P-Celtic
formerly "Brythonic"

The branch of the Celtic language which includes Welsh, Cornish, Breton, and the extinct languages of Gaulish, Lepontic, Noric, and Galatian. Unlike the Q-Celtic branch, the P-Celtic employs the use of the letter "p" where the Q branch often uses a "k" sound.

See Q-Celtic for a comparison of vocabulary.

Breton and Cornish are closely related, and Breton is usually classified as an insular language, as the Bretons were originally refugees from Britain, and not Gauls.

Some argue that the Q-Celtic branch is older; however, Lepontic inscriptions have been found in North Italy, and date to 700 BCE. Of course, others have argued that Lepontic isn't Celtic, but Ligurian, another Indo-European language system of Italy.

Back to "P" | Back to JCE
Home