Celtic languages
Celtic languages
Celtic languages (/ˈkɛltɪk/ or /ˈsɛltɪk/) are a group of related languages descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family. The term "Celtic" was first used to describe this language group by Edward Lhuyd in 1707.
Etymology
The term "Celtic" is derived from the Greek word Keltoi, which was used to refer to a population of people living in what is now France and the Iberian Peninsula. The exact etymology of Keltoi is unclear, but it is believed to have been used to describe "the people of the north" or "those who are different".
Classification
Celtic languages are traditionally divided into two major groups: the Goidelic (or Gaelic) and the Brythonic. The Goidelic group includes Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx, while the Brythonic group includes Welsh, Cornish, and Breton.
Goidelic languages
The Goidelic languages (/ɡɔɪˈdɛlɪk/), also known as Gaelic languages, are one of the two groups of Insular Celtic languages, the other being the Brythonic languages. Goidelic languages historically formed a dialect continuum stretching from Ireland through the Isle of Man to Scotland.
Brythonic languages
The Brythonic languages (/brɪˈθɒnɪk/), also known as Brittonic languages, are the other group of Insular Celtic languages. They include Welsh, Cornish, and Breton, which are still spoken today, and the extinct languages Cumbric, Old Welsh, and possibly Pictish.
Related terms
- Insular Celtic: This term refers to the Celtic languages of the British Isles.
- Continental Celtic: This term refers to the Celtic languages that were spoken on the European mainland before they were replaced by Romance languages.
- Proto-Celtic: This is the reconstructed ancestor of the Celtic languages.
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