Celtic Languages
The Proto-Indo-European language developed into various daughter languages including Proto-Celtic. In Proto-Celtic, the Proto-Indo-European sound *p disappeared, perhaps through an intermediate *ΙΈ. After that, Proto-Celtic split into P-Celtic and Q-Celtic dialects. In P-Celtic dialects, Proto-Indo-European *kw changed into *p. In Q-Celtic dialects it stayed as *kw, eventually developing into /k/ in the modern Gaelic languages (usually written c).
Ancient P-Celtic languages include Gaulish (continental) and Brythonic (British Isles). Brythonic is the ancestor of Welsh, Cornish and Breton.
Ancient Q-Celtic languages include Celtiberian (continental) and Goidelic (British Isles). Goidelic is the ancestor of the Gaelic languages Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx.
Read more about this topic: Celtic Toponymy
Famous quotes containing the words celtic and/or languages:
“Coming to Rome, much labour and little profit! The King whom you seek here, unless you bring Him with you you will not find Him.”
—Anonymous 9th century, Irish. “Epigram,” no. 121, A Celtic Miscellany (1951, revised 1971)
“It is time for dead languages to be quiet.”
—Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972)