middle irish
Proper noun A historical stage of the Irish Gaelic language, used approximately between the years 1100 and 1500 AD. It represents the transitional linguistic form between Old Irish and Early Modern Irish.
This term is used exclusively as a proper noun to refer to this specific historical language period. It is typically used in academic, historical, and linguistic contexts. * Scholars study the evolution of Celtic languages by comparing Old Irish, Middle Irish, and Modern Irish. * The manuscript contains texts written in Middle Irish. * Middle Irish shows significant grammatical simplifications compared to its predecessor.
- Attributive Use: The term can function attributively (like an adjective) to describe nouns related to this period.
- The book analyzes Middle Irish poetry.
- He is an expert in Middle Irish manuscripts.
- Old Irish: The historical stage of the Irish language used from the 6th to the 10th centuries, preceding Middle Irish.
- Early Modern Irish: The historical stage of the Irish language used from the 13th to 17th centuries, following Middle Irish.
- Irish Gaelic / Gaeilge: The modern Goidelic language of Ireland, descended from these earlier forms.
- Historical Irish (a broader, less precise term)
- Medieval Irish (a broader term that may also refer to the culture or period)
This term refers specifically to the language itself, not to the people, culture, or geography of medieval Ireland. It is a linguistic classification used by philologists and historians.
- Irish Gaelic from 1100 to 1500