Aberystwyth Linguists Compile Dictionary of Ancient Celtic Languages (325 BCE–500 CE)

Linguists at Aberystwyth University have initiated a three-year scholarly project to compile the first comprehensive dictionary cataloging the vocabulary of Celtic languages spoken across Britain and Ireland between 325 BCE and 500 CE. The undertaking has secured a £300,000 research grant from the Leverhulme Trust, an independent charity supporting fundamental academic research.

The project’s primary objective is to synthesize more than 1,000 ancient Celtic terms that currently exist only in scattered, disparate records. Dr. Simon Rodway, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies and the principal investigator, stated that unifying this evidence will establish a clearer view of the linguistic environment at the start of the historical period for these islands. The Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies at Aberystwyth is recognized for its research history, having previously received Leverhulme Trust funding for projects such as 'Women's Poetry in Ireland, Scotland and Wales 1400–1800'.

The resulting lexicon is intended to serve philologists, historians, archaeologists, and archaeogeneticists studying the linguistic landscape. The research methodology centers on interpreting Ogham inscriptions, the ancient Celtic script characterized by notches and slashes carved along a central line. Approximately 400 orthodox Ogham stones survive, concentrated primarily in the Munster counties of Kerry and Cork in Ireland, with the largest concentration outside Ireland located in Pembrokeshire, Wales. While the earliest securely dated Ogham relic dates to the 4th century CE, phonological evidence suggests the alphabet predates the 5th century, with some scholars hypothesizing an origin as early as the 1st century BC.

Beyond the monumental stones, the team is analyzing fragmented sources, including personal and tribal names documented by classical Greek and Roman writers, as well as Celtic inscriptions found within Roman Britain. The compilation seeks to trace linguistic continuity, exemplified by the shared root for 'sea'—*môr* in Welsh and *muir* in Old Irish—which persists in ancient place names such as Moridunum (Carmarthen). This work will illuminate the evolution of modern Insular Celtic languages, including Welsh, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Breton, Cornish, and Manx, tracing their divergence from the common ancestor spoken prior to the Roman presence.

Anticipated deliverables for the three-year project include both printed and digital formats. The stated goal for the online version is to democratize access to this foundational linguistic data, potentially catalyzing new applications, such as tools for Ogham translation. This initiative highlights the resilience of Celtic tongues, which remained established on Europe's northwestern fringe where Latin influence eventually receded. The Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies, established in 1875, is the oldest department of its kind in Wales, reinforcing Aberystwyth's position as a center for ancient Celtic studies.