Galwegian Gaelic is an extinct Goidelic dialect, spoken by the Lords of Galloway in their time, and by the people of Galloway and Carrick until the early modern period. It was once spoken in Annandale and Strathnith. Little, in fact almost nothing, has survived of the dialect, so that its exact relationship with other Goidelic dialects is uncertain. The Goidelic languages (also sometimes called the Gaelic languages or collectively Gaelic) are one of two major divisions of modern-day Insular Celtic languages (the other being the Brythonic languages). ... A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος, dialektos) is a variety of a language used by people from a particular geographic area. ... The Lords of Galloway ruled Galloway from about 1138 to 1234. ... Galloway (Scottish Gaelic, Gall-ghaidhealaibh) today refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright in southwest Scotland. ... The District of Carrick today forms part of South Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The name Annandale refers firstly to Annandale, Scotland in the valley of the River Annan. ... Nithsdale was formerly (1975-96) a local government district in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland. ...

History and extent

Gaelicization in Galloway and Carrick occurred at the expense of Old English and British. Old Irish can be traced in the Rhinns of Galloway from at least the fifth century. How it developed and spread is largely unknown. The Gaelicization of the land was complete probably by the eleventh century, although some have suggested a date as early as the beginning of the ninth century. The main problem is that this folk-movement is unrecorded in the historical sources, so it has to be reconstructed from things such as place-names. According to the placename studies of WFH Nicolaisen, formerly of the University of Edinburgh, the earliest layer is represented by placenames with the prefix Sliabh- (often anglicized Slew- or Sla(e-) and Carraig (= a fishing station; anglicized as Carrick). This would make the settlement roughly contemporary with what was then Dalriada. The Gall-Gaidhel (the Gaelic Norse), who gave their name to the area appear to have settled in the ninth and tenth centuries. Many of the leading settlers would have been Norse speaking, but this would not appear to have been to the same extent as in other Norse-Gaelic regions, such as parts of the Hebrides and Sutherland-Caithness. Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... Old Irish is the name given to the oldest form of the Irish language which can be more or less fully reconstructed from extant sources. ... The Rhinns of Galloway is a hammer-head peninsula in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. ... (4th century - 5th century - 6th century - other centuries) Events Rome sacked by Visigoths in 410. ... (10th century - 11th century - 12th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... (8th century - 9th century - 10th century - other centuries) Events Beowulf might have been written down in this century, though it could also have been in the 8th century Viking attacks on Europe begin Oseberg ship burial The Magyars arrive in what is now Hungary, forcing the Serbs and Bulgars south... In geography and cartography, a toponym is a place name, a geographical name, a proper name of locality, region, or some other part of Earths surface or its natural or artificial feature. ... The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... Dalriada or Dál Riata (as it was called in Ireland) was the kingdom of the Scotti, who spread from eastern Ulster to Argyll and eventually gave their name to Scotland. ... The Hebrides comprise a wide-spread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland, and in geological terms are composed of the oldest rocks in the British Isles and Ireland. ... Sutherland (Cataibh in Gaelic), or Sutherlandshire, is a traditional county in the north of Scotland, bordering on Caithness to the north and both Ross-shire and Cromartyshire to the south. ... Caithness (Gallaibh in Gaelic) is a traditional county and former administrative county within the Highland area of Scotland. ...

It is quite possible that even as late as the twelfth century, Cumbric (a Brythonic language related to Welsh) was still spoken in Annandale and lower Strathnith (where a man called Gille Cuithbrecht has the Gaelic nickname Bretnach [=Welshman]), but these areas seem to have been thoroughly Gaelicized by the end of that century. A couple of legal terms also survive in medieval documents. The demise of Cumbric in the region is even harder to date than Gaelic. (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Cumbric was the Brythonic Celtic language centred in Cumbria, and spoken from lowland Scotland south to Derbyshire until about the 11th century. ... The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... The name Annandale refers firstly to Annandale, Scotland in the valley of the River Annan. ... Nithsdale was formerly (1975-96) a local government district in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland. ...

