Noraic

Noraic is an extinct language, previously spoken in several locations in Scotland, Wales, and England. The language is a member of the Celtic languages family and is considered a Brythonic language, closely related to Welsh, Breton, and Cornish.

Oral tradition held that Noraic was spoken in various regions, including Cumberland, Westmorland, and the North East of England. Archaeologists and linguists have uncovered fragments of Noraic language through inscriptions on stone monuments, known as inscribed stones or stone slabs. The most notable are the Cambria monument and the Cumberland monument, both of which feature Noraic inscriptions.

Noraic writings also appeared on metal artifacts and coins, displaying a mix of Celtic and Latin scripts. Although no complete texts have been deciphered, language experts have pieced together phrases and words from the inscriptions. Noraic is considered a predominantly insular Celtic language, with distinct characteristics such as simplifications in the Old Welsh genitive plural marker.

Efforts have been made to reconstruct Noraic through comparative philology, using parallelisms from other Brythonic languages. However, the full extent and geographical distribution of Noraic remains unclear, with some scholars suggesting the language may have been spoken in various regional dialects.

Noraic's written legacy serves as a significant source for research on the linguistics and cultural history of the British Isles during the late Iron Age and early Medieval periods. Despite its extinction, Noraic continues to hold value as a topic of study in linguistic and historical disciplines.