Language element
Introduction
Galloway has a mixed heritage of people and language as evinced by its material and onomastic record. It is the paucity of written evidence which forces reliance on place-name evidence to trace and theorise on the origins of the gallovidwan people and their ecclesiastical and secular influences.
The Picts are attributed as occupying the Rhinns of Galloway between 200 and 1138 century. Their language is thought to have been an Insular Celtic Language (Stokes & Whitley 312). Although no records of Pictish language remain it is believed to have been allied to P- Celtic, a language mainly spoken by Brittonic peoples (Galloway 97) which included; Welsh, Breton, Cumbric, and Cornish (Schoene-Harwood & Berthold 17). Another Divison of this language; Q-Celtic, was a language which was predominantly spoken by the Irish, Manx and Scottish Gaelic. The common denominator to these two linguistic styles from a Pictish perspective is the Irish Sea which was a common corridor of maritime access from and to Norway, the Western Isles, Ireland, Orkney as well as from England and Wales as displayed from the Irish Annals, Chronicles, and Sagas.
The Gaelic language can be ascribed as being first spoken in Scotland between the 4th and 5th centuries (Dombrowski & Lindsay 264). Its emergence in Scotland is attributed to Irish settlers who founded the Dal Riata, or Gaelic Kingdom Keltie, (John 89). However, expansion of the Gaelic language into Pictish regions was only realised in the 8th century (Carruthers & Gerard 19) but with a combination of the P and Q Celtic language. It can be further determined that the Gaelic language emerging as the dominant language in Galloway was significantly influenced by the lords and kings who ruled the region during the medieval period. Dal Riada was the Gaelic Kingdom which originated from Ireland. It occupied the present-day region Argyll between 6th and 7th century. As a result of a series of expansion, it was associated with the Gaelic Kingdom of Alba. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
900 to 943AD marked the reign of Caustantin Mac Aeda (McNiven & Peter 44). This led to the Kingdom of Picts being called the Kingdom of Alba by the outsiders. Their influence attributed it to the development of Gaelic language in the Kingdom of Picts. It signified the conversion of Pictish people into Gaelic speakers Dorian & Nancy 178). The P-Celtic and Q- speakers in the region did not cease from using their language spontaneously (Cummins 148). The Gaelicisation process is believed to have started from the mid-twelfth century under Dal Riata. However, it lasted longer in South West Scotland than elsewhere, which is mainly attributed to its unique history (Stokes & Whitley 81), which I will briefly outline. The influence of Dal Riata to the Picts in terms of linguistics, politics, and social issues evoked the merging of Kingdom of Pictish and Alba Kingdom. It was caused by deaths of Donald II and Alexander III in 900 and 1286 respectively. The two were the rulers of the Kingdom of Picts. This caused the merging of kingdoms, causing bilingualism at earlier stages between 9th and 12th (McCloskey & James 357). However, with the increasing influence of the Dal Riata kingdom from the 5th century, the Picts were converted entirely into Gaelic speakers (Oliver 181). By the 9th century, the Pictish Language had become extinct (Henderson & Isabel. 120). There are many academic arguments as to why the Picts disappeared; by the 11th century; their cultural demise, which includes their linguistic identity, could have led to their assimilation. However, ultimately they were Gaelicised, and the Gaelic language emerged as the dominant language ( McCloskey & James 347), and the Pictish identity became extinct. (Swift & Catherine 111). Few examples of the Picts remain, and what does remain a lead to controversial academic discourse. For example, the archaeological evidence in Trusty Hill and royal seat of Rheged.
David I (1124-1153) can be attributed as a major reason as to why the Gaelic language developed in the region. In 1124, he granted Annandale to Robert de Brus, which influenced the spread of Gaelic language greatly. Before this Galloway “was predominantly a Pictish Kingdom (Forsyth & Katherine 174). As such, the agreement between King David I and Robert de Brus led to the redefining of areas such as Ayrshire, Wigtownshire, the Stewartry, and Kirkcudbright in South West Scotland (Lockwood 19). These areas were occupied by Q and P-Celtic speakers since the regions were previously considered to be a part of the Pictish Kingdom (MacKinnon & Jonathan 201). The cessation of the area led to renaming it to Galloway. The name Galloway originated from Gall-Ghaidheil, who was Gaelic speakers (Stokes & Whitley 174). Despite Gall- Ghaidheil speaking Gaelic, their culture was influenced by Vikings. Kingdom enhanced the spread of Gaelic language through attracting foreigners who were English speakers to speak Gaelic language (Robertson & Boyd 56). Such helped in improving the status of Gaelic language since it became the language spoken in Galloway by both the natives and non-natives. However, in the late 16th century, the Pictish Kingdom was reclaimed through a fight for independence in Scotland.
