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:
“I find very reasonable the Celtic belief that the souls of our dearly departed are trapped in some inferior being, in an animal, a plant, an inanimate object, indeed lost to us until the day, which for some never arrives, when we find that we pass near the tree, or come to possess the object which is their prison. Then they quiver, call us, and as soon as we have recognized them, the spell is broken. Freed by us, they have vanquished death and return to live with us.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)
“The very natural tendency to use terms derived from traditional grammar like verb, noun, adjective, passive voice, in describing languages outside of Indo-European is fraught with grave possibilities of misunderstanding.”
—Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897–1934)