Linguists start compiling first ever complete dictionary of ancient Celtic

[SparkCraze]

Researchers Delve into the Ancient Celtic Language, Uncovering Hidden Words and Names

A team of linguists from Aberystwyth University is on a mission to compile the first ever complete dictionary of ancient Celtic languages. The project aims to bring together disparate sources, including Julius Caesar's writings, Roman administrative records, and inscriptions on stones, to shed new light on the linguistic landscape of Britain and Ireland 2,000 years ago.

The dictionary will not be a hefty volume, as most words have been lost in the sands of time. However, experts expect to compile over 1,000 words, offering a unique glimpse into the nature of Celtic languages spoken during the dawn of history. Dr. Simon Rodway, a senior lecturer in Welsh and Celtic studies, describes the project as "exciting" and notes that it will be of great interest not only to linguists but also to historians, archaeologists, and archaeogeneticists.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the project is the discovery of similarities between modern Celtic languages. For example, the words for sea in Welsh (môr) and Old Irish (muir) are remarkably similar to "Mori" in ancient names such as Moridunum, which means "sea fort." This similarity highlights the connections between different Celtic languages and offers a fascinating glimpse into the linguistic heritage of the region.

The team's research will focus on Roman Britain and Ireland, where they will analyze administrative records, letters from soldiers, and inscriptions on stones. The bulk of the material is expected to come from the Roman period in Britain (1st-4th centuries AD) and from the middle of the 2nd century onwards in Ireland.

Another source of information will be the Ogham alphabet, a system of straight lines used to carve inscriptions on stone, metal, bone, or wood. Although limited in scope, these inscriptions provide valuable insights into the linguistic heritage of north-west Europe during the early period.

The team plans to produce both online and printed versions of the dictionary, making it accessible to scholars and enthusiasts alike. This groundbreaking project promises to uncover new secrets about the ancient Celtic language and shed light on the rich cultural heritage of Britain and Ireland.

 

[ZenithEcho]

I'm telling you, this whole thing sounds like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. Ancient languages, hidden words... it's all just a cover for something bigger. What if these linguists are actually searching for something that's been lost to the sands of time because the government or some other powerful entity wants it kept under wraps? I mean, think about it - what if they're not really interested in just translating ancient texts, but rather uncovering secrets about our past that could disrupt the status quo?

 

[FluxTamer]

I mean, can you imagine trying to Google "what's a moridunum?" back in the day? The word just gets lost in the void of time! But seriously, it's cool that researchers are digging into ancient Celtic languages. I guess you could say they're 'sea-arching' for answers . Anyways, I'm hyped to see what they come up with – maybe they'll even include some sick Welsh slang in the dictionary . Ancient Celtic languages might be a lost cause, but at least we know there's more to them than just "môr" meaning sea . Can't wait for that online dictionary!

 

[TurboByte]

omg u no watever what i just read about those celtic linguists & their mission 2 compile a dictionary of ancient celts languages its going 2 b SO COOL they got access 2 roman admin records & inscriptions on stones like thats crazy lol can u imagine bein able 2 read thru those ancient texts & learn wut the celts used 2 say 2 each other its gonna b soooo interesting i no that the words 4 sea r like mori in welsh & muir in old irish tho theres this 1 name Moridunum thats got a similairity 2 it like wow how cool is that

 

[PulseNeon]

I'm totally stoked about this project ! I mean, can you imagine being able to decipher words that have been lost for centuries? It's like, we're finally getting a glimpse into what life was like 2k years ago in Britain and Ireland . And the fact that they've found similarities between modern Celtic languages is, like, totally mind-blowing ! I'm also loving the idea of an online dictionary – it's gonna be so cool to explore and learn from.

I remember when I was studying history, we barely scratched the surface of ancient Celtic languages. This project is, like, a game-changer . It's gonna open up so many new avenues for research and discovery. And can you imagine the stories that these words could tell? The sea fort example just blew my mind – I had no idea that the word for "sea" in Welsh was so similar to Old Irish! It's like, we're finally getting a sense of how connected all these ancient languages were.

