??? Many say & celtic nations , yet some assert only 6 According to the Celtic League, and various other academic institutions, there are six Celtic nations that have survived into the modern era. They base this criteria on a Celtic language still being spoken in the area as well as its attendant culture. These three nations form the Goidelic branch and their languages (Gaeilge, Gàidhlig, and Gailck, respectively) are mutually intelligible: Ireland (Éire) Scotland (Alba) Isle of Man (Mannin) These three nations form the Brythonic branch and their languages (Cymraeg, Kernewek, and Breizhonek) are mutually intelligible: Wales (Cymru) Cornwall (Kernow) Brittany (Breizh) These two groups while from the same original proto-Celtic language are not mutually intelligible (i.e. Welsh is not understood by an Irish speaker in the same way that German is not understood by an English speaker) Galicia is not a Celtic nation. True, Celtic people inhabitated the area at one time, but they intermingled with later populations and their language (Galego) and attendant culture today is based on the Romance family of languages. No Celtic language has been spoken in the area since the 10th Century. As for loan words, there are actually more loan words of Celtic origin in English and French. Galician separatist movements in the past have used the Celtic card to reinforce their differences from the dominant Castillian Spanish culture of Spain. Incidentally, there was also a place in modern-day Turkey called Galicia which was inhabited by Celts. France is not a Celtic nation either by this standard. They lost their Celtic culture after the Roman conquest, became thoroughly Romanised and were later conquered by Germanic peoples like the Franks. 6 or 7 ?
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 21:01:52 +0000
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