Proto-Celtic Language.pdf

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Proto-Celtic languageFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

TheProto-Celtic language, also calledCommon Celtic, is thereconstructedancestor language

of all the knownCeltic languages.Itslexiscan be confidently reconstructed on the basis ofthecomparative methodofhistorical linguistics.Proto-Celtic is a branch of the WesternIndo-

European languages,with the other branchesItalic languages,Germanic languagesandtheBalto-Slavicgroup. The exact relationships between these branches are under discussion.The earliest archaeological culture that may justifiably be considered as Proto-Celtic is the Late

Bronze AgeUrnfield cultureofcentral Europefrom the last quarter of the second millenniumBC.[1]By the Iron AgeHallstatt cultureof around 800 BC these people had become fully Celtic.[1]

The reconstruction of Proto-Celtic is currently being undertaken. WhileContinental

Celticpresents much substantiation forphonology,and some formorphology,recorded materialis still too scanty to allow a secure reconstruction ofsyntax.Although some complete sentences

are recorded inGaulishandCeltiberian,the oldest substantial Celticliteratureis found inOld

Irish,the earliest recorded of theInsular Celtic languages.

Sound changes from Proto-Indo-European

The phonological changes fromProto-Indo-Europeanto Proto-Celtic may be summarised asfollows.[2]The changes are roughly in chronological order, with changes that operate on the

outcome of earlier ones appearing later in the list.

Late Proto-Indo-European

These changes were shared by several other Indo-European branches.

Palatovelars merge with the plain velars:

> k > g

> g

Epenthetic *a is inserted after a syllabicsonorantif alaryngealnd nohe ononfollow >

Laryngeals are lost following a vowel in syllables before the accent (VHC > VC)

Laryngeals are lost before a following vowel, colouring its quality: he > e

he > a

he > o HV > V

Laryngeals are lost after a preceding vowel, lengthening and colouring it:

eh>

eh> eh>

>

Syllabic laryngeals between plosives in noninitial syllables are lost (CHC > CC) All other syllabic laryngeals become *a (CHC > CaC)

Two adjacent dentals become *ss (TT > ss)
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.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-ChadCorc-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallstatt_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-ChadCorc-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urnfield_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balto-Slavichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-European_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-European_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_linguisticshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_methodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexis_(linguistics)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructed_language


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Early Proto-Celtic

Sequences of velar and *w merge into the labiovelars (it is uncertain if this preceded orfollowed he nex chnge; h i, whehe gw > b o gw > g:

kw > k gw > g

gw > g

g > b

Aspirated stops lose their aspiration and merge with the voiced stops (except that

thiscounterfeedshe peviou chnge, o *g > *g doen' eul in mege: b > b d > d

g > g

g > g

*e befoe eonn nd * bu no * become * well e > : *el -ro >

*gelaro > *galaro / *grH-no > *gerano > *garano. (Joseph's rule).

Epenthetic *i is inserted after syllabic liquids when followed by a plosive: l > li

> i Epenthetic *a is inserted before the remaining syllabic resonants:

m > m

n > n

l > l

> All remaining nonsyllabic laryngeals are lost.

*p followed by *k le in he wod become *k ielf p...k > k...k

>

> in finl yllble

Long vowels are shortened before a syllable-final resonant (V:RC > VRC); this also

shortens long diphthongs. (Osthoff's law)

Late Proto-Celtic

Plosives become *x before a different plosive or *s (CC> xC, Cs > xs) p > b before liquids (pL > bL)

p > w before nasals (pN > wN)

p > excep poibly fe * >

ew > ow

uwa > owa

Examples

PIEProto-

Celtic

Example

Proto-Celtic Old Irish Welsh
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*p * *ph> *'father' athirc.f. edrydd"home" ( *'three' tr tri

*k, *k*khn -e- > *kan-o- 'sing'*m om>*kantom 'hundred'

can-

ct/ked/can-

cant

*k *k*kewe>*kewoe'four'

ceth(a)ir pedwar

*b *b

*dub-no- > *dubnos 'deep,world' domun dwfn

*d *d *de- > *derk- 'see'(adcon-)dairc"(he) has seen"< *dork-e-

Rhydderch(personal name)

