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Celtic Radio Community > Gaelic Languages > 6 Celtic Languages

Posted by: WizardofOwls 03-Jul-2004, 05:39 AM

Hello everyone! I would like to correct a common misconception about the Celtic languages. In some of the threads I have read here, several people have spoken of the six Gaelic languages, when in fact there are only three! Here I am quoting from Teach Yourself Gaelic by Robertson and Taylor, pg 1: Scottish Gaelic is one of six modern Celtic languages. The Celtic languages fall into two groups: Gaelic and British. Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic and Manx belong to the Gaelic group and Welsh, Breton and Cornish to the British group. The thread that Danann posted on the history of the Celtic languages backs me up on this too: The original wave of Celtic immigrants to the British Isles are called the q-Celts and spoke Goidelic. It is not known exactly when this immigration occurred but it may be placed somtime in the window of 2000 to 1200 BC. The label q-Celtic stems from the differences between this early Celtic tounge and Italic. Some of the differences between Italic and Celtic included that lack of a p in Celtic and an a in place of an the Italic o. At a later date, a second wave of immigrants took to the British Isles, a wave of Celts referred to as the p-Celts speaking Brythonic. Goidelic led to the formation of the three Gaelic languages spoken in Ireland, Man and later Scotland. Brythonic gave rise to two British Isles languages, Welsh and Cornish, as well as surviving on the Continent in the form of Breton, spoken in Brittany. Also, from a post by Shamalama: The word "Celt" refers to several groups who lived in central and western Europe and can be broken down into two categories: Brythonic Celts and Goidelic Celts. The Brythonic Celts were made up of the Welsh (or Cymru), Bretons and Cornish who lived in Wales, Brittany and Cornwall. The Goidelic Celts were made up of the Irish and Scots (or Gaels) and Manx who lived in Ireland (Eiru), Highland Scotland (Alba or Caledonia) and the Isle of Man. Those who lived in Lowland Scotland were typically a mixture of Gael, Britons, Saxons and other ethnic groups. As you can clearly see for yourselves, all three of these sources agree that the Welsh, Breton and Cornish peoples were from a different group of Celts than the Scottish, Irish and Manx. So while there are indeed six Celtic languages, only three of them (Scottish, Irish, and Manx) should be properly referred to as varieties of Gaelic! Co-dhiubh, tha mi'n dochas gum bi latha math agaibh! Anyway, I hope you have a nice day!

Posted by: Cù Dubh 03-Jul-2004, 07:33 AM

That's quite right Wizardofowls. Although as you say there are 6 Celtic languages spoken today only 3 are Gaelic or Goidelic (Q-Celtic) languages - Scots Gaelic, Irish Gaelic & Manx. The other 3 being British or Brythonic (P-Celtic) - Welsh, Cornish & Breton. Although Scots & Irish Gaelic can look quite different they sound similiar enough for speakers of the two languages to communicate at a fairly reasonable level with each other. This would not be the case if a speaker of say Irish Gaelic were to try and speak with a native Welsh speaker. P & Q celtic are called so because of the sound changes whithin the languages. Where Scots Gaelic, Irish & Manx use a Q like sound Welsh, Cornish & Breton use a P like sound. This is best illustrated with the word for 'head' Gàidhlig - Ceann Gaeilge - Ceann Manx - Kione Welsh - Pen Cornish - Pen Breton - Penn QUOTE Anyway, tha mi'n dochas bum bi latha math agad! I hope you have a nice day! ..Tapadh leat, agus thusa cuideachd.

Posted by: WizardofOwls 03-Jul-2004, 09:43 AM

Hello Cu! I have a question for you, though I don't know whether or not you can answer it. You said in your post that Irish Gaelic can be understood by speakers of Scottish Gaelic to some degree and vice versa. I am wondering if the Brythonic languages are also mutually intelligible? For instance, could someone speaking Cornish understand a Breton or Welsh speaker or vice versa? Just curious...

Posted by: Cù Dubh 03-Jul-2004, 12:20 PM

Good Question WizardofOwls and one that unfortunately i don't know the answer to as my knowledge of Welsh/Breton/Cornish is zilch! Aren't there some fluent Welsh speakers here at CelticRadio? I'm sure i've seen Welsh wrote on the board. Maybe they could answer that question for us.

