Celticlanguage

Celtic language refers to a branch of the Indo-European language family that traditionally encompassed a group of related tongues spoken across western Europe. Today the surviving Celtic languages are concentrated mainly in the British Isles and Brittany, with several having official status or active revival programs.

Celtic languages are usually divided into two main subgroups. The Goidelic (also called Gaelic) subgroup includes Irish (Gaeilge), Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig), and Manx (Gaelg/Gailck). The Brythonic (also called Brittonic) subgroup includes Welsh (Cymraeg), Breton (Brezhoneg), and Cornish (Kernewek). A number of continental Celtic languages, such as Gaulish, Celtiberian, Lepontic, and Pictish, are extinct. The remaining tongues are collectively referred to as Insular Celtic.

Geographically, Celtic languages are most prominent in parts of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Brittany, with smaller communities and learning programs in other regions and diaspora populations. Some have official recognition and support within their regions, including Welsh in Wales and Irish in the Republic of Ireland, while others have more limited status but ongoing revival efforts through education, media, and cultural activities.

Historically, Celtic languages originated in Europe and spread during the first millennium BCE. They experienced significant language contact and shifts under Roman, Gothic, and later Germanic influences. The modern era has seen sustained revival movements aimed at language transmission to children, standardization of orthographies, and the production of literature and digital content.

Writing systems for Celtic languages mostly rely on variants of the Latin alphabet, with historical use of ogham in early Irish. Contemporary orthographies reflect attempts to capture phonology and pronunciation in each language.