Illyrian languages

The Illyrian languages are a group of Indo-European languages that were spoken in the western part of the Balkans in pre-Roman times.

Related Topics:
Indo-European languages - Balkans

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From before the common era, the Illyrian languages began to lose ground to Latin and Greek speakers in the south. The extinct Dalmatian language descended from the Vulgar Latin spoken in Illyria. Later, the Slavic languages in the rural areas would further efface Illyrian as a spoken language.

Related Topics:
Latin - Greek - Dalmatian language - Vulgar Latin - Illyria - Slavic languages

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Today, the main source of authoritative information about the Illyrian languages consists of a few cited words and numerous examples of anthroponyms, toponyms, and hydronyms.

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Messapian, an extinct language of South-eastern Italy, is believed by many scholars to be a dialect of Illyrian, based on the proper names found on the tomb inscriptions and the strong similarities between the material culture of the Messapians and that of the Illyrians. There are also classical references which state explicitly that the Messapians migrated by sea to Southern Italy, having originally come from Illyria. Some scholars decline to identify Messapian specifically as an Illyrian language; yet many scholars consider that the languages were closely related.

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Illyrian may also have been related to the Venetic language once spoken in Northeastern Italy, though the theory that Illyrian and Venetic were closely related is disputed by current scholarship.

Related Topics:
Venetic language - Italy

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Some linguists believe the modern Albanian language to be the survival of an Illyrian language, yet this is controversial. Many scholars and linguists consider Illyrian to have been a centum language, while Albanian is satem. The identification of Illyrian as a centum language is not unanimously accepted. In general, Illyrian words from ancient sources may suggest that Albanian and Illyrian are on different branches of the Indo-European language-tree, though there are some possible correspondences between Illyrian and Albanian.

Related Topics:
Albanian language - Centum - Satem

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Some examples of Illyrian names are:

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• Agron (a name with the same form, Agron, was found among Anatolians)
• Bardylis
• Bato
• Birkenna
• Epicadus
• Epidius
• Gentius
• Glaukias (also a Greek name, probably borrowed by Illyrians from Greeks)
• Grabus
• Kleitos (also a Macedonian and Greek name; probably borrowed by Illyrians from Greeks)
• Monounios (Monunius)
• Pinnes (Pinnius, Pinneus)
• Plator
• Pleuratus
• Skerdilaidas
• Temus
• Teuta
• Verzo
• Zanatis
 
Illyrian languages: See also ►