Manx morphology and syntax

This chapter provides an overview of key aspects of the morphology and syntax of historical Manx based primarily on the evidence of the corpus of written texts from c. 1610 to c. 1900, with particular focus on the language of Classical Manx texts of the eighteenth century, most notably the Manx Bible completed in 1772. Reference is made where appropriate to the Early Manx of Bishop John Phillips’ translation of the Book of the Common Prayer (c. 1610) and the Late Manx of the nineteenth century. The diachronic aspect sketches the principal changes which distinguish Manx from other Gaelic varieties, as well as developments within Manx during the period of its attestation.