The likely eastern limit reached by the language was the Annan. The reason for that is that Gaelic placenames disappear quite rapidly after this boundary, although a handful of Gaelic names also appear in Cumbria. In the north it was possibly cut off from other Scottish dialects in the fourteenth, if not the thirteenth century. The River Annan flows from Moffat, in South West Scotland, past the town of Lockerbie, and to the sea in the fishing town of Annan. ... Cumbria is a county in the North West region of England. ... (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ...

Culture

Gaelic-speakers in medieval Galloway, whom Richard of Hexham erroneously called Picts, had a fearsome reputation. They were the barbarians par excellence of the northern English Chroniclers, said, amongst other things, to have ripped babies out of their mother's wombs. It was reported that by Walter of Guisborough in 1296, that during a raid on Hexham Priory, the Galwegians under William Wallace desecrated the shrine of St Andrew, cut off the head of the saint's statue, and threw relics into a fire. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Events March 30 - Edward I stormed Berwick-upon-Tweed, sacking the then Scottish border town with much bloodshed. ... This statue in Aberdeen commemorates William Wallace. ... Saint Andrew (Greek: Andreas, manly), the Christian Apostle, brother of Saint Peter, was born at Bethsaida on the Lake of Galilee. ...

It was perhaps the wild reputation that Galwegians had in England and Lothian which gave rise to the myth of Sawney Bean (note the Gaelic surname/nickname). Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Inter. ... Lothian (Lowden in Scots, Lodainn in Gaelic) forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills. ... Alexander Sawney Bean (or Beane) was the legendary patron head of a cannibalistic family in Scotland in the 15th century. ...

Although Galloway was peripheral to Scotland until 1234, in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Lordship, Galloway and Galwegians became critical. In many ways, the Scottish Wars of independence were just a Galwegian civil war, with the Bruces the successors of Gille Brigte mac Fergusa and the Balliols the successors of Uchtred mac Fergusa. Scotland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Events Canonization of Saint Dominic Collapse of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) Deaths Emperor Chukyo of Japan Emperor Go-Horikawa of Japan Monarchs/Presidents Aragon - James I King of Aragon and count of Barcelona (reigned from 1213 to 1276) Castile - Ferdinand III, the Saint King of Castile and Leon (reigned... Gilleroth of Galloway (Gilla Ruaid) was the Galwegian leader who led the revolt against King Alexander II of Scotland. ... Gilla Brigte mac Fergusa of Galloway (????-1185), also known as Gillebrigte, Gilbridge, Gilbride, etc, and most famously known in French sources as Gilbert, was Lord of Galloway (from 1161 with Uchtred; 1174 alone, to 1185). ... Uchtred mac Fergusa (c. ...

Under the post-1234 Franco-Gaelic lorship were several powerful kin-groups, or clans, for instance, the MacLellans, the MacDowalls and the Kennedys of Carrick. It was probably through these groups that Galwegian society operated for the remainder of the Middle Ages. Evidence for a clan system in the area can be found in medieval records - cineal (kindred) appears in such terms as "kenelman", and "kenkynol" (Ceann-cinneil); muinntir (household) appears in "Muntercasduff"; clan in "Clenafren", "Clanmacgowin" et al. A number of local surnames have Gaelic origins e.g. Landsburgh (originally McClambroch), MacClumpha, MacGuffock, Hannay, McKie, Kennedy and MacCulloch. The placenames Balmaclellan and Balmaghie may represent the site of chiefs' residences. Events Canonization of Saint Dominic Collapse of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) Deaths Emperor Chukyo of Japan Emperor Go-Horikawa of Japan Monarchs/Presidents Aragon - James I King of Aragon and count of Barcelona (reigned from 1213 to 1276) Castile - Ferdinand III, the Saint King of Castile and Leon (reigned... A clan is a group of people united by kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Evidence of a bardic class can be found in such placenames as Dervaird (Doire a' Bhaird) and Loch Recar (Loch an Reacaire).