Posted by: Ladybug1258 07-Jul-2004, 09:11 AM

I unfortunately am not answering that question, but rather asking one of my own. My ancestors were Scottish and Irish and also a bit of English and Welsh thrown in just for fun. I've been keeping up with a thread that has lessons on Gaelic language, but have not been here in a few days. I'm not sure what I've missed, but will catch up in a bit. I've been searching for a Claddagh ring or pendant for quite some time and finally found a pinkie ring(hard to find one in the small size my pinkie requires!) in the Claddagh design. Here's my rediculously stupid question - (blushing with embarrassment at my own ignorance) How do you pronounce "claddagh", is this a corrupted spelling of this word, if so what is the correct one, and what does it mean? Sorry....my mistake - that's actually four questions! Dee

Posted by: greenldydragon 07-Jul-2004, 10:00 AM

I read on another website about welsh that it is hard for people who speak different Brythonic languages to communicate. They may understand some, but not usually enough for them to hold a conversation. At least I believe that was what it said.

Posted by: Cù Dubh 07-Jul-2004, 10:00 AM

No not a ridiculous question at all Ladybug. I'm not an expert on the Claddagh ring myself (or Irish) but i can tell you this much. Claddagh (Klad-uhh) was a small village in Galway Ireland. I think there are a few different versions of the Claddagh ring story, but the most widely accepted one can be found here:- http://www.claddaghrings.org/htmlsite/history.html Hope this helps.

Posted by: Ladybug1258 07-Jul-2004, 10:26 AM

That also clarified something else for me as well! I found out that the information I'd read elsewhere was incorrect as to which direction the heart should be facing when you are taken or not! Yikes! I've been wearing it wrong since I bought it! Good thing you sent me this! Thanks bunches! ~~Dee

Posted by: barddas 08-Jul-2004, 07:11 AM

I know that there are only 3 Gaelic languages...But I have read and was told by tour guide through Scotland/Wales that at one time the two languages were relatively close (Scottish/Welsh). Much like Irish and Scottish Gaelic. But, with the building of Hadrians Wall and a 400 yrs separation from one another, that the languages evolved in two different directions. Making it nearly impossible to communicate. But since there only being 70 miles of sea between Ireland and Scotland (from Glasgow roughly to Belfast), trade was still possible, and therefore the two were able to communicate..... I just find this interesting, what invasions from other cultures, and a 400 yr seperation can do to a culturesl languages..... Cheers

Posted by: greenldydragon 08-Jul-2004, 08:01 AM

You have a point. Welsh and Scots Gaelic used to be alike, and then the Hadrian Wall was built. I've read that somewhere too.

Posted by: Ladybug1258 08-Jul-2004, 08:25 AM

Oh that Gaelic would outlast Hadrian's Wall! It's still there...as yet Gaelic is still with us as well. There's hope!

Posted by: barddas 08-Jul-2004, 09:19 AM

QUOTE (Ladybug1258 @ 08-Jul-2004, 10:25 AM) Oh that Gaelic would outlast Hadrian's Wall! It's still there...as yet Gaelic is still with us as well. There's hope! Hadrien's wall is still standing.... and the Scots, and Welsh 'Gaelic' Languages have HUGE differences, making it almost impossible to communicate. Lowland Scotland were less gaelic speakers, Gaelic was and really still is a Highland, and Island Language( Orkney, Shetlands, and Heberdies) . Lower Scotland spoke/speaks Middle English, Doric, Lallans, or generally Auld Scots..... along with common english..... Nice discussion... Cheers

Posted by: barddas 08-Jul-2004, 09:32 AM

Here is an article from the BBC 2003 about Scottish Gaelic census..... It's a good thing there are a few of us willing to learn it to help in keeping it 'round. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2755411.stm