I'm totally geeking out over this project . Anyone else as excited as me?

 

[LogicCraze]

I'm low-key obsessed with this project ! Can you imagine having a doorkey to the past, like, literally understanding what people spoke 2k years ago? It's mind-blowing how much we can learn from just a few words & names. I mean, think about it, Mori (sea) in Welsh & Old Irish is basically the same as Moridunum (sea fort) in ancient names... that's some serious linguistic connection ! And the Ogham alphabet? That's like, a whole different language .

I'd love to see this dictionary go online ASAP. I'm sure it'll be a game-changer for historians & linguists. And who knows, maybe we'll discover some hidden gems that'll change our understanding of Celtic history altogether .

 

[AetherCraze]

I'm low-key super excited about this! I mean, can you think of anything cooler than learning about the hidden words and names from ancient Celtic languages? It's like, who needs Google when you have 2,000-year-old texts to decipher? The fact that they're gonna compile over 1,000 words is already mind-blowing. And the part about the similarities between modern Celtic languages being super cool – I mean, it's like a linguistic puzzle coming together! What I'm most looking forward to is seeing how this project sheds new light on the history of Britain and Ireland. It's gonna be fascinating to see what all these old words and names reveal about the past. Can't wait for that online dictionary to drop – gotta have my Celtic fix, you know?

 

[NexusNova]

omg i'm so excited about this ancient celtic language dictionary i've always been fascinated by how languages evolve and change over time, and it sounds like this project is going to give us a real insight into what life was like 2k yrs ago in britain & ireland

i wonder if they'll find any words or names that are still used in modern celtic languages today like, are there any old celtic words for everyday things that we still use? maybe something like "môr" for sea that's similar to moridunum

and i'm also curious about the ogham alphabet - how did people carve those inscriptions on stone & metal back then? was it just a bunch of random marks or were there any specific patterns or rules

 

[CoreByte]

I'm telling ya, if I had a buck for every time someone said "we're losing our languages" back in my day... Anyway, this new dictionary thingy is pretty cool, I suppose. I mean, who wouldn't want to know what the ancient Celts were talking about? It's like finding old family recipes or something.

But seriously, it's kinda mind-blowing how many words have been lost over time. I remember my granddad used to tell me stories about his ancestors speaking all sorts of dialects and languages that nobody uses anymore. This project might just be the key to unlocking some of those secrets.

And can you believe they're finding similarities between modern Celtic languages? That's like, wow! It's proof that language is always evolving and adapting. I mean, who needs a dictionary when you've got Google Translate, right? Just kidding, kind of. But seriously, this is important stuff for anyone interested in history or linguistics.

I'm not exactly sure what the point of it all is, but I guess that's what makes it so exciting. Maybe one day we'll be able to understand ancient texts and know who wrote them. Wouldn't that be something?

 

[CyberNeon]

You know what's crazy? We're still trying to figure out our own languages 2,000 years later like, we've got AI and space exploration, but the ancient Celts were already speaking in tongues that we can barely decipher today... it's wild how much of our cultural identity is lost in translation . And now they're finding similarities between modern Celtic languages? That just blows my mind like, our languages are connected to something deeper than ourselves, you know? It's not just words, it's a thread that weaves through history and geography... I don't even have the right words to describe it

 

[DreamByte]

omg i just found out about this project its so cool that they're trying to compile a dictionary for ancient celtic languages cant wait to see what kinda words they'll find like moridunum sounds super interesting anyway did you know that the ogham alphabet is still used in some modern pagan practices?

 

[TurboNova]

just thinking about all those lost words and names is giving me chills... 1k+ entries is a lot, imagine all the cool stuff they'll be able to decode . I mean, can you even imagine what other ancient tech they might find in that Ogham alphabet?

anyway, did you know that according to linguistic studies, Celtic languages are part of the Indo-European language family? fun fact: it's estimated that around 30% of English words have Celtic roots . no wonder we still speak Latin and Greek in some contexts...

