Dear Angus,
What is the difference between Gaelic and Erse? I’m curious about what I do not understand.
Thank you,
-PLEASE NOTE THAT MY E-MAIL ADDRESS HAS CHANGED
Dear Changed,
Weel, to explain the difference between Gaelic and Erse ye’ll be needin a bit o’ a convoluted explanation involving the development of languages in the British Isles.
Ye see ma dear, before English began the people inhabiting the British Isles didna spake English, but different Celtic languages. The modern forms of these languages are Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Irish, and Breton, as well as the dead languages of Cornish and Manx. These Celtic languages are grouped inta three different subfamilies, ye ken? And one of the groups is Giodelic (the other two being Continental and Brythonic), to which Irish (also called Irish Gaelic), Scots Gaelic, and Manx belong.
All the modern Giodelic tongues are descendants of the ancient Celtic speech of Ireland, Gaelic. Gaelic began to reach Scotland in the late 5th century A.D., when it was brought by the Irish invaders, and in Scotland the Gaelic language was called “Irish” or “Erse” (different spellings of the same word). For a time the only language on the British Isles was Gaelic, and there was no difference between Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic. However, the Norsemen (Vikings) and Saxons invaded and migrated to Britain from Europe bringing their Germanic languages. The varieties from this mixture of Gaelic and Norse in England came ta be called “English” and in Scotland they came ta be known as “Scots” around the 13th century. So, a chief difference between Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic results from the substantial Norse influence on the former, d’ye see?
And so to answer ye’re question, the term Erse is used as a synonym for Irish and sometimes even for Scots Gaelic, and the difference between the two is that Erse is defined as the Goidelic language of Ireland, ye see, while Gaelic is considered to be the Giodelic language of Scotland. Hope this was some help t’ye, and if’n ye’re interested in learning more about Gaelic, sign up for the Gaelic language classes sponsored by the Celtic Cultural Alliance.
ANGUS
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5 comments:
"For a time the only language on the British Isles was Gaelic..". That's incorrect. Gaelic was never spoken in the south of Britain, apart from in some shortlived post-Roman Irish colonies in Wales and the West Country.
Hallo me dear Angus,
you say that Cornish and Manx are dead languages but that isn't strictly true. They did die out at some stage, but most fortunately they're being revived again. Everyone including the Scots is undergoing a Gaelic/Celtic revival and about time too!!!
Best wishes from your cousin (which is what I am, being a mixture of Irish, Breton, Welsh and Danish - with, admittedly, some Norman too - and coming from the Cornish peninsula)
Maria
Hróbjarthur- Realky? Well then look at Cornwall and the names of some of the places and many surnames as well. They bear quite a resemblance to the Gaelic (and Gaidleig) of Scotland and Ireland. Welsh is similar as well. Perhaps it wasn't as prevalent on the East Coast of England but it was there nonetheless. Much like the Romance Languages all came from Latin,Welsh, Manx, Geidligh(sp?)all originate from the same language : Gaeluc. English is a Germanic language brought by the Saxons from the East.
Hróbjarthur- Really? Well then look at Cornwall in the SouthWest of England and the names of some of the people(surnames really) and places as well. They bear quite a resemblance to the Gaelic of Scotland and Ireland. Welsh is similar as well. Perhaps it wasn't as prevalent on the East Coast of England but it was there nonetheless. Much like the Romance Languages all came from Latin,Welsh, Manx, Geidligh(sp?)all originate from the same language : Gaeluc. English is a Germanic language brought by the Saxons from the East.
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