*g, *g*glehi- > *gli-na- 'to glue'*en-u- > *genu- 'jaw'

glen(a)id"(he) sticks fast"

giun, gin"mouth"

glynu"adhere"

gn"jaw"

*g *b *genh> *bena 'woman' ben benyw"female"

*b *b *be- > *ber-o- 'carry' berid"(he) carries" beru"flow"

*d *d *dehi- > *di-na- 'suck' denait"they suck" dynu, denu

*g,

*g *gh

b-(e)i- > *gab-i- 'take'*el-ro- > *galaro-'sickness'

ga(i)bid"(he) takes"galar

gafael"hold"galar"grief"

*g *g*gh n - > *gn-o- 'kill,wound'

gonaid"(he) wounds, slays" gwanu"stab"

*s *s *sen-o- > *senos 'old' sen hen

*m *m *mh> *m'mother' mthir c.f. modryb"aunt"


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*n *n*hnp-- >*ne'nephew'

ni nai

*l *l *lei- > *lig-e/o- 'lick' ligid"(he) licks" llyu, llyfu

*r *r *h-s > *g'king' r(gen. rg) rhi

*j *j*hjuhn->*juwankos 'young'

ac ieuanc

*w *w*hwlht- >*wlatis 'rulership'

flaith gwlad"country"

PIE Proto-Celtic

Example


*a, he *a*hep-hn- >*b(acc. *abonen)'river'

aub afon

*, *eh **bh>*b'brother'

brthir brawd

*e, he *e *sen-o- > *senos 'old' sen hen

*H (any

laryngeal H betweenconsonants)[3]

*a *ph> *'father' athir c.f. edrydd"home"

*, eh **weh-ro- >*wo'true'

fr gwir

*o, Ho, he *o*Hrotho- >*rotos 'wheel'

roth rhod

*, eh in final syllable, **hnp-- >*ne'nephew'

ni nai
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elsewhere, * *dehno- > *dno- 'gift' dn dawn

*i *i*gih-tu- >*bitus 'world'

bith byd

*, i **meh>*m'number'

rm rhif

*ai, hei, ehi *ai

*kaikos >

*kaikos 'blind'

*sehitlo- > *saitlo-'age'

cech"one-

eyed"

-

coeg"empty, one-

eyed"

hoedl

*(hei, i, ehi *ei*deiwos >*deiwos 'god'

da duw

*oi, i, hei, ehi *oi *oinos > *oinos 'one' en on; en an un

*u

before wa, o*hiuhn-> early*juwankos > late

*jowankos 'young'

ac ieuanc

elsewhere, *u*srutos >

*srutos 'stream'sruth ffrwd

*, u **ruHneh>*n'mystery'

rn rhin

*au, heu, ehu *au *tausos >*tausos 'silent' tue"silence" *ou'people'*geh-u-s >*bows 'cow'

tath

b

tud

bu, buw

*l before stops, *li

*plhns >

*lino'wide' lethan llydan


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before other

consonants, *al*klh- >*kljko'rooster'

cailech(Ogam

gen.CALIACI)ceiliog

*

before stops, *ri*b i- > *briti- 'act of

bearing; mind'breth, brith bryd

before other

consonants, *ar

*mu o>*marwos 'dead'

marb marw

*m *am*dm -na- > *damna-'subdue'

damnaid"he

tames"-

*n *an*hdn - >*danton 'tooth' dt/ded/ dant

*l

beforeobstruents,

*la

*hu lht- >*wlatis 'lordship'

flaith gwlad"country"

beforesonorants,

*l*plmeh>*lm'hand'

lm llaw

*

before obstruents,

*ra

*mom>*mratom 'betrayal'

mrath brad

before sonorants,

** nom>*gnom'grain'

grn gronyn, grawn

*m *m/m(presumably same

distribution as above)

(none?)

