Slightly off topic: an up-to-date report on the internal travails of another Celtic language, under the title:

Saving Cornish: But Stop. Isn't That Spelled With a K?

I could post the whole text here, but I don't know how the Clár Plé feels about the copyright issue.

(Message edited by dennis on November 17, 2005)

An-mhaith, a Dhennis. Here's the link (it's free, but you have to be registered):

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/17/international/europe/17cornish.html

If does seem add that one system of spelling is based strictly on pronounciation. Doesn't pronounciation change over time? It seems like you'd come up with some spellings that don't match the grammar very well, making it harder to learn. (Spoken by a non-linguist.)

I like the joke, though:

"A Celt is someone who, working in a field on his own, falls out with himself."

(Message edited by dearg on November 17, 2005)