Fergus became the king in Galloway between 1110 and 1120 (Sheehan, John & Corráin 44). He was of Norse Gaelic descent. Contemporary sources accord him as a patronym (Leodhas & Sorche 56), and according to contemporary sources, he was from an influential family in the Galloway region. McNiven & Peter (523) outline that Fergus ancestry is thus speculated to be the background for “Roman de Fergus“. A medieval Arthurian romance based in Southern Scotland (Abulafia & David 96). As such, his origin has roots in Gallovidian and Norse-Gaelic ancestry. Fergus had a son called Uhtred. Their first record in public domain was first witnessed during the presentation of Patrick lands to the St Kentigern church at Glasgow. King Fergus concentrated majorly in the central part of Galloway between river Fleet and Urr. However, his subsequent grants led to the expansion of their territory to the Dee Valley (MacLeod, Marsaili & Cassie Smith-Christmas 114). Through his influence, clan chiefs in Galloway supported Gaellc bards who were viewed as a unique feature in the court life (Campbell et al. 177). Later, his territory was able to expand to western Galloway. This led to the Fergus descendants receiving Cruggleton castle enabling them to deal with the lands found in the vicinity. Dombrowski & Lindsay (275) outline that the return of the Archbishop of Armagh in 1140 led to the expansion of King Fergus under Carrickfergus castle along the Gallovidian coast (Forsyth & Katherine 99). As such, the lordship in the area in the mid-twelfth century was centred in Wigtown Bay. The westwards expansions resulted in an alliance from Fergus. Factors such as reviving of Diocese of Whithorn in 1128 were viewed as among the factors which led to the extension of Fergus authority in Western Galloway (Swift & Katherine 118). This led to the ruling of the region as an independent kingdom under Fergus of Galloway (Clarkson 117). In 1160, Fergus’ Kingdom, as well as his rule, came to an end. This was caused by the absorption of the Kingdom by the King of Scots, King Robert the Bruce. He came from Turnberry Castle, United Kingdom. The King of Scots was viewed as the feudal superior even after the absorption of the Fergus kingdom in Scotland (Stratton & Thomas 79). However, the descendants of Fergus continued to rule Galloway as an independent state. The loyalty depicted in the Galloway was based on the Gaelic Clans and kin.
In 1332, Edward Balliol became the lord of Galloway. He was the great-grandson of Fergus. The reign of Edward depended largely in his jurisdiction on the support from Edward III of England (Cowan, Edward &Henderson 167). This helped in drawing closer the traditional loyalty of Gaelic clans living in the Galloway. The Gaelic clans and speakers in South West Scotland view Edward as their special lord (Lockwood 78). However, in 1356, He lost the support leading to him renouncing the throne. This led to the administration of the Galloway by Douglas Lordship, who was a Scottish speaker.
As outlined by Walter Kennedy in his poetic devices, despite that the Gaelic speakers’ reign came to an end in Galloway, the language and its culture was still practised. Andrew, Jennings outlines that, in the 16th century, the language was widely spoken in the Carrick district (McNiven & Peter 174), which is only 50 miles from Galloway. As such, the Scottish and the Gaelic language were spoken in Galloway, but it had become regionalised. The isolated and less accessible areas of Galloway spoke Gaelic, whereas the popular and prosperous parishes in Galloway spoke Scots (Keltie & John 188). Despite its disappearance, it can be depicted that Galloway was named, created and shaped by the Gaelic language. The region was named by Gall-Ghaidheil and the military power enjoyed was from various Gaelic speaking kings (Keltie et al. 74). Gaelic speakers named the names of places, farms, and clans existing in Galloway. Such shows the significant impact in which the Gaelic language had to the growth and development of the South-West part of Scotland.
Conclusion
The leadership significantly influenced the Gaelic language due to the invasion of Ireland in the region. The attack led to the shaping of the lordship and kingdom landscape of the Galloway. Historically, the names and actions done by the various kings and lords in the region had a significant impact on both the rise and decline in the Gaelic language. Primarily, the area was inhabited by the Pictish languages. The speakers were either Q-Celtic or P-Celtic. Pictish language was however replaced, and in some cases, it was subsumed into the Gaelic language between the 8th and 9th centuries. The reign of Caustantin Mac Aeda led to the Gaelicisation period. The various successors also shaped the dominance of the language in the region. Despite that Gaelic language led to the extinction of the P-Celtic and Q-Celtic in the region, the literature in place outlines that, it influenced its development. For instance, it contributed to loan words and syntax of the Gaelic language. That explains the close relationship which exists between Irish and Brittonic languages.
Works cited
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