*n *an or *n(presumably samedistribution as above)

probably *gn hto- >*gno'known'

gnth gnawd"customary"
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Phonological reconstruction

Consonants

The following consonants have been reconstructed for Proto-Celtic:

Table of consonant phonemes of Proto-Celtic

Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar (Plain) Labialised Velar

Plosive b t d k k

Nasal m n

Fricative s

Approximant (Medial) j w

Lateral Approximant l

Trill

r

In contrast to the parent language, Proto-Celtic does not use aspirationas afeaturefordistinguishingphonemes.So the Proto-Indo-Europeanvoicedaspirated stops *b, *d,

*g/merged with *b, *d, *g/. The voiced aspiratelabiovelar*gdid not merge with *g,

though: plain *gbecame *bin Proto-Celtic, while aspirated *gbecame *g. Thus, PIE *gen-

'woman' became Old Irishbenand Welshbenyw, but PIE *gn-'to kill, to wound' became OldIrishgonaidand Welshgwanu.

Proto-Indo-European *pwas lost in Proto-Celtic, apparently going through the stages *(as in

the table above) and *h(perhaps attested by thetoponymHercyniaif this is of Celtic origin)

before being lost completely word-initially and between vowels. Adjacent to consonants, Proto-Celtic *underwent different changes: theclusters*sand *tbecame *xsand *xtrespectively

already in Proto-Celtic. PIE *sp-became Old Irishs(lenitedf-, exactly as for PIE *sw-) andBrythonicf; whileSchrijver 1995,p. 348 argues there was an intermediate stage *s-(in which

*remained an independent phoneme until after Proto-Insular Celtic had diverged into Goidelicand Brythonic),McCone 1996,pp. 4445 finds it more economical to believe that *sp-remainedunchanged in PC, that is, the change *pto *did not happen when *spreceded.

(Similarly,Grimm's lawdid not apply to*p, t, kafter *sinGermanic.)
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*l- > *laxs- 'shine' las-aid llach-ar

*em> *sextam 'seven' secht saith

*ee- or *speret- 'heel' seir ffr

InGaulishand theBrythonic languages,a new *psound has arisen as a reflex of the Proto-Indo-European *kphoneme. Consequently one finds Gaulishpetuar[ios],Welshpedwar"four",

compared toOld Irish*cethairandLatinquattuor. Insofar as this new /p/ fills the space in the

phoneme inventory which was lost by the disappearance of the equivalent stop in PIE, we may

think of this as achain shift.

The termsP-CelticandQ-Celticare useful when we wish to group the Celtic languagesaccording to the way they handle this one phoneme. However a simple division into P- and Q-

Celtic may be untenable, as it does not do justice to the evidence of the ancient Continental

Celtic languages.The large number of unusual shared innovations among theInsular Celticlanguagesare often also presented as evidence against a P-CelticvsQ-Celtic division, but they

may instead reflect a commonsubstratuminfluence from the pre-Celtic languages of Ireland,

Scotland, Cornwall and Wales,[1],or simply continuing contact between the insular languages;in either case they would be irrelevant to Celtic language classification in the genetic sense.

Q-Celtic languages may also have /p/ in loan words, though in early borrowings from Welshino Pimiive Iih /k/ w ued by ound ubiuion due o lck of /p/ phoneme hetime:

LatinPatricius"Saint Patrick"' > Welsh > Primitive IrishQATRIKIAS> Old

IrishCothrige, laterPadraig;

Latinpresbyter"priest" > early form of word seen inOld Welshpremter primter>Primitive IrishQRIMITIR> Old Irishcruimther.

Gaelicpg"kiss" was a later borrowing (from the second word of the Latin phrase osculumpacis"kiss of peace") at a stage wherepwas borrowed directly asp, without substitutingc.

Vowels

The Proto-Celtic vowel system is highly comparable to that reconstructed forProto-Indo-

EuropeanbyAntoine Meillet.The followingmonophthongshave been reconstructed:

Front Central Back

long short long short long short
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Close /i/ /i/ /u/ /u/

Mid /e/ /e/ /o/

Open

// /a/

The followingdiphthongshave also been reconstructed:

With -i With -u

With e- ei

With a- ai au

With o- oi ou

Morphology

Nouns

Themorphology(structure) ofnounsandadjectivesdemonstrates no arresting alterations from

the parent language. Proto-Celtic is believed to have had nouns in threegenders,

threenumbersand five to eight cases. The genders were the normal masculine, feminine andneuter, the three numbers were singular, plural and dual. The number of cases is a subject of

contention:[4]while Old Irish may have only five, the evidence from Continental Celtic is

consideredrather unambiguous despite appeals to archaic retentions ormorphological leveling.These cases

werenominative,vocative,accusative,dative,genitive,ablative,locativeandinstrumental.

