Goidelic languages
The Goidelic languages (Irish: teangacha Gaelacha; Scottish Gaelic: cànanan Goidhealach; Manx: çhengaghyn Gaelgagh), also known as Gaelic languages, are a branch of the island Celtic languages and part of the Q-Celtic languages . The name derives from the mythical people of the Goidelen . Confusingly, all three languages are mostly referred to as "Gaelic", the speakers as Gael .
The following individual languages are included:
-
Irish ( Gaeilge )
- whose Newfoundland dialect, the Newfoundland Irish
-
Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig )
- its Nova Scotia dialect, the Canadian Gaelic
- Manx ( Gaelg ), extinct in the 20th century and revived to some extent
The three Goidelic languages are very similar linguistically and historically formed a dialect continuum from Ireland via the Isle of Man to Scotland . The extinct Manx is closer to Scottish Gaelic than Irish. All modern Goidelic languages go back to early medieval Irish ( Old / Middle Irish ), but the term “Goidelic” also includes older language levels such as archaic Irish (before 600 AD, documented in Ogam script).