Posted by: barddas 08-Jul-2004, 09:37 AM

Another interesting Article----Yet somewhat disturbing.....*sigh* http://www.olestig.dk/scotland/scottishlanguages.html Here is a segment...I suggest reading it in its entirety The majority of Scotland's population speak English, a consequence of England's political and cultural domination during 3-400 years. But there are two other - lesser known - languages that have been there far longer, and they are still there. That's Gaelic and Scots. Gaelic A thousand years ago the majority of the Scottish population spoke Gaelic. Nowadays the language has largely been reduced to the Highlands and Islands. By the latest census in 1991 the language was brought down to 66.000, a poor 1,5% of a population of 5+ million. And it is still falling, since the 66.000 are mainly elderlies. Gaelic is a very endangered language. But during the last 20 years it has experienced a revival which is part of the rising awareness - or creation of - a separate Scottish identity. Pop and rock stars sing in Gaelic, all the political parties want to protect Gaelic. There is a growing movement for Scottish Kindergartens/Pre-schools. Many schools now teach what was once a proscribed language and TV and radio broadcast in Gaelic. Together with tartan and whisky and bagpipes Gaelic is part of the romantic Scottish myth, and most Scots believe it is Scotland's aboriginal language. They also believe it is impossibly difficult. Gaelic thus enjoys a high cultural status. But it is of limited practical value. The largest problem for Gaelic is........ Continued in link above....

Posted by: Catriona 08-Jul-2004, 11:40 AM

Jason Your point about Lallans/Auld Scots/Doric is well made! I don't agree with every little point in those articles - but certainly with the broader vision. The fact that at the last census there were only about 60K Gaelic speakers in Scotland proves that really is the SECOND language of Scotland. Meanwhile, we all talk Lallans and write in Standard English... That's why I am so involved in the preservation and promotion of Lallans - iti is the language that we central belters use (to a greater or lesser extent) every day of our lives! However, that is not to say I am against the push to popularise the Gaelic. Just that I'm not interested in learning it - although my father was a fluent speaker of the Gaelic and his parents had the Gaelic as their first language.

Posted by: barddas 08-Jul-2004, 01:53 PM

I knew I was somewhere in the playing field!!LOL! And I never really thought about the point you made that Gaelic being the second language, I just took it for granted, that it was primarily a Highland language and never thought anymore about it.] And before talking yer arm off about Lallans etc.... I only really knew of it in, Burn's writings. I know personally I have taken a real liking to Lallans. It certainly doesn't hurt that my dads side originates south of Glasgow. Which I believe would be consideredin the 'Central Belt', or upper Lowlands. And that has really changed how I approach songs that we ( My band) play. I try to find things that are in the traditional language to 1) be accurate, and 2) maybe spark someone elses interest as you had mine. So now I am trying to fill m'brain with 2 additional languages.... Maybe that's why I have headaches????

Posted by: Ladybug1258 08-Jul-2004, 10:14 PM

I don't know what form of Gaelic she sings in some of her songs, but I have Enya to thank for my interest in learning what little Gaelic I now know. Some of the songs on the CDs I have are in some form or other of Gaelic, except the Lord of the Rings soundtracks, in which she sings Elvish(purely a made-up language, but beautiful none the less!). Olde English was also used in the "Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers" movie when Theodred died and a song of prayer was sung at his graveside by his cousin, Eowyn. It was very moving to hear the old languages used in such an eloquent way.

Posted by: barddas 09-Jul-2004, 06:25 AM

Ladybug, I would guess that it is Irish Gaelic. Being that she is from Ireland, and her former band Clannad sang a lot of old Trad songs in Irish Gaelic. The Elvish language is rooted around the Welsh language.

Posted by: Danann 09-Jul-2004, 08:22 AM

Enya does sing mostly in Irish Gaelic - Gaelige. The easiest way to kind of tell the difference is that Scots Gaelic - Gàidhlig - seems to have picked up a bit more of the germanic gutteral sound. The ch and guh sounds seem to be a bit more prominate. Someone correct me if I am worng, but that's just what I've noticed by listening.

Posted by: SeamusM 22-Jul-2004, 09:55 AM

Kind of interesting QUOTE The word "Celt" refers to several groups who lived in central and western Europe and can be broken down into two categories: Brythonic Celts and Goidelic Celts. Hmm how aobut the Celto-Iberians believe it or not they do have a strong influence in their language mixed with latin. I just get peeved that most people never include ALL of the celtic nations when they speak of them.