Important information about local agriculture can be gleaned from placenames as well - shielings (àiridh) were in use e.g. Airies, Airieholland; manured infield from Talnotrie (talamh an otraigh) and Auchnotteroch. Gall-ghàidhil agriculture is indicated in the use of peighinn and its subdivisions (q.v.), e.g. Pinminnoch, Leffin Donald, Fardin; Daugh and quarterland (ceathramh) also appear, e.g. Doach, Kirriedarroch, Terraughty.

Relationships to other languages

It is thought that Galwegian Gaelic probably had more in common with the Manx and Ulster Irish than with Scottish Gaelic as spoken in the Highlands. This idea has in the past been used to disassociate Galwegian Gaelic from other Scottish dialects, for political purposes in fact.¹ However, the idea is very misleading. All medieval Goidelic languages were mutually comprehensible so far as we can tell. Perhaps the Gaelic dialect of the Isle of Arran parallels the Galwegian language most, but this is purely speculative. Irish (Gaeilge), a Goidelic language spoken in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, is constitutionally recognized as the first official language of the Republic of Ireland. ... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig; IPA: ) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... The Scottish Highlands are the mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault. ... Arran shown within Argyll The Isle of Arran (Scots Gaelic: Eilean Arainn) is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde (430 km2). ...

Gallowegian Gaelic seems to have borrowed certain words from Old English. The influence of the Anglian Bishopric of Whithorn, with the Norse Gall-Gaidhel, probably explains why, uniquely amongst Goidelic dialects, Galwegian incorporated the word cirice (O.E.)/ Kirja (O.N.) (=Church). It occurs in medieval placenames where, in the rest of Scotland, we would expect Cille. Examples are legion. They include Kirkcormac, Kirkmikbrick, Kirkinner, Kirkcolm, Kirkmabrick. In these names, the first word is Germanic and the second Gaelic. The word order is Celtic too, noun + adjective, rather than the Germanic adjective + noun (c/f Dùn Èideann and Edin-burgh). This is why we can be sure, for example, that Kirkcudbright, etymologically entirely Germanic, was in fact coined by a Celt. Location within the British Isles. ...

English influence can also be inferred from the popularity of English saints. Kirkcudbright, mentioned above, means Church of St Cuthbert. Closeburn, earlier Killeosberne (Cille (Gd. Church) + of Osbern) is another. A plethora of personal names confirm the popularity of Anglo-Saxon culture. For example, the name Gille Cuithbrecht (= Manx, Giolla Cobraght) means devotee of St Cuthbert. Another historical example is Gille Aldan, the name of the first bishop of Galloway after the resurrection of that see by King Fergus. Location within the British Isles. ... The Anglo-Saxons refers collectively to the groups of Germanic tribes who achieved dominance in southern Britain from the mid-5th century, forming the basis for the modern English nation. ... Fergus of Galloway was King, or Lord, of Galloway from an unknown date (probably in the 1110s), until his death in 1161. ...

1500 and after

An important source for the perception of Galwegian language is the poem known as The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy. The poem, written somewhere between 1504 and 1508 portrays an ideological, historical and cultural conflict between William Dunbar (representing Lothian, and Anglian Scotland) and Walter Kennedy (representing Carrick and Gaelic Scotland). Dunbar ridicules Kennedy's Heland accent and Erische language, whilst Kennedy defends it, saying calling it "all trew Scottismennis leid" and telling Dunbar "in Ingland sowld be thy habitation."² The importance is that, from a Lothian perspective in the early sixteenth century, Carrick and Galloway still represented Gaelic Scotland, just as Lothian did Anglian Scotland. Note also that Kennedy is referred to as "Heland" (Highland). Events January 1 - French troops surrender Gaeta to the Spanish under Cordoba. ... Events February - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor attacks Venice June 6 - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three year truce and cede several territories to Venice December 10 - League of Cambrai formed as an alliance against Venice between... William Dunbar (c. ... Walter Kennedy (flourished 1500), Saint of Lord Kennedy, was educated at Glasgow, and is perhaps best known as Dunbars antagonist in the Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy. ...