Nouns fall into nine or so declensions, depending on the stem. There are *o-stems, *-stems, *i-

stems, *u-stems, dental stems, velar stems, nasal stems, *r-stems and *s-stems.

*o-stem nouns

makkos'son' (masculine) (Old Irishmac~WelshandBretonmab)

Case Singular Dual Plural

Nominative *makkos *makkou *makkoi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_vowelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_vowelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid_vowelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_vowelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_vowelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphthonghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphthonghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphthonghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphology_(linguistics)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphology_(linguistics)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphology_(linguistics)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjectivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjectivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjectivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_genderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_genderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphological_levelinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphological_levelinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphological_levelinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accusativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accusativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accusativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genitivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genitivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genitivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ablativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ablativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ablativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrumental_casehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrumental_casehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrumental_casehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrumental_casehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ablativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genitivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accusativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominativehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphological_levelinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_genderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjectivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphology_(linguistics)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphthonghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_vowelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid_vowelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_vowel


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Vocative *makke *makkou *makks

Accusative *makkom *makkou *makks

Genitive *makk *makks *makkom

Dative *makki *makkobom *makkobos

Ablative *makk *makkobim *makkobis

Instrumental *makk *makkobim *makks

Locative *makkei *makkou *makkobis

dnom'stronghold' (neuter)


Nominative *dnom *dnou *dn

Vocative *dnom *dnou *dn

Accusative *dnom *dnou *dn

Genitive *dn *dns *dnom

Dative *dni *dnobom *dnobos

Ablative *dn *dnobim *dnobis

Instrumental *dn *dnobim *dns

Locative *dnei *dnou *dnobis


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*-stem nouns

E.g. *lm'hand' (feminine) (Old Irishlm~Welshllaw)


Nominative *lm *lmai *lms

Vocative *lm *lmai *lms

Accusative *lmm *lmai *lms

Genitive *lms *lmajous *lmom

Dative *lmi *lmbom *lmbos

Ablative *lm *lmbim *lmbis

Instrumental *lm *lmbim *lmbis

Locative *lmi *lmbim *lmbis

E.g. *wolks'hawker'(masculine) (GallicVolcae)


Nominative *wolks *wolkai *wolks

Vocative *wolk *wolkai *wolks

Accusative *wolkm *wolkai *wolks

Genitive *wolks *wolkajous *wolkom

Dative *wolki *wolkbom *wolkbos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falconryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falconryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falconryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falconryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irish


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Ablative *wolk *wolkbim *wolkbis

Instrumental *wolk *wolkbim *wolkbis

Locative *wolki *wolkbim *wolkbis

*i-stems

E.g. *slis'sight, view, eye' (feminine) (Brittonicsulis~Old Irishsil)


Nominative *slis *sl *sls

Vocative *sli *sl *sls

Accusative *slim *sl *sls

Genitive *sleis *sljous *sljom

Dative *slei *slibom *slibos

Ablative *sl *slibim *slibis

Instrumental *sl *slibim *slibis

Locative *sl *slibim *slibis

E.g. *mori'body of water, sea' (neuter) (GallicMori- ~Old Irishmuir~Welshmr)


Nominative *mori *mor *morj

Vocative *mori *mor *morj
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Brittonichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Brittonichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Brittonic


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Accusative *mori *mor *morj

Genitive *moreis *morjous *morjom

Dative *morei *moribom *moribos

Ablative *mor *moribim *moribis

Instrumental *mor *moribim *moribis

Locative *mor *moribim *moribis

*u-stem nouns

E.g. *bitus'world, existence' (masculine) (GallicBitu- ~Old

Irishbith~Welshbyd~Bretonbed)


Nominative *bitus *bitou *bitowes

Vocative *bitu *bitou *bitowes

Accusative *bitum *bitou *bits

Genitive *bitous *bitowou *bitowom

Dative *bitou *bitubom *bitubos

Ablative *bit *bitubim *bitubis

Instrumental *bit *bitubim *bitubis

Locative *bit *bitubim *bitubis

E.g. *dnu'valley river' (neuter?)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_language


