Middle Irish for Dummies

So, "Middle Irish" is a term we use to talk about the Irish language during a specific time in history. It's kind of like the middle stage of the Irish language's development. Just like how we have "middle school" as the in-between stage before high school, "Middle Irish" is the in-between stage of the Irish language before it became what we know today as Modern Irish.

Back in the day, Ireland went through different periods when the language was spoken and written a bit differently. So, "Middle Irish" refers to the time period from about the 10th to 12th centuries when the Irish language was written down in manuscripts and was spoken by people in Ireland. During this time, the language went through some changes and evolved into what we now recognize as Modern Irish.

Think of it like the language taking a journey – it started off as Old Irish, then went through the Middle Irish stage, and eventually arrived at its current form as Modern Irish. Each stage had its own unique characteristics and ways of being used.

So, when someone talks about "Middle Irish," they're referring to that specific time period and how the language was used and written during those centuries. It's kind of like looking at a snapshot of the language's history and seeing how it changed and grew over time.

I hope that helps you understand what "Middle Irish" means! Let me know if you have any other questions about it.