Question

Why was there a shift from Gaelic to Old English in Scotland?

Accepted Answer

From the mid-eleventh century the monarchy attempted to modernise the governmental institutions along Old English lines, and these institutions were Old English-speaking.There was immigration from south of the border, with people fleeing from the Normans. Immigration also came across the sea, from Germanic countries, who more readily picked up OE.The dying out of the Celtic line lead to the establishment of Lowland Scots in the monarchy. This was partly due to the concentration of government in southern Scotland.

English Institutions Immigration Shift Gaelic Scotland Mid Eleventh Century