Meet Max: the YouTuber who brings chemistry and Celtic culture to life

Max Quayle, better known online as MQTate, has made waves far beyond his hometown of Crosby.

The 27-year-old theoretical chemistry PhD student, who divides his time between his studies in Cardiff and his passion for creating educational content on YouTube, recently found success with a viral video on a subject close to his heart: language Manx.

Her video, exploring the quirks and charms of the island’s native language, has garnered over 100,000 views, making it one of her most popular uploads.

Max, who started learning Manx just for fun, has become an unexpected ambassador for the language, which currently has fewer than 3,000 speakers worldwide.

Her decision to share her language learning journey wasn’t entirely planned, but it resonated with a growing audience fascinated by niche languages ​​and their preservation.

“I’ve been studying Manx for about a year or two now,” Max explained in a recent interview with Media Isle of Man.

“I think, especially among people our age, there’s almost a bit of embarrassment about engaging in a language like Manx, because it’s a niche.

“I remember at school, when you could choose between French, German and Manx, people would say things like: ‘Why would you want to learn Manx?’ You’re not going to use it. This attitude has always stuck with me.

Max’s experience is not unique.

Many island residents felt this pressure to prioritize more “useful” languages ​​like French or Spanish over their own Celtic heritage.

But for Max, learning Manx was never about practicality. “It’s just a fun thing to do,” he said.

“I’m not doing this to build my CV. I do it because I find it funny.

“I mean, how can you not laugh when you learn that the Manx word for hedgehog translates to “abundant little pig”?

“These are the kinds of things that make language learning enjoyable.”

Max’s journey with the Manx language reflects a growing movement among young people to reclaim their cultural roots and do it on their own terms.

“I think learning a language is one of those things where you really start to appreciate the little quirks and oddities.

“For example, I didn’t know that jellyfish translates to ‘seal snot’ in Manx until I started studying it,” he laughed.

“It’s these kinds of discoveries that keep me moving forward.

“His love for languages ​​and chemistry is what sparked the creation of his YouTube channel, where he mainly makes educational cartoons on scientific topics.

Within 24 hours of posting, the video was viewed approximately 20,000 times.

Since then, the number has surpassed 100,000, a milestone Max never expected to reach with such a specialized subject.

The video’s viral success also drew attention to the challenges faced by minority languages ​​like Manx.

Max is quick to point out that despite efforts to revive the language, it still remains socially stigmatized.

“I think Manx, like many Celtic languages, suffered from this ‘freshness problem’.

“There’s this perception that if you learn Manx, you limit yourself or you’ll only speak it with a small group of people.”

Still, Max is optimistic about the future of the Manx language.

“The tide is definitely turning. I didn’t talk about it in the video, but there’s a new generation of kids learning Manx as a first language, which is something we haven’t seen in decades,” he explained.

“It’s like a quiet revolution. For the first time since the language was almost eradicated, we have children growing up bilingual in Manx and English. It’s a huge achievement.

Asked about his hopes for the future of the language, Max was clear: “I hope people can start to see learning Manx as something they can be proud of, not just something to tick off on a list.

“We should learn languages ​​because they are fun, because they open us to new ideas and ways of thinking, and not just because they are practical.”

As for his own future, Max plans to continue his YouTube channel alongside his doctorate.

With only 96 items to cover in his chemistry series, he jokes that he will be busy for the foreseeable future.

But his passion for the Manx language is here to stay. “I will definitely continue to improve my Manx.

“Even if it takes five or ten years, I would like to be able to have a decent conversation in this language,” he said. You can watch Max’s YouTube video HERE.