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Nominative *dnu *dnou *dnw

Vocative *dnu *dnou *dnw

Accusative *dnu *dnou *dnw

Genitive *dnous *dnowou *dnowom

Dative *dnou *dnubom *dnubos

Ablative *dn *dnubim *dnubis

Instrumental *dn *dnubim *dnubis

Locative *dn *dnubim *dnubis

Velar and dental stems

Before the *-sof the nominative singular, a velar consonant wasfricatedto *-xand *-: *rg-

"king" > *rs. Likewise, final *-ddevoicedto *-d -: *druwid- "druid" > *druwid s.[5]

E.g. *rs'king' (masculine) (Gallic-rix;Old Irishr;Welshrhi)


Nominative *rs *rge *rges

Vocative *rs *rge *rges

Accusative *rgam *rge *rgs

Genitive *rgos *rgou *rgom

Dative *rgei *rgobom *rgobos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fricative_consonanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fricative_consonanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fricative_consonanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voicelessnesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voicelessnesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voicelessnesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voicelessnesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fricative_consonant


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Ablative *rg *rgobim *rgobis

Instrumental *rge *rgobim *rgobis

Locative *rgi *rgobim *rgobis

E.g. *druwid s'druid' (masculine) (Gallicdruis;Old Irishdru)


Nominative *druwid s *druwide *druwides

Vocative *druwid s *druwide *druwides

Accusative *druwidem *druwide *druwids

Genitive *druwidos *druwidou *druwidom

Dative *druwidei *druwidobom *druwidobos

Ablative *druwid *druwidobim *druwidobis

Instrumental *druwide *druwidobim *druwidobis

Locative *druwidi *druwidobim *druwidobis

E.g. *karnuxs'carnyx'(masculine?)


Nominative *karnuxs *karnuke *karnukes

Vocative *karnuxs *karnuke *karnukes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnyxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnyxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnyxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnyxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_language


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Accusative *karnukam *karnuke *karnuks

Genitive *karnukos *karnukou *karnukom

Dative *karnukei *karnukobom *karnukobos

Ablative *karnuk *karnukobim *karnukobis

Instrumental *karnuke *karnukobim *karnukobis

Locative *karnuki *karnukobim *karnukobis

E.g. *karants'friend' (masculine) (Galliccarant-;Old Irishcara;Welshceraint)


Nominative *karants *karante *karantes

Vocative *karants *karante *karantes

Accusative *karantam *karante *karants

Genitive *karantos *karantou *karantom

Dative *karantei *karantobom *karantobos

Ablative *karant *karantobim *karantobis

Instrumental *karante *karantobim *karantobis

Locative *karanti *karantobim *karantobis

Nasal stems

Generally, nasal stems end in *-on-, this becomes *-in the nominative singular: *abon--

"river" > *ab.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_language


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E.g. *ab 'river' (feminine) (Welshafon, Old Bretonaven, Gaelicabhainn)


Nominative *ab *abone *abones

Vocative *ab *abone *abones

Accusative *abonam *abone *abons

Genitive *abonos *abonou *abonom

Dative *abonei *abnobom *abnobos

Ablative *abon *abnobim *abnobis

Instrumental *abone *abnobim *abnobis

Locative *aboni *abnobim *abnobis

E.g. *anum'name' (neuter) (Gallicanuan-;Old Irishainm;Old Welshanu)


Nominative *anum *anumane *anumanes

Vocative *anum *anumane *anumanes

Accusative *anumanam*anumane *anumans

Genitive *anumanos *anumanou *anumanom

Dative *anumanei *anumanobom*anumanobos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Welshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Welshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Welshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Welshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_language


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Ablative *anuman *anumanobim *anumanobis

Instrumental *anumane *anumanobim *anumanobis

Locative *anumani *anumanobim *anumanobis

*s-stem nouns

Generally, *s-stems end in *-es-, which becomes *-osin the nominative singular: *teges- 'house'

> *tegos.

E.g. *tegos'house' (masculine), Gaelic "teach/tigh".


