A Celtic Portal for major references
As a convenience for students of the Celtic languages, this page lists some basic reference works,
with links to free online versions whenever possible.
Due to the character of the resources, this page is in English rather than
in the Swedish of the rest of this site.
The scope is the full history of the languages, not only their modern versions.
As indicated in the header, the aim is not to cover every need for Celtic studies,
but to collect frequently referenced publications, especially large ones.
Such works may be dated or preliminary, but still unsurpassed within their scope.
The set of entries remains arguable - advice on additions or deletions is welcome here.
Additional entries and remarks on criteria are found in an appendix to this page.
General and Etymological Dictionaries
Proto-Indoeuropean, with descendants in early Celtic languages
(criticized for outdated details, especially in phonology)
J Pokorny 1959, 'Indogermanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch', the IEW.
Proto-Celtic, with descendants in individual languages
(criticized for hasty treatment of details)
R Matasović 2009, 'Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic', the EDBC.
French etymology, with Gaulish derivations when applicable
'Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales', the CNRTL (replace search item 'portail' with desired word - check result under the heading 'Étymol'.)
Old and Middle Irish
'Dictionary of the Irish Language' (DIL), digitized as the eDIL.
For ancient texts on lexical matters - the Early Irish glossaries.
Modern Irish
Suggested: the dictionary resources published online by the 'Foras na Gaeilge', the FnaG.
Welsh, all stages
'Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru', the GPC.
Ancient Celtic, with Epigraphy and Numismatics
Gaulish
- basic epigraphy, including texts on coins
the 'Recueil des inscriptions gauloises' or RIG - fully available (Jan 2024) only in four-volume printed version, as described at the CNRS or 'Centre national de la recherche scientifique'. The digitized version 'Recueil informatisé des inscriptions gauloises', is available in preliminary version (Jan 2024) as the RIIG.
Suggested for auxiliary use (with caution) : the page on notable Gaulish inscriptions in the French Wikipedia.
- dictionaries
suggested: X Delamarre 2003, 'Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise' second ed.
A comprehensive treatment of cisalpine Gaulish, including Lepontic, is found at the interactive Lexicon Leponticum.
Celtiberian, Hispanian
- basic epigraphy
the online database of Hispania Epigraphica.
- numismatics
the 'Hesperia banco de datos de lenguas paleohispánicas' in the sub-database presented under Numismática, searchable at this url.
- dictionaries
suggested: D Wodtko 2000, 'Wörterbuch der keltiberischen Inschriften' = volume 5.1 of 'Monumenta linguarum Hispanicarum', the MLH.
Celtic references in Latin epigraphy
Broad coverage of ancient inscriptions in Latin:
the 'Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum' online database, or CIL.
late antiquity: Primitive Irish
In progress, with references to literature and earlier digitizations: the Ogham in 3D Project.
Toponyms, Onomastics
toponyms preserved from ancient Gaul
E Nčgre 1990, 'Toponymie générale de la France' volume I, the TGF 1.
With anthroponyms, toponyms, personal views on methodology:
X Delamarre 2017, 'Les noms de Gaulois'.
toponyms preserved from ancient Britain
Suggested: A D Mills 2011, 'A Dictionary of British Place Names'.
Suggested: E Ekwall 1928, 'English River-names'.
History of Celtic Studies
Edward Lhuyd's pioneer work on Celtic languages, published in 1707 as Archaeologia Britannica Volume 1 in a planned series.
Kaspar Zeuss' arguably even more important work, published in 1853 as Grammatica Celtica, the linked online version printed in 1871.
Comprehensive for Irish: the 'Bibliography of Irish Linguistics and Literature' or BILL at the DIAS School of Celtic studies.
Grammars, Historical Grammars
Celtic in general, with Indo-European comparisons
H Pedersen 1909-13, 'Vergleichende Grammatik der keltischen Sprachen',
the VGK part 1 and VGK part 2.
Old Irish - complete grammar, with source attestations
R Thurneysen 1946 etc, 'A Grammar of Old Irish', the GOI.
Old Irish - special treatise on verbal inflection, with full treatment of development into Middle Irish
K McCone 1997, 'The Early Irish Verb', 2nd ed., the EIV, offered as subscription-paid download url at 'scribd'.
Early Modern Irish
In progress: the collaborative Léamh Project grammar, with glossary and sample texts added.
Modern Irish
Suggested, learner/user level: N Stenson 2019, 'Modern Irish: A Comprehensive Grammar', with free e-edition at this download url at 'documen.pub'.
Middle Welsh
Suggested: D S Evans 1970, 'A Grammar Of Middle Welsh' - online at this url.
Modern Welsh
Suggested: P W Thomas 1996, 'Gramadeg y Gymraeg' (English and Welsh Edition).
Modern Breton, with dialects
Suggested: The current project on Breton dialects and their grammar, the ARBRES.
Linguistic Summaries
Gaulish
P-Y Lambert 2002, 'La langue gauloise'.
modern Celtic languages, with historical background
Ball & Müller (eds) 2010, 'The Celtic languages' 2nd ed., made available online by the University of Săo Paulo at this url.
General History and Early Literature
ancient Gaul
As for Caesar's version of the Gaulish war: unless philological detail is at stake, numerous user-friendly editions are available online - e.g. in the Perseus Project or in the German Wikibooks.
medieval Ireland
For original manuscripts: the 'Irish Script on Screen' collection at the DIAS School of Celtic studies, the ISOS.
At the 'Corpus of Electronic Texts' for Irish history, literature and politics - the CELT prose texts, the CELT early poetic texts, and - continuing to the decline of the Irish language after the middle ages - the CELT bardic texts, and CELT translations into English; a searchable inventory of the bardic texts is provided by the DIAS at this url.
At the 'Thesaurus Linguae Hibernicae' of University College Dublin, the TLH texts, with numerous TLH translations.
At the Portal-style Irish Sagas Online of University College Cork, including translations.
medieval Wales
Notable original manuscripts of the National Library of Wales are presented and inspectable at the NLW medieval mss page, with further links and info for the central Peniarth collection at the NLW Peniarth page.
With modern fonts, such texts are available from Cardiff University as the digitized Welsh Prose 1300–1425 project, and as downloadable from Aberystwyth University as 13th-century Middle Welsh Prose.
Among numerous 'Mabinogi' translations, an authoritative one is: S Davies 2007, 'The Mabinogion'.
Further Portal-style Resources
with extensive collections of internal and external links
At the Irish-based CDI or 'Celtic Digital Initiative' of University College Cork - notably the 'Text Archive';
at the Dutch-based CODECS or 'Collaborative Online Database and e-Resources for Celtic Studies' - the homepage;
at the North American CSANA or 'Celtic Studies Association of North America' - under the heading: 'Digital Resources'.
with short lists of external links
At the Welsh-based Cardiff University (see also above) - under the heading: 'Related websites';
at the Zürich-based SCE or 'Societas celtologica europaea' - under the heading: 'Useful Tools'.