Cylchgronau Cymru

gM*cta0t00ia: Camlrrmi& FIFTH SERIES.—VOL. I, NO. I. JANUARY 1884. THE CELTIC ELEMENT IN THE DIALECTS OF THE COUNTIES ADJOINING LANCASHIRE. I have been asked to continue my researches on the Celtic element in the English dialects. I comply with the request; but only so far, at least for the present, as to the counties that are adjacent to Lancashire. The inquiry will extend to the counties of Chester and Salop on the south, and to Cumberland and Westmore¬ land on the north, with a small portion of West York¬ shire. I extend the inquiry so far, because, as Lap- penberg has asserted that Lancashire is the most Celtic county in England, it might be supposed that the Celtic element in its dialectic words is exceptional. This, however, is not the case. This element is equally abundant in the counties that lie on the north or the south of it. If the inquiry were directed to the counties of the south-west part of England, including Glou¬ cestershire, Somersetshire, and the county of Devon, it would appear that this field of research is quite as interesting, and as fertile in results, as the north¬ western part. There seems to be a need for an investigation of this kind, for statements have been made, on this subject, of a contradictory kind. Mr. Whitaker states, for in¬ stance, in his History of Manchester (vol. ii, p. 238, 4to. 5th ser., vol. i. 1