goidelic

Goidelic, or Goidelic languages, is a branch of the Celtic language family within Insular Celtic. The languages in this branch are Irish (Gaeilge), Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig), and Manx (Gaelg). They descend from Proto-Celtic and form one of the two main divisions of the Insular Celtic languages, the other being Brythonic (Welsh, Cornish, Breton). Goidelic languages were historically spoken across western Ireland, the western Scottish coast, and the Isle of Man; today they are concentrated in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, with ongoing revival and education efforts.

Historically, the Goidelic languages are first attested in Old Irish, with evidence from Ogham inscriptions dating to around the 4th century CE. The languages then developed through Middle Irish into Modern Irish, while Scottish Gaelic and Manx diverged into distinct literary and spoken forms. The Goidelic group shares common ancestry with Brythonic languages but evolved separate phonological and grammatical characteristics.

Linguistically, Goidelic languages are written with the Latin alphabet, often with diacritics, and they feature consonant mutation systems in Irish and Scottish Gaelic (lenition and eclipses) alongside a repertoire of inflected verbs, nouns, and pronouns. They retain a number of characteristic Celtic features in phonology and morphology that distinguish them from Brythonic languages, while still maintaining mutual Celtic roots and substantial lexical similarities.

In the modern era, Goidelic languages are minority languages with varying degrees of official recognition and institutional support. Irish has official status in Ireland and is taught in schools; Scottish Gaelic has government support and educational programs in Scotland; Manx has revived usage on the Isle of Man with cultural and educational initiatives. Public media, literature, and education continue to sustain and expand speaker communities.