Microsoft has announced a venture to develop support for Scots Gaelic in its new operating system Windows Vista and Office 2007, with the help of Brd na G...idhlig, Strathclyde University and Learning and Teaching Scotland. They aim to translate 600,000 words and phrases by September 2007.

Allan Campbell, chief executive of Brd na G...idhlig, said: “Information technology is crucial to the development of Gaelic, as it is for any language in the 21st century.

“It’s vital that speakers can use it on their computer whether they’re sending an email, updating a diary or writing a policy document. This program allows them to do so in Gaelic.

“This will have an important impact for learners as a first-class education tool, and for experienced Gaelic speakers - in the home, the work place or at school.”

The project started after Strathclyde University identified the need for software support for Gaelic speakers on teacher-training courses.