Gaulish

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Ancient Celtic language of the Gauls

Gaulish

Pronunciation
Native to
Region	Western Europe
Ethnicity
Speakers
Language family	Indo-European
Early forms
Writing system
Official status
Regulated by

Gaulish was a Celtic language spoken in Gaul (modern-day France, parts of Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and northern Italy) before and during the period of the Roman Empire. It is part of the Continental Celtic languages and is closely related to other ancient Celtic languages such as Lepontic, Galatian, and Celtiberian.

History

Gaulish was spoken by the Gauls, a collection of Celtic tribes inhabiting the region known as Gaul. The language is believed to have been widely spoken from around the 6th century BC until the 6th century AD, when it was gradually replaced by Vulgar Latin due to the Romanization of Gaul.

Linguistic Features

Gaulish is known from a variety of sources, including inscriptions, coins, and personal names. The language used the Greek alphabet and later the Latin alphabet for writing. Some notable features of Gaulish include:

• Use of the Indo-European root system.
• Presence of Celtic phonological and morphological characteristics.
• Influence on the development of the French language.

Inscriptions and Texts

Several Gaulish inscriptions have been discovered, providing valuable insights into the language. These include:

• The Coligny calendar, a lunisolar calendar inscribed on a bronze tablet.
• The Larzac tablet, a lead tablet with a magical text.
• Various funerary and votive inscriptions.

Decline and Legacy

The decline of Gaulish began with the Roman conquest of Gaul in the 1st century BC. Over the next few centuries, the language was gradually supplanted by Vulgar Latin, the precursor to modern Romance languages. However, Gaulish left a lasting impact on the French language, contributing to its vocabulary and phonetics.

Related Pages

• Celtic languages
• Continental Celtic languages
• Lepontic language
• Galatian language
• Celtiberian language
• Roman Gaul
• Romanization