Nominative *tegos *tegese *tegeses

Vocative *tegos *tegese *tegeses

Accusative *tegesam*tegese *tegess

Genitive *tegesos *tegesou *tegesom

Dative *tegesei *tegesobom *tegesobos

Ablative *teges *tegesobim *tegesobis

Instrumental *tegese *tegesobim *tegesobis

Locative *tegesi *tegesobim *tegesobis

*r-stem nouns

r-stems are rare and principally confined to names of relatives. Typically they end in *-ter-, which becomes *-trin the nominative and *-trin all other cases aside from theaccusative: *ater- 'father' > *atr, *atros.


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E.g. *atr'father' (masculine)


Nominative *atr *atere *ateres

Vocative *atr *atere *ateres

Accusative *ateram*atere *aters

Genitive *atros *atrou *atrom

Dative *atrei *atrebom*atrebos

Ablative *atr *atrebim *atrebis

Instrumental *atre *atrebim *atrebis

Locative *atri *atrebim *atrebis

E.g. *mtr'mother' (feminine)


Nominative *mtr *mtere *mteres

Vocative *mtr *mtere *mteres

Accusative *mteram*mtere *mters

Genitive *mtros *mtrou *mtrom

Dative *mtrei *mtrebom*mtrebos


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Ablative *mtr *mtrebim *mtrebis

Instrumental *mtre *mtrebim *mtrebis

Locative *mtri *mtrebim *mtrebis

Verbs

From comparison between early Old Irish and Gaulish forms it seems that Continental and

Insular Celtic verbs were to develop differently and so the study of Irish and Welsh may have

unduly weighted past opinion of proto-Celtic verbal morphology.It can be inferred fromGaulish and Celtiberian as well as Insular Celtic that the proto-Celtic verb had at least three

moods:

indicativeseen in e.g. 1st sg. Gaulishdelgu("I hold") Old Irishtongu("I swear")

imperativeseen in e.g. 3rd sg. Celtiberianusabituz, Gaulishappisetu subjunctiveseen in e.g. 3rd sg. Gaulishbuetid("may he be") Celtiberianasekati

and four tenses:

presentseen in e.g. Gaulishuediu-mi("I pray") Celtiberianzizonti("they sow")

preteriteseen in e.g. 3rd sg. Gaulishsioxti, LeponticKariTe

imperfectperhaps in Celtiberiankombalkez,atibion futureseen in e.g. 3rd sg. Gaulishbissiet, Old Irishbieid("he shall be")

A probableoptative moodalso features in Gaulish (tixsintor) and aninfinitive(with acharacteristic ending-unei) in Celtiberian.[6][7]

Verbs were formed by addingsuffixesto averbalstem.The stem mightbethematicorathematic,anopenor aclosed syllable.

Exampleconjugations

Scholarly reconstructions[2][8][9][10]may be summarised in tabular format.

Conjugation like *bere/o-bear, carry, flow

Person

Pres Impf Fut Pst

Act Pss Act Pss Act Pss Act Pss

Ind 1.sg *ber(mi) *berr *berennem

*- *bibrm

*bibrr *bert *-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indicative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indicative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preteritehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preteritehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinitivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinitivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinitivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffixhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffixhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffixhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athematic_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athematic_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athematic_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_syllablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_syllablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_syllablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_syllablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_syllablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_syllablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_conjugationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_conjugationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_conjugationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-etymdict-2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-etymdict-2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_personhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfect_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfect_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Past_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indicative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indicative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Past_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfect_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_personhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-etymdict-2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-etymdict-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_conjugationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_syllablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_syllablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athematic_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_stemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffixhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinitivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preteritehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indicative_mood


21/24

2.sg *beresi *beretrs *bert *-*bibrsi

*bibrtrs

*bertes *-

3.sg *bereti *beretor *bere(to) *beretei *bibrti *bibrtor *bert *brito

1.pl*beromu(s

ns)

*beromm

or

*beremme

ts*-

*bibr

mes

*bibrm

mor

*berto

mu*-

2.pl *berete *beredwe

*beretes(

OI)~*bere-

sws(B)

*-*bibrte

*bibrdwe

*bertete

*-

3.pl *beronti*beronto

r*berentets

*berentits(?)