Posted by: Danann 22-Jul-2004, 03:22 PM

Celtic-Iberians, which is now located mostly in spain's culture, is more of an Italic based language than a gaulish or a celtic origin. It did have its start as a mixture of gaelic and latin/greek, but it is so different from other Celtic branches (P and Q) that its no longer considered one of the main or minor celtic languanges. As I said, its considered to be a Celtic-Italic to some degree, but the spanish and latin influences seem to overwhelm the celtic. Celtiberian, (Celto-Iberian) is an extinct Indo-European language of the western part of the Iberian Peninsula. Celto-Iberian was written in the Iberic script (borrowed from speakers of the non-Indo-European Iberian language in eastern and southern Spain) and is known primarily from a small number of coin inscriptions and an even smaller number of inscriptions on stone. QUOTE The Celtiberians were people who dwelt in the Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe. It is bordered on the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea, and on the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean. The Pyrenees form the northeast edge of the peninsula, connecting it to the rest of Europe. At Gibraltar in the south, it approaches Africa. In medieval times the peninsula housed many small ..... Click the link for more information. who spoke a Celtic language Celtic languages are a branch of the Indo-European languages. They were spoken across western Europe in ancient times, but are now limited to a few enclaves in the British Isles and Brittany. Celtic is traditionally split into two branches:     * Continental -- Celtiberian, Galatian, Noric, Gaulish, Lepontic. Some elements of Breton may originate in the Continental Celtic languages, although this claim is controversial since Brittany is widely believed to have been settled from Britain in historical times. Otherwise, no member of this family is presently spoken. These languages were once spoken on the European mainland. * ..... Click the link for more information. . They lived chiefly in what is now north central Spain The Kingdom of Spain is a country located in the southwest of Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal and Gibraltar. To the northeast, along the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny principality of Andorra. It includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the cities of Ceuta and Melilla in the north of Africa, and a number of minor uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side of the strait of Gibraltar, such as the Chafarine islands, the "rocks" (es: peñones) of Vélez and Alhucemas, and the tiny Parsley Island. ..... Click the link for more information. . Two other Celtic languages, Tartessian and Lusitanian, were spoken in pre-Roman Iberia. The Lusitanii gave their name to Lusitania Lusitania, an ancient Roman province approximately including current Portugal and part of western current Spain, named after the Lusitani people. The Lusitani were strong warriors whose origins are uncertain; some authors presume they may have descended from the central Spanish Lusoni. The first colonized by the Lusitani was probably the Douro valley and the region of Beira Alta; in Beira they stayed until they defeated the Celts and other tribes, then they expanded to cover a territory that reached Estremadura before the arrival of the Romans. ..... Click the link for more information. , originally the Latin Alternative meanings: See Latin (disambiguation) Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. It gained great importance as the formal language of the Roman Empire. All Romance languages descend from a Latin parent, and many words based on Latin are found in other modern languages such as English. Moreover, in the Western world, Latin was ..... Click the link for more information. name for Portugal Portugal is a republic in extreme southwest of Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula, and the Atlantic Ocean (the islands of Azores, Madeira and Savage). Portugal claims Olivença, administrated by Spain, as part of its national territory. It shares land borders with Spain in the north and east, shares a marine border with Morocco in the south. A Portuguese citizen is usually identified as Portuguese but also as ..... Click the link for more information. . Extant tribal names include the Arevaci, Belli, Titti, and Lusones. Some students maintain that the Celtiberians had some cultural contacts with the Caucasian Iberians Caucasian Iberia is the term designated to the Kingdom of Iberia (4th century BC - 5th century AD) established in Eastern Georgia by the Georgians (Kartvelians). The king of Iberia, Farnavaz I was a reformator of the Georgian alphabet (284 BC). He was also founder of the dynasty of Farnavazians (284 BC-5th century AD). The capital of this Kingdom was Mtskheta. In the 4th century AD, Equal-to-the Apostles Saint Nino of Cappadocia took Christianity to the Kingdom of Iberia. In 317 it was adopted as the state religion by the rulers of Iberia, king Mirian and queen Nana. ..... Click the link for more information. (now