TheGallo-Brittonic languages,also known as theP-Celtic languages,are a proposed subdivision of theCeltic languagescontaining the languages ofAncient Gaul(bothcelticaandbelgica) andCeltic Britain,which share certain features. Besides commonlinguistic innovations,speakers of these languages shared cultural features and history. The cultural aspects are commonality of art styles and worship of similar gods.Coinagejust prior to theBritish Roman Periodwas also similar. InJulius Caesar's time, theAtrebatesheld land on both sides of theEnglish Channel.
| Gallo-Brittonic | |
|---|---|
| P-Celtic | |
| Geographic distribution | GaulandGreat Britain |
| Linguistic classification | Indo-European
|
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | None |
It contrasts with theInsular Celtichypothesis, which asserts thatGoidelicandBrythonicunderwent a period of common development and have shared innovations to the exclusion of Gaulish,[1]while the shared changes are either independent innovations that occurred separately in Brythonic and Gaulish or are due tolanguage contactbetween the two groups.
Linguistics
editThe hypothesis that the languages spoken in Gaul and Great Britain (Gaulishand theBrittonic languages) descended from a common ancestor, separate from the Celtic languages of Ireland, Spain, and Italy, is based on a number of linguistic innovations, principally the evolution ofProto-Celtic*/kʷ/into/p/(thus the name "P-Celtic" ). These innovations are not shared with theGoidelic languages,which also calledQ-Celticin this model because of their preservation of Proto-Celtic */kʷ/' (often represented asquin English).
The proposed shared innovations not in Goidelic are:
- Proto-Celtickʷ> Gallo-Brittonicp,or in voiced formb(e.g. Gaulishmapos,Welshmab≠ Irishmac)
- Proto-Celticmrandml> Gallo-Brittonicbrandbl(e.g. Gaulishbroga,Welsh, Bretonbro≠ Old Irishmruig)
- Proto-Celticwo,we> Gallo-Brittonicwa(e.g. Gaulishuassos,Welshgwass≠ Old Irishfoss)
- Proto-Celticɡʷ> Gallo-Brittonicw
- Early loss ofgbetween vowels in both Gaulish and Brittonic
- Proto-Celticdjbetween vowels tended to give Gallo-Brittonicj
- Proto-Celtic*anman> Gallo-Brittonicanwan.[2](Gaulishanuana,Welshenuein≠ Irishainm;but also Gaulishanmanbe)[3]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^Penney, John (2015-12-22),"Celtic languages",Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics,Oxford University Press,doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.1458,ISBN978-0-19-938113-5,retrieved2024-06-19
- ^Koch, John T. (2006).Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia.Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.ISBN1-85109-440-7.
- ^Lambert, Pierre-Yves. (1994).La langue gauloise,éditions errance. p. 19.