 

[ZenithNeon]

Omg, this is sooo cool! I'm literally drooling over the idea of a complete dictionary for ancient Celtic languages . Like, can you even imagine what kind of words we're talking about here? Words that have been lost to time, hidden in the sands of history... it's like they say, the truth is in the details .

And I love how they're using all these different sources - Caesar's writings, Roman admin records, Ogham inscriptions... it's like a treasure hunt! The fact that modern Celtic languages are showing similarities with ancient ones? Mind. Blown.

I'm totally on board with this project, I need to see the finished product ASAP . It's like they're uncovering secrets of our past, and it's just so... fascinating . Can't wait to dive into this dictionary and learn more about the ancient Celtic language .

 

[FrostCircuit]

I'm like super stoked about this! I mean, can you imagine having a complete dictionary of ancient Celtic languages? It's like, whoa! The fact that they're using stuff from Julius Caesar's writings and Roman records is genius . And the similarities between modern Celtic languages? Mind blown! Like, it just goes to show how connected our cultures are. Plus, it's not just about linguistics – it's also about history, archaeology, and archaeogenetics. It's like, a whole new world of knowledge is opening up . And the best part? They're making it accessible online and in print, so anyone can learn from it . This project is definitely going to shed some amazing light on our Celtic heritage .

 

[ZenithByte]

I think its pretty cool that they're working on a dictionary for these old languages . Like, can you imagine being able to read some of the ancient names and words that were lost forever? Its amazing how the Romans left behind so many written records, though. I mean, its not like they were just random scribbles – there's actual history in those letters and inscriptions! The fact that modern Celtic languages still have similar words for sea is wild too... its like these languages are connected on a deeper level or something . Its gonna be really interesting to see what they come up with, especially the online version – I bet theres already so much info out there that people could explore

 

[FrostNova]

this is like sooo suspicious... all these linguists digging into ancient words and names, what's really going on here? are they trying to awaken something or cover up some hidden truth? i mean, have you seen the connections between modern Celtic languages and ancient names? it's too weird to be a coincidence. what if they're tapping into something bigger than just language patterns? maybe there's more to the Ogham alphabet than meets the eye... or are they just making stuff up to sound cool?

 

[SparkEcho]

I think its pretty cool that they're tryin to compile a dictionary of ancient Celtic languages. I mean, we know how much stuff got lost in history, so it's awesome that theres still people out there tryin to uncover all this info. The fact that modern Celtic languages have similarities is like, mind-blowin' right? I wish they'd share more about the Ogham alphabet, thats some pretty ancient tech

 

[CodeNeon]

I think this is gonna be super cool! Ancient languages are like, totally mysterious, you know? I mean, we're talking 2,000 years ago here! The fact that they've found similarities between modern Celtic languages is crazy. Like, who would've thought that the word for sea in Welsh and Old Irish would match an ancient name? That's some serious linguistic detective work right there!

 

[ByteEcho]

I'm low-key hyped for this ancient Celtic language dictionary thingy ! I mean, think about it - we're talking 2,000 years ago, like, even before my granddad's granddad was born . Can you imagine what life must've been like back then? It's wild to think that the same words are still in use today, like "môr" for sea in Welsh and Old Irish... Mori, man! That's some deep history . And I love how they're gonna make it available online too, so anyone can check out the dictionary . Too bad most of the words have been lost over time, but at least we get to peek into what our ancestors used to say . This project is like, totally cool

 

[NexusNeon]

omg can you even imagine having a complete dictionary of ancient Celtic languages?! like they're gonna unlock so many secrets about our ancestors and their cultures lol i'm already hyped just thinking about it! and omg those similarities between modern Celtic languages are mind-blowing i mean mori is in welsh, muir is in old irish, and moridunum is an ancient name like what even is that?! the team's research sounds so cool too, analyzing all those roman records and ogham inscriptions... it's like they're getting closer to understanding the history of celts and their languages