Gaelic throughout its history and how, from being the language of the Scottish Court, it lost ground to such an extent that by the eighteenth century it was no longer recognised as the National Language of Scotland, but rather the language of the Highlands alone. The need to address this misconception alone still strains the revival, which is making an impact through schools, media, and agitation, although at present less than two per cent of Scotland's people speak Gaelic. Micheal Newton also addresses other vital topics related to Scottish culture such as music and folklore, using this to develop the essential criteria as to why Gaelic does matter in today's world.