Here's a breakdown:
* Proto-Indo-European (PIE): This hypothetical language is the ancestor of most of the languages spoken in Europe, including English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Hindi, and of course, Celtic languages.
* Proto-Celtic: This is the hypothetical ancestor of all the Celtic languages. It is believed to have been spoken around the middle of the 2nd millennium BC, possibly in the area of present-day Central Europe.
* Celtic Languages: These languages diverged from Proto-Celtic and spread across Europe, eventually reaching the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula.
The timeline is roughly:
* 4th millennium BC: Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is spoken.
* 2nd millennium BC: Proto-Celtic emerges from PIE.
* 1st millennium BC: Celtic languages begin to diverge and spread.
Important to note:
* No definitive evidence of Proto-Celtic or PIE exists. Linguists reconstruct these languages based on the shared features of their descendants.
* The exact location of Proto-Celtic's origins is debated. Some theories place it in the area of the Alps, while others point towards the steppes north of the Black Sea.
Modern Celtic languages are divided into two branches:
* Insular Celtic: Spoken in the British Isles, including Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Manx, and Cornish.
* Continental Celtic: Extinct languages spoken in mainland Europe, including Gaulish, Celtiberian, and Galatian.
Understanding the origin of Celtic languages provides valuable insights into their development and the historical connections between different cultures across Europe.