Language in Early Ireland

Abstract

Abstract This chapter traces the linguistic situation in Ireland from the earliest attested stages of language use, Early Irish, through the arrival of Latin as a language of learning and Old Norse, which was brought by Viking settlers in the closing centuries of the first millennium bce, until the arrival of Anglo-Norman settlers to the end of the medieval period (c.1200 ce). It is shown that from early stages on, early Irish society has been multilingual. In this society the Irish language was a language of high prestige until the arrival of the first Anglo-Norman settlers and for a considerable period beyond this. Historical developments as well as the societal and political situation in the pre-modern period are related to and discussed in the context of typical developments in language contact.