luxpir 15 hours ago

Really great to see.

These languages, sadly largely killed off in the name of I don't know what, are as the final Tolkien quote in the comment says: the senior languages of Britain.

Fun fact; Cumbria is named in the same way as Cymru, as Welsh was once spoken there too.

I've never seen a video where Welsh/Breton/Cornish speakers have tried to have conversation, but have seen a few Irish/[Scottish] Gaelic conversations.

And at one point way back they all would have been intelligible. Shame it didn't follow the Scandinavian evolution, or they may have had an easier way back from having a "prestige language" take over.

  • pqtyw 5 hours ago

    > Fun fact; Cumbria is named in the same way as Cymru, as Welsh was once spoken there too.

    Wasn't that how all Britons referred to themselves throughout what is now England back in the day?

elcritch 14 hours ago

This is great to see! I happen to be traveling in Wales when I saw this headline. I was listening to Welsh radio on the drive in for a bit just cause it's fascinating. It's a unique sounding language.

thaumasiotes 15 hours ago

> Prof Watson is director of Ionad Eeghainn MhicLachlainn: the National Centre for Gaelic Translation (NCGT), which exists specifically to support the translation of literature into Gaelic, as well as Manx and Irish.

It's interesting that unmodified "Gaelic" apparently refers to Scots Gaelic in Wales. If you asked me about "Gaelic", I'd assume you meant Irish Gaelic.

  • simplesimon890 31 minutes ago

    As others have commented, the Irish language is called Irish when describing it in English, and Gaeilge in the language itself.

    Online people can get a bit snippy about calling it the wrong thing, even though they don't necessarily have a great grasp of the language itself. There's a lot of post-colonial baggage with regard to people's relationship with the language (IMO)

    In Ireland, the term Gaelic typically refers to the general Irish identity and culture. Almost always, when people use the term Gaelic in everyday speech they're referring to Gaelic Games, which are the indigenous sports of Ireland. Gaelic Football, Hurling, Handball, and rounders. The GAA ( Gaelic Athletic Association ) that governs the games are in every village, town, and city, and the sports are probably the strongest expression of Gaelic culture in the country.

    Some highlights of the 2 most popular games.

    Gaelic Football https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT5Zjx4fTXI

    Hurling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Vw66Zs0dQ

  • pqtyw 5 hours ago

    It's theorized that Gaelic was introduced to Scotland from Ireland only in the 5h century or so. We know very little about Pictish that was spoken there before it, it was probably Celtic but we don't even know that for sure.

  • luxpir 15 hours ago

    Not sure where you're from, but the way it seems to have fallen now is Irish Gaelic is called Irish and Gaelic (pronounced "gallic") is usually the Scottish variant.

    Unless you know better, or of some reform, in which case I defer!