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| == Historical expansion == | == Historical expansion == | ||
| It is not known with any certainty when speakers of a ] (or ]) language reached Ireland, from where they came, or how they came to be the dominant culture. Evidence suggests Goedelic replaced some pre-existing ] (or ]) language(s), but it is not known whether this represents one population displacing others, an invader becoming a new ruling caste, or simply the spread of a new <i>lingua franca</i>. Before and during the age of the Roman Empire there was a great deal of movement and |
It is not known with any certainty when speakers of a ] (or ]) language reached Ireland, from where they came, or how they came to be the dominant culture. Evidence suggests Goedelic replaced some pre-existing ] (or ]) language(s), but it is not known whether this represents one population displacing others, an invader becoming a new ruling caste, or simply the spread of a new <i>lingua franca</i>. Before and during the age of the Roman Empire there was a great deal of movement, interaction and competition among the peoples referred to collectively as the ]; Iron Age Europe can perhaps be best understood as a cultural foment. | ||
| Estimates of the arrival of proto-Gaelic in Ireland vary around the first few cenuries BC |
Estimates of the arrival of proto-Gaelic in Ireland vary around the first few cenuries BC, leading to (unsubstantiated) speculation that the Gaels were a culture that sought refuge in Ireland from the rapidly expanding Roman Empire. Little can be said with certainty, as the language now known as ], ancestral to modern ], ] and ], only began to be properly recorded with the Christianization of Ireland in about the 5th Century AD. (It is believed that pre-Christian Celtic culture disparaged written language.) However Old Irish - or more correctly, its precursor ] - does appear in a specialized written form, using a unique script known as ]. This is known to us now almost only in the form of messages on pillar-like stone monuments. Ogham stones are found both throughout Ireland and where Gaelic invaders settled across post-Roman Britain. They frequently encode nothing more than a name, and it is thought they may represent territorial claims. | ||
| Starting sometime around the ] Gaelic language and culture spread from Ireland to the southwest coast of Scotland where it may have already existed since Roman times. Uncertainty over this comes as a result of the fact that there is no archeological evidence to support the generally accepted tale of migration while there is some to suggest that there was none - the evidence also points to the population of the area (modern day Argyll) being constant during the time of the alleged scottish invasion. This area was known as ]. The Gaels soon spread out to most of the rest of the country. Culturo-linguistic dominance in the area eventually led to the Latin name for gaelic speaking peoples , "]", being applied to the state founded by the Gaels , Scotland (] in gaelic). Since that time Gaelic culture rose and, in the past three centuries, greatly diminished, in most of Ireland and Scotland. The most culturally Gaelic regions are in the ] of Scotland, the west of Ireland and ] in ] where the descendants of the ] were transplanted. | Starting sometime around the ] Gaelic language and culture spread from Ireland to the southwest coast of Scotland where it may have already existed since Roman times. Uncertainty over this comes as a result of the fact that there is no archeological evidence to support the generally accepted tale of migration while there is some to suggest that there was none - the evidence also points to the population of the area (modern day Argyll) being constant during the time of the alleged scottish invasion. This area was known as ]. The Gaels soon spread out to most of the rest of the country. Culturo-linguistic dominance in the area eventually led to the Latin name for gaelic speaking peoples , "]", being applied to the state founded by the Gaels , Scotland (] in gaelic). Since that time Gaelic culture rose and, in the past three centuries, greatly diminished, in most of Ireland and Scotland. The most culturally Gaelic regions are in the ] of Scotland, the west of Ireland and ] in ] where the descendants of the ] were transplanted. | ||
Revision as of 17:40, 5 November 2005
Gael redirects here. For the village in France, see Gaël.The Gaels are an ethnic group in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, whose language is one that is Gaelic (Goidelic), an Insular Celtic language. The word in English was adopted in 1810 from Scottish Gaelic Gaidheal (compare Irish Gaoidheal) to designate a Highlander (OED). Gael or Gaoidheal was first used as a collective term to describe people from Ireland; it is thought to have come from a Welsh word, Gwyddel meaning raiders.
Mythological origin
The Gaels during the beginning of the Christian era (at which time Gaelic people were mostly restricted to Ireland) believed themselves to be descendants of Míl Espáine. This belief persists in the Gaelic cultures of Ireland and Scotland up to the present day, with many if not most clan leaders in either country claiming descent from their predeccesor, back to famous historical kings going back into pre-history.
Historical expansion
It is not known with any certainty when speakers of a Goidelic (or q-Celtic) language reached Ireland, from where they came, or how they came to be the dominant culture. Evidence suggests Goedelic replaced some pre-existing Brythonic (or p-Celtic) language(s), but it is not known whether this represents one population displacing others, an invader becoming a new ruling caste, or simply the spread of a new lingua franca. Before and during the age of the Roman Empire there was a great deal of movement, interaction and competition among the peoples referred to collectively as the Celts; Iron Age Europe can perhaps be best understood as a cultural foment.
Estimates of the arrival of proto-Gaelic in Ireland vary around the first few cenuries BC, leading to (unsubstantiated) speculation that the Gaels were a culture that sought refuge in Ireland from the rapidly expanding Roman Empire. Little can be said with certainty, as the language now known as Old Irish, ancestral to modern Irish, Scots Gaelic and Manx, only began to be properly recorded with the Christianization of Ireland in about the 5th Century AD. (It is believed that pre-Christian Celtic culture disparaged written language.) However Old Irish - or more correctly, its precursor Primitive Irish - does appear in a specialized written form, using a unique script known as ogham. This is known to us now almost only in the form of messages on pillar-like stone monuments. Ogham stones are found both throughout Ireland and where Gaelic invaders settled across post-Roman Britain. They frequently encode nothing more than a name, and it is thought they may represent territorial claims.
Starting sometime around the 5th century Gaelic language and culture spread from Ireland to the southwest coast of Scotland where it may have already existed since Roman times. Uncertainty over this comes as a result of the fact that there is no archeological evidence to support the generally accepted tale of migration while there is some to suggest that there was none - the evidence also points to the population of the area (modern day Argyll) being constant during the time of the alleged scottish invasion. This area was known as Dal Riada. The Gaels soon spread out to most of the rest of the country. Culturo-linguistic dominance in the area eventually led to the Latin name for gaelic speaking peoples , "Scotti", being applied to the state founded by the Gaels , Scotland (Alba in gaelic). Since that time Gaelic culture rose and, in the past three centuries, greatly diminished, in most of Ireland and Scotland. The most culturally Gaelic regions are in the north west of Scotland, the west of Ireland and Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia where the descendants of the Highland Clearances were transplanted.
The Isle of Man (Manx Gaelic Ellan Vannin, "Mannin's Isle", from the pre-Christian deity known as Manannan Mac Lír) also came under Gaelic influence in its history. The last native speaker of Manx died in the 1970s, but there is now a resurgent language movement and Manx is once again taught in some schools. A large part of the island's cultural heritage is Gaelic.