Gaelic

(gā'lĭk)
adj.
Of or relating to the Gaels or their culture or languages.

n.

1. Goidelic.
2. Any of the Goidelic languages.

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pronounced gal-ik or gay-lik, denotes any of the modern Celtic languages spoken in Ireland (Irish Gaelic), Scotland (Scottish Gaelic), and the Isle of Man (Manx). There are two main varieties that were ancestors of these languages: Brythonic (or P-Celtic), also the indigenous language of Wales and Cornwall and taken by Britons to Brittany, and Goidelic (or Q-Celtic), which spread from Ireland into the Isle of Man and Scotland.

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Gaelic, one of the Celtic dialects, is of the group known as the Goidelic, comprising Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Scottish Gaelic and Manx developed through the migrations of Irish speakers in the late 4th cent. From the original settlement of Dalriada the Gaels spread northwards and eastwards through Scotland cutting through native Pictish resistance. Following the establishment of the Gaelic church on Iona by Columba in the 6th cent., the Gaels acquired the means of spreading both their authority and their language. In the 9th cent., Gaels and Picts were finally united under a Gaelic king, probably of mixed parentage. In the 11th cent., Malcolm Canmore, son of Duncan, came to the throne with the aid of English forces and began to introduce Anglo-Norman customs and language. His descendants followed this policy and the Gaelic language was gradually replaced by English in state and church administration.

For 1755 it has been estimated that under a quarter of Scotland's population were Gaelic speakers—i.e. some 290, 000. By 1971 Gaelic-only speakers numbered no more than 477 out of 5, 228, 000. Support for the Gaelic language began in the 19th cent., and in 1882 it became possible to study Gaelic as part of a university degree course. Today children can be educated in Gaelic at the primary level and it can be studied at secondary level. Since these efforts to save the language have been in place, the number of speakers has increased.

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IN BRIEF: adj.- Of, relating to, or constituting the Goidelic speech of the Celts in Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Scottish Highlands.

Tutor's tip: Note: "Gaelic" pertains to natives of Scotland and Ireland. "Gallic" pertains to the Gauls or to the French. "Garlic" is a strong smelling and tasting plant.

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See words rhyming with "Gaelic."

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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - gallisk, gælisk
n. - galler

Nederlands (Dutch)
Keltisch (Ierland/ Schotland)

Français (French)
adj. - gaélique
n. - Gaélique

Deutsch (German)
n. - Gälisch
adj. - gälisch

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - γαελική (γλώσσα)
adj. - γαελικός

Italiano (Italian)
gaelico

Português (Portuguese)
n., -
adj. - gaélico (m)

Русский (Russian)
гэльский, гэльский язык

Español (Spanish)
adj. - gaélico
n. - gaélico

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - gaeliska (språket)
adj. - gaelisk

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
盖尔人的, 盖尔人, 盖尔语

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 蓋爾人的
n. - 蓋爾人, 蓋爾語

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 게일 족[말]의
n. - 게일 말

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ゲール語
adj. - ゲール人の

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) غيلي : ناطق بالغيليه في اسكتلندا (صفه) متعلق بالغيليين‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮קלטי‬
n. - ‮גאלית (שפה)‬

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