Alexander Montgomerie (1545? - 1610?) was also a Gaelic speaker, and was termed the "Hielant Captain"; various Gaelic terms and phrases can be found in his works. Alexander Montgomerie (1545? - 1610?) was a Scottish poet. ...

George Buchanan, himself a Gaelic speaker, writing in 1575, reports that Gaelic was still spoken in Galloway. In the middle of the century, 1563-1566, a report by an anonymous English military investigator informs us that the people of Carrick "for the most part specke erishe".³ Events February 13 - Henry III of France is crowned at Reims February 14 - Henry III of France marries Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont June 28 - Oda Nobunaga defeats Takeda Katsuyori in the battle of Nagashino, which has been called Japans first modern battle. ... Events February 1 - Sarsa Dengel succeeds his father Menas as Emperor of Ethiopia February 18 - The Duke of Guise is assassinated while besieging Orléans March - Peace of Amboise. ... Events January 7 - Pius V becomes Pope Selim II succeeds Suleiman I as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Religious rioting in the Netherlands signifies the beginning of the Eighty Years War in the Netherlands. ...

After this, there is much ambiguous and indirect evidence that the language was spoken, if only fragmentedly, into the eighteenth century. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

It is safe to say, though, that the Galwegian language died out somewhere in the two-century period between 1600 and 1800, with the balance of evidence strongly indicating an effective disappearance in the seventeenth century. It is notable though, that nearby areas such as the Isle of Man, east Ulster and Arran all had native Gaelic speakers into the 20th century. // Events January January 1 - Scotland adopts January 1st as being New Years Day February February 17 - Giordano Bruno burned at the stake for heresy in Rome July July 2 - Battle of Nieuwpoort: Dutch forces under Maurice of Nassau defeat Spanish forces under Archduke Albert in a battle on the... 1800 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Arran can refer to: arran is the term for a boy with a fat body, a small dick, and a craving to have sexual intercourse with parrots. ...

Modern Influence

The language continues to be an inspiration to modern writers, such as William Neill a poet who writes in Scottish and Irish Gaelic, Lowland Scots and English. Another example of the modern legacy is the "Gall-Gael Trust" founded by Colin MacLeod. Note: This page contains phonetic information presented in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) using Unicode. ... Scots (or Lallans, meaning Lowlands), properly Lowland Scots, is used in Lowland Scotland, as well as parts of Northern Ireland and border areas of the Republic of Ireland, where it is known in official circles as Ulster Scots or Ullans but by speakers simply as Scotch or Scots. On the...

References

1. Opposition Argument to Gaelic Language Bill, by Alastair Livingston

2. Lorimer, p. 116

3. ibid., p. 117

Bibliography

• Alcock, Lesley, Kings & Warriors, Craftsmen & Priests In Northern Britain, AD 550-850, (Edinburgh, 2003)
• Driscoll, Steven, Alba: The Gaelic Kingdom of Scotland, AD 800-1124, (Edinburgh, 2002)
• Lorimer, W.L., The Persistence of Gaelic in Galloway and Carrick, in Scottish Gaelic Studies, VI.2 (1949), pp. 114-36
• MacQueen, John, Welsh and Gaelic in Galloway in Transactions of the Dumfries-shire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society #32 (1953-4)
• MacQueen, John, Pennyland and Doach in South Western Scotland: A Preliminary Note in Scottish Studies #23, (1979)
• Nicolaisen, W.F.H., Scottish Placenames: Their Study and Significance (London, 1976)
• Oram, Richard, The Lordship of Galloway, (Edinburgh, 2000)
• Thomas, C., Britain and Ireland in Early Christian Times AD 400-800 (London, 1971)
• Thomas, C., The Irish Settlements in post-Roman Western Britain: a Survey of the Evidence in Journal of the Royal Institute of Cornwall #6, (1972)
• Watson, W.J., Celtic Placenames of Scotland, (Edinburgh, 1926)

External link

• Lingua Celticae