Scrapbook of Revived Languages
By Maggie Kenney
Celtic
Celtic was the major language in the British Isles before Germanic tribes invaded around two thousand years ago. Today, Celtic languages survive only in remoter parts of Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.This language is divided up into five groups of languages as described below.
Irish Gaelic
Irish Gaelic and English are the Republic of Ireland's two official languages. Irish is spoken by 1.5 million people throughout the world.
Scottish Gaelic
In Scotland, only 1% of the population can speak Scottish Gaelic. Gaelic was brought from Ireland to Scotland about 1,500 years ago.
Bythronic (Welsh)
Wales was dominated by the English in 1283. Welsh remained dominant until the nineteenth century, however, now Welsh is only spoken by 22% of the population in Wales.
Hebrew
Hebrew was used to write most of the Jewish Bible, but use of the language diminished around fourth century BCE. Hebrew began to be revived when Israel became an independent country in 1948 and it was established as one of the countries official languages. Since this time, 4.000 new Hebrew words have been added in order to describe new inventions of today. Also, the first modern Hebrew dictionary was written.