Examining the decline of the Irish language due to English colonization and comparing the experiences of Scottish Gaelic and Welsh, it reveals both shared challenges and unique adaptations in language maintenance. This comparative analysis offers insights into broader patterns of language contact, endangerment, and revitalization worldwide, challenging simplistic notions of language decline.
Structured in four parts, the book introduces the Celtic language family, examines the situation in Ireland, then Scotland and Wales, and synthesizes the findings to draw broader conclusions about language shift. Using historical documents, linguistic corpora, and sociolinguistic surveys, Celtic Language Shift provides a nuanced perspective suitable for specialists and general readers interested in linguistics, Celtic history, and language preservation.