Auraicept na n-éces


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Linguistic Archaeology


Book Description

Edo Nyland shares with us his research on the evolution of European and other languages and his conclusions offer fresh perspectives to challenge traditional views entertained by the linguistic establishment. Nyland's research was inspired by a CBC presentation by historian Edward Furlong who suggested that Odysseus may not at all have been travelling in the Mediterranean but rather in Scotland and Ireland where the climate and topography fit far better the descriptions in the Odyssey. Nyland set off on an odyssey of his own, visiting the proposed locations and while he found much to support Furlong's thesis he felt more evidence was needed to confirm it. He began by examining place names mentioned in the Odyssey and he began to wonder if they might be telling a story. But from what language were they derived? Greek, Latin and Gaelic dictionaries were no help. He discovered a clue in the work of geneticist Luigi Cavalli-Sforza who had suggested that there might have been early migrations of the peoples living along the Atlantic coast, from Morocco to Scotland and Ireland, even Arctic Norway. Of these only the Basques still spoke their original Neolithic language, and in choosing a Basque dictionary to translate coastal place names Nyland found that they did indeed yield remarkably fitting descriptions. In visiting Bronze Age ruins Nyland came on the Ogam inscriptions carved into standing stones of Ireland. These had not been deciphered but Nyland began to suspect they might encode elements of the Basque language. Cracking the code became his mission and in this volume he describes how he did it. After applying his method successfully to such languages as Spanish or German, Sanskrit or Sumerian, Nyland concludes that Basque isthe core language from which so many more were derived.




Language Usage and Description


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The Celtic Tree Oracle


Book Description

Within this box lies the secret language of the Celts. To life the lid is to discover an ancient method of communication-and a means of divination. In the Celtic Ogham or tree alphabet, each letter embodies the spirit of a tree or plant, here represented on a richly decorated card. Whatever your question, doubt or worry, the 2,000-year-old wisdom of The Tree Oracle provides remarkable guidance and insight for Twentieth Century men and women. Contents: -25 beautiful tree cards -Illustrated book of explanation -Record sheet and pad







Annual Report


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Language and Conquest in Early Modern Ireland


Book Description

The Elizabethan conquest of Ireland sparked off two linguistic events of enduring importance: it initiated the language shift from Irish to English, which constitutes the great drama of Irish cultural history, and it marked the beginnings of English linguistic expansion. The Elizabethan colonisers in Ireland included some of the leading poets and translators of the day. In Language and Conquest in Early Modern Ireland, Patricia Palmer uses their writings, as well as material from the State Papers, to explore the part that language played in shaping colonial ideology and English national identity. Palmer shows how manoeuvres of linguistic expansion rehearsed in Ireland shaped Englishmen's encounters with the languages of the New World, and frames that analysis within a comparison between English linguistic colonisation and Spanish practice in the New World. This is an ambitious, comparative study, which will interest literary and political historians.




A Druid's Herbal of Sacred Tree Medicine


Book Description

An in-depth look at the history, herbal uses, and spiritual aspects of the sacred trees in the ancient Celtic Ogham Tree Alphabet • Details the 20 trees of the ogham alphabet and their therapeutic and magical virtues • Examines the Forest Druid practices associated with each tree as well as the traditional uses in Native American medicine • Describes the Celtic Fire Festivals and how each tree is featured in these holy days • By the author of A Druid’s Herbal for the Sacred Earth Year The Druids used the ancient Ogham Tree Alphabet to work magic and honor the dead, surrounding each letter with medicinal and spiritual lore. Poets and bards created a secret sign language to describe the letters, each of which is named for a tree or a plant. For centuries this language was transmitted only orally in order to protect its secrets. Combining her extensive herbal knowledge and keen poetic insight, Ellen Evert Hopman delves deeply into the historic allusions and associations of each of the 20 letters of the Ogham Tree Alphabet. She also examines Native American healing methods for possible clues to the way ancient Europeans may have used these trees as healing agents. Druidic spiritual practices, herbal healing remedies, and plant lore are included for each tree in the alphabet as well as how each is used in traditional rituals such as the Celtic Fire Festivals and other celebrations. Hopman also includes a pronunciation guide for the oghams and information on the divinatory meanings associated with each tree.




The Irish Tradition in Old English Literature


Book Description

Charles Wright identifies the characteristic features of Irish Christian literature which influenced Anglo-Saxon vernacular authors. As a full-length study of Irish influence on Old English religious literature, the book will appeal to scholars in Old English literature, Anglo-Saxon studies, and Old and Middle Irish literature.