Gaelic

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Gaelic as an adjective means "pertaining to the Gaels", including language and culture. As a noun, it may refer to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the individual languages, all of which are members of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages.

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[edit] Gaelic languages

In referring to languages, Gaelic may mean:

Gaelic languages are distinct from the Brythonic group of Celtic languages, which is composed of Cornish, Breton and Welsh.

When referring to Irish Gaelic or Manx Gaelic (the dialect spoken in the Isle of Man), it is usually pronounced /ˈɡeɪlɪk/. In Scotland, "Gaelic" is usually pronounced /ˈɡɑːlɪk/ or /ˈɡælɪk/; [ˈɡalɪk] in Scots and Scottish English.

In Ireland people rarely call the Irish language "Gaelic". Most people refer to it simply as "Irish", or Gaeilge in the language itself. In Ireland, the term "Gaelic" as a noun often refers to the sport of hurling or Gaelic football.

[edit] Gaelic culture and history

As an adjective, Gaelic may refer to the Gaelic culture and history of the Gaelic-speaking peoples, with reference to, amongst other things:

[edit] Other uses

[edit] See also

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