territory of Eastern Georgia Georgia (საქართველო Sakartvelo in Georgian), known from 1990 to 1995 as the Republic of Georgia, is a country to the east of the Black Sea in the south Caucasus. A former republic of the Soviet Union, it shares borders with Russia in the north and Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan in the south. საქართველო ..... Click the link for more information. ), who were natives of the Caucasus The Caucasus is a region in eastern Europe and western Asia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea which includes the Caucasus mountains and surrounding lowlands. The highest peak is Elbrus (5642m). The independent nations that comprise today's Caucasus include Russia (Northern Caucasus district), Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Large, non-independent areas of the Caucasus include Ossetia, Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan, among others. The Caucasus is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse places on earth. ..... Click the link for more information. . Very little remains of the language Celtiberians spoke. Any theories of their extinct language have to be grounded on the linguistic origins of some pre-Roman placenames ("toponyms") in the Iberian peninsula that survived long enough to be recorded in documents, on the formulas that were used in some personal names (giving hints of grammar), and on some untranslated inscriptions on bronze and lead plaques, written in an alphabet that combines Phoenician and Greek characteristics. Enough has been preserved to suggest that, unlike the P-Celtic or Brythonic Brythonic is one of two major divisions of modern-day Celtic languages (the other being Goidelic). Also known as P-Celtic, for the way it uses a "P" to begin words that, in the hypothetical base Indo-European language, began with "Qu". The main living Brythonic languages are Breton and Welsh; other notable tongues are Cornish (which has no native speakers, but is being resurrected), Cumbrian ..... Click the link for more information. Gaulish language Gaulish is a now-extinct continental Celtic language that was spoken in Gaul before Gaul was conquered by the Romans and then the Franks. It is known from a few, quite small pieces of writing. It is a Continental Celtic language, with a fairly complicated inflecting morphology. It has six or seven cases. Unfortunately for the future of the language, it was, in fact, quite similar to Latin. This meant that the Gauls had little trouble learning Latin, and, as that was the dominant language at the time, the language died out, though not until after Gaul began to be conquered. Gregory of Tours mentions that there were still some people in his area who knew how to speak Gaulish at the time he wrote, in the sixth century. However, the language must have died out shortly thereafter. ..... Click the link for more information. spoken in what is now France France, in the context of names of towns or villages, may refer to the original feudal domain of the capetian Kings of France around Paris. See Île-de-France. The French Republic, or France, is a country located in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. It is a founding member of the European Union. République Française ..... Click the link for more information. , the Celtiberian language was Q-Celtic or Goidelic Goidelic is one of two major divisions of modern-day Celtic languages (the other being Brythonic). It is also known as Gaelic, or Q-Celtic because of the way that words in Brythonic that begin with "B" or "P" begin with "C" or "K" in Gaelic languages. Only three Goidelic languages survived into modern times: Irish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic, and Manx Gaelic. Goidelic languages were once restricted ..... Click the link for more information. . The longest extant Celtiberian inscription is on one of several bronze Bronze is the traditional name for a broad range of alloys of copper, usually with zinc and tin but not limited to just those metals. First utilized during the Bronze Age, to which it gave its name, bronze was used to produce tools, weapons and armor which proved either more durable or harder than their stone and copper predecessors. During the bronze age, arsenic was often included in the bronze (mostly as an impurity), which made the alloy harder still. ..... Click the link for more information. plaques from Botorrita, near Saragossa Zaragoza redirects here. For other referents, see Zaragoza (disambiguation). Zaragoza (Latin Caesar Augusta, English traditionally Saragossa) is the capital city of Aragon, Spain, located on the Ebro river near the centre of Aragon. It is also the capital of the province of Zaragoza. The population of the municipality of Zaragoza was 620,419 in 2002. It is linked by legends to the beginnings of Christianity in Spain. According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared miraculously to Saint James The Greater in the 1st century, atop a pillar. This legend is commemorated by a famous Catholic basilica called Nuestra Señora del Pilar ("Our Lady of the Pillar"). ..... Click the link for more