Introduction
Traditionally spoken in a larger portion of Europe and into the mainland, the modern Celtic languages have effectively been reduced in scope into a linguistic family primarily split into the Brythonic and Goidelic language families.
P-Celtic and Q-Celtic Compared
Usually, the Celtic languages are traditionally organized based on the sound changes from the potential /h/ phoneme to either the /p/ or /k/ phonemes. Though both are classified under the Celtic definition, the P-Celtic, or Brythonic, languages are determined by the /p/ phoneme and refer specifically to Cornish, Welsh, and Breton. The Goidelic languages, under the /k/ phoneme, refer specifically to any of the languages known as “Gaelic” or a variation, identified primarily in Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man.
Revival
The Celtic languages have all suffered from either extinction or an approach to extinction, including, but not limited to, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, and Irish. In the modern European context, nearly all the Celtic languages are restricted to the insular countries, including much of the British Isles particularly outside England.
Associated Territories
As may be suggested by the English names of the languages, the adjectives are typically identifiable demonyms referring to a specific people of a country, territory, or region. In the case of the Celtic languages, the core locations are Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Wales, Cornwall (England), and Brittany (France). Cornwall and Brittany are further subdivisions of existing nations, each located at the western edge of either nation. The Cornish language, though extinct in natural form since circa 1775, is often celebrated in the local heritage of the county, including by way of the song “Trelawny,” which has since been translated into the Cornish language separately.
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