Chapter V: Section II

_On the Differences between the Celtic and Gothic Classes of
Languages. The Celtic and Gothic differ almost totally in the most
Common Words. Celtic and Gothic words identical with Persian
Synonymes._

The Celtic and Gothic Races form the population of North-western and Central Europe.

In those early ages in which the Celtic tribes first came into collision with the Roman legionaries, the Celtic language and race occupied a wide section of Europe, including the British islands, France, the Rhine, the whole of Switzerland, a portion of South-western Germany, and the North of Italy. The Celts were also in possession of some of the fairest regions of the Spanish Peninsula, a country which they shared with Iberian tribes, the ancestors of the Basque nation, of which a remnant still preserves among the fastnesses of the Pyrenean mountains the language, character, and institutions of their warlike forefathers. The existence in those ages of a Celtic population, occupying territories thus extensive, and the identity of their languages with the living tongues still spoken by the Welsh and other Celtic nations, have been placed beyond all doubt by the luminous investigations of Dr. Prichard and Humboldt.

In the present day, the Gothic nations and languages extend over a large section of the area of Europe, including the greatest portion(29) of Germany, the whole of Sweden, Norway, and Iceland, the German Cantons of Switzerland, and the British Isles, with the exception of those districts in which dialects of the Celtic are spoken.

Of the common origin of the Celtic and Gothic tongues we possess no direct historical proof, for the sources of these languages reach far higher than the records of history. Nor, as I conceive, is it possible, from a comparison of these languages themselves, to elicit a satisfactory demonstration of their original identity. Instances of partial resemblances may no doubt be pointed out; but it will be found nevertheless that in the most common corresponding terms, the Celtic and Gothic differ almost totally.

The only satisfactory mode of proving the common origin of the Celtic and Gothic seems to be by means of the affinity to the languages of India, Persia, &c., which are displayed by both, even in those very features in which they differ most widely from each other. The following are examples of the union, in the form of Synonymes in the Persian, of corresponding terms, in which the Celtic and Gothic differ totally from each other.

Persian. Welsh. English. Made, a maid, a Maid. Mädchen, female. _Germ._ Geneez, a girl. Geneth. D.ch.t.r., a girl, a Daughter. Töchter, daughter. _Germ._ Chonahr, a sister. Idem. Ch.d. a God. God. B.r.ee, God. Beree or Peree, to create, (spelt Peri.) Beri|adur, Creator. B.r.a. Heb. Id. Pechegan, infants. Bechgyn. Juvan, young. Ieuange. Juvenile, from _Lat._ Braud.|r. Braud (Brathair, Brother. _Irish._) Mam, mother. Mam. M.d.r. mother. Mother. P.d.r. father. Pater, _Lat._; Fader, _Ang.-Sax._ Latin. Greek. Aud.|n. the ear. Aud|io, I hear. Koush, the ear. A|kous|o, I will hear. Akoustics, _Eng._ F.m. the mouth. (Fhuaim, a voice, Feem|ee, I speak. _Irish._) Fama, Fame, _Latin_.

The Persian grammar also combines many European languages:

Persian. Welsh. English. Latin. German. Men, I. My. Mine. Meus. Mein. Tou, thou. Thou. Tu. Du. Av, he, Idem, she, or spelt Ev. it. A een, Hyn.; Hon. this. Bod|n|, to Bod. be; (n. infinitive affix.) Am, I am. Idem. (Eim|i, _Greek_.)

This tense is very like Latin:

Shou, be thou. Shou d (sit), let him be. Shou eem (simus), let us be. Shou eet (sitis), be ye. Shou nd, let them be.(30)