The Three Gaelic Languages

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What is Gaelic and who are the Gaels?

Gaelic is an english word for any of three languages which form one half of the Celtic language family group. These three gaelic languages are

*Irish Gaelic Gaeilge
*Manx Gaelic Gailck
*Scottish Gaelic Gàidhlig

These three languages are spoken in Ireland, Man and Scotland. The Gaels are the peoples who speak these languages or did so in the past. Gaelic was in danger of being exterminated in many of the traditional gaelic speaking areas, but now a gaelic renaissance has slowed this trend if not yet reversed it.

Here is an html document originally written by by Caoimhin P. Ó Donnaile, which gives a basic comparison of irish and scottish Gaelic. Hopefully, soon somebody with a good understanding of Manx will add Manx to this comparison. Click here to see this informative piece of work.

Here is another useful comparison document that shows the similarities and differences between the Gaelic Languages. Click here to read the Lord's Prayer in gaelic(s).

To the Gaelic homepage