*bibrn

t

*bibrnt

or

*berto

nt

*brit

nts

Sbj

1.sg *berm *berr*bernne

m*- *- *- *- *-

2.sg *bersi *bertrs *bert *- *- *- *- *-

3.sg *berti *bertor *ber(to) *- *- *- *- *-

1.pl *bermes*bermm

or

*bermm

ets*- *- *- *- *-

2.pl *berte*berdwe

*bertes(OI)~*ber-

sws(B)

*- *- *- *- *-

3.pl *bernti*bernto

r

*berntet

s*- *- *- *- *-

Im 1.sg *- *- *- *- *- *- *- *-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singular


22/24

p

2.sg *ber!*beretrs!

*- *- *- *- *- *-

3.sg *beret! *beror! *- *- *- *- *- *-

1.pl *beromu!*beromm

or!*- *- *- *- *- *-

2.pl *berets!*beredwe

!*- *- *- *- *- *-

3.pl *beront!

*beronto

r! *- *- *- *- *- *-

VN(unmark

ed)*berowon- *- *- *- *- *- *'

*britu-

s

Ptp

le

(unmark

ed)*beront-

*beromn

o-*- *beretejo- *- *-

*bertjo

-*brito-

Conjugation like *mr-greaten, magnify, enlarge

Person

Pres Impf Fut Pst

Act Pss Act Pss Act Pss Act Pss

Ind

1.sg *mrmi *mrr*mrnn

em

*-*mrbj

*mrbj

r

*mrts

*-

2.sg *mrsi*mrtr

s*mrt *-

*mrbis

i

*mrbit

rs

*mrts

si*-

3.sg *mrti*mrto

r

*mr(to

)*mrtei

*mrbit

i

*mrbit

or

*mrts

ti*-

1.pl*mrmu

(sns)

*mrm

mor

*mrm

mets*-

*mrbi

mmes

*mrbi

mmor

*mrts

omu*-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_personhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfect_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfect_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Past_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indicative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indicative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediopassive_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_voicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Past_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfect_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_tensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_personhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_mood


23/24

2.pl *mrte*mrd

we

*mrtes(OI)~

*mr-

sws(B)

*-*mrbit

e

*mrbid

we

*mrts

ete*-

3.pl *mrnti *mrntor

*mrntets

*mrntits(?)

*mrbint

*mrbintor

*mrtsont

*mrtnts(?)

Sbj

1.sg *mrm *mror*mronn

em*- *- *- *- *-

2.sg *mrosi*mrotr

s*mrot *- *- *- *- *-

3.sg *mroti*mroto

r

*mro(to

)*- *- *- *- *-

1.pl*mrome

s

*mrom

mor

*mrom

mets*- *- *- *- *-

2.pl *mrote*mrodwe

*mrotes(OI)~*mro-

sws(B)

*- *- *- *- *-

3.pl *mronti*mront

or

*mronte

ts*- *- *- *- *-

Im

p

1.sg *- *- *- *- *- *- *- *-

2.sg *mr!*mrtr

s!*- *- *- *- *- *-

3.sg *mrt! *mrr! *- *- *- *- *- *-

1.pl*mrmu!

*mrmmor!

*- *- *- *- *- *-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_person_singularhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive_moodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brythonic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_plural


24/24

2.pl *mrts!*mrdwe!

*- *- *- *- *- *-

3.pl *mrnt!*mrntor!

*- *- *- *- *- *-

VN(unmar

ked)

*mrwon-

*- *- *- *- *- *'*mrtu-

s

Ptp

le

(unmar

ked) *mrnt-

*mrmno-

*-*mrtejo-

*- *-*mrtjo-

*mrto-

Dating

Proto-Celtic is mostly dated to roughly 800 BC (Hallstatt C), seeCeltic languages.

In the first decade of the 21st century a number of scholars addressed this questionusingcomputationalmethods, with differing results. Gray and Atkinson estimated a date of

6100BP(4100 BC) while Forster and Toth[11]suggest a date of 3200 BC 1500 years for the

arrival of Celtic in Britain, but such early dates are not generally accepted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_Presenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_Presenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_Presenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-11http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-11http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proto-Celtic_language&printable=yes#cite_note-11http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_Presenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markednesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_nounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_person_pluralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_person_plural

Documents

Proto-Celtic Language.pdf