Proto-Celtic language

Proto-Celtic

Pronunciation
Native to
Region	Europe
Ethnicity
Speakers
Language family	Indo-European
Early forms
Writing system
Official status
Regulated by

Proto-Celtic, also known as Common Celtic, is the reconstructed ancestor of all known Celtic languages. It is believed to have been spoken during the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age (roughly 1000 BC to 500 BC) in parts of Europe. As a proto-language, Proto-Celtic was not directly recorded, but has been reconstructed through the comparative method of historical linguistics.

Origins and Development

Proto-Celtic is thought to have evolved from Proto-Indo-European, the ancestor of most European and some Asian languages. The development of Proto-Celtic is associated with the Urnfield culture of Central Europe. From there, it spread westwards and underwent various linguistic changes that distinguished it from other Indo-European languages.

Features

Proto-Celtic had several linguistic features that are characteristic of the Celtic language family. These include:

• Initial consonant mutations
• Infixed pronouns
• VSO (verb-subject-object) word order

Phonology

The phonological system of Proto-Celtic included a variety of consonants and vowels. Consonant clusters were common, and there was a distinction between voiced, voiceless, and aspirated stops.

Grammar

The grammar of Proto-Celtic is partially understood through its descendants. It likely featured a complex system of inflection for nouns, pronouns, and verbs. Nouns had multiple cases, including nominative, accusative, genitive, and dative.

Descendants

Proto-Celtic is the ancestor of all modern Celtic languages, which are divided into two groups:

• Goidelic (or Gaelic) languages, including Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx
• Brythonic (or Brittonic) languages, including Welsh, Breton, and Cornish

Reconstruction

The reconstruction of Proto-Celtic is based on the comparison of its descendant languages and the use of linguistic reconstruction techniques. Key sources include inscriptions in early Celtic languages, comments by classical authors, and modern linguistic analysis.

See Also

• Celtic studies
• Historical linguistics
• Indo-European languages

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