information. , late 2nd century BCE. The Celtiberians had their largest impact on history during the Second Punic War History -- Military history -- War The Second Punic War was fought between Carthage and Rome from 218 to 204 BC. It was the second of three major wars fought between the Phoenician colony of Carthage, and the Roman Republic, then still confined to the Italian Peninsula. Background After Carthage lost its holdings in Sicily to Rome in the First Punic War, Carthage moved ..... Click the link for more information. , during which they became the (perhaps unwilling) allies of Carthage Carthage (from the Phoenician Kart-Hadasht, the "New City", written without vowels in Punic as Qrthdst), was a city in north Africa located on the eastern side of Lake Tunis, across from the center of modern Tunis in Tunisia. It remains a popular tourist attraction. Founding of Carthage In approximately 814 BC, Carthage was founded by Phoenician settlers from the city of Tyre, bringing with them the city-god Melkart. Traditionally, the city was founded by Dido, and a number of foundation myths have survived through Greek and Roman literature. ..... Click the link for more information. in its conflict with Rome Alternate meanings: See Rome (disambiguation) Rome (Italian and Latin, Roma) is the capital city of Italy. It is located on the Tiber river, in the central part of the country near the Mediterranean Sea, at 41°50'N, 12°15'E. The Vatican City, located in an enclave within Rome, is the seat of the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church (see also under Roman Catholicism). ..... Click the link for more information. , and crossed the Alps The Alps is the collective name for one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria in the east, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany, through to France in the west. The highest mountain in the Alps is the Mont Blanc at 4808 meters on the French-Italian border.     * Position and name of the Alps     * Limits of the Alps     * Climate of the Alps * ..... Click the link for more information.  under Hannibal Hannibal Barca (247 BC-182 BC) was a military commander of ancient Carthage, best known for his achievements in the Second Punic War in marching an army from Spain over the Pyrenees and the Alps into northern Italy and defeating the Romans at the Battles of the Trebia (218 BC), Lake Trasimene (217 BC) and Cannae (216 BC). After Cannae, the Romans refused to fight him in pitched battles, and gradually captured all the strongholds he had gained in Southern Italy. An invasion of Africa by the Romans under Scipio Africanus in 204 BC forced Hannibal to return to Africa, where Scipio defeated him at Zama (202 BC). ..... Click the link for more information. 's command. As a result of the defeat of Carthage, the Celtiberians first submitted to Rome in 195 BC Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC - 190s BC - 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC 140s BC Years: 200 BC 199 BC 198 BC 197 BC 196 BC - 195 BC - 194 BC 193 BC 192 BC 191 BC 190 BC Events     * Cato the Elder is elected consul at Rome and campaigns in Spain; he avoids one defeat by paying the Celtiberians 200 talents, a much-criticized tactic. * ..... Click the link for more information. ; In 182 to 179 T. Sempronius Gracchus spent years pacifying (as the Romans put it) the Celtiberians; however, conflicts between various semi-independent bands of Celtiberians continued. After the Numantine War (154 - 133 BCE), Roman cultural influences increased; this is the period of the earliest Botorrita inscibed plaque; later plaques, significantly, are inscribed in Latin. The war with Sertorius, 79 - 72 BCE, marked the last formal resistance of the Celtiberian cities to Roman domination, which submerged the Celtiberian culture.

Posted by: Siarls 10-Feb-2007, 12:50 PM

Just answering the question: Can speakers of Brythonic languages understand each other? I speak Welsh fluently. I have never met a Cornish or a Breton speaker but have seen the languages written. I don't really understand what's going on, but can see a lot of similar words and sometimes can see connections when pointed out to me. I have heard that Cornish and Breton are more similar though. Perhaps Welsh is the more distant, like say Romanian is from the other Romance languages? Portuguese and Spanish speakers can understand each other to a large extent, but would have difficulty with Romanian. Perhaps this is a similar situation with the Brythonic languages? Breton is quite difficult because it has the French 'R' and a lot of French influence. This has probably widened the gap between Breton and its sisters, especially considering how heavily influenced Welsh is by English. Pointing out a bit more to you, there are differences between Northern and Southern Welsh. As a Southerner, I find Northerners difficult to understand. So there are even fractions within the Brythonic Languages. Such a sad case because I think we are becoming increasingly distant from each other when we should be supporting each other.

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