Welcome to Learn Hittite, where we explore the fascinating world of ancient languages and linguistics. In today's video, we'll jump head first into the enigmatic Elymian language, a mysterious tongue spoken by the Elymians of ancient Sicily. Join us as we unravel the mysteries surrounding this little-known language, its potential Indo-European connections, and its place in the linguistic tapestry of the ancient world.
The island of Sicily, between the 7th and 4th centuries BCE, is believed to have been divided among three distinct linguistic groups: the Elymians, the Sicani, and the Sicels. The Elymians, an ancient people believed to be descendants of Troy, occupied the western part of the island. The linguistic landscape of these groups is both archaeologically and linguistically challenging to distinguish. While the Sicani language is traditionally considered non-Indo-European, it remains shrouded in mystery due to the very limited number of texts. The Elymian and Sicel languages, on the other hand, are assumed to be Indo-European, yet their precise positions on the Indo-European tree and their relationship to each other are subjects of ongoing debate, primarily due to the scarcity of linguistic material.
In this video, we'll explore the limited corpus of Elymian texts, primarily found on coins and vase inscriptions, and examine the use of the Greek alphabet to represent the language. We'll also touch upon the influence of the neighboring Greek colonies, particularly Selinunte, on Elymian epigraphy.
As we go further into Elymian, we'll discuss various proposed connections to language families, including Anatolian, Armenian, Balkan, Greek, and Italic, shedding light on the ongoing debate among scholars and researchers. While there's a consensus that Elymian is an Indo-European language, we'll critically examine the morphological and phonological features that have led to this conclusion, as well as the unique aspects of Elymian that make it stand out.
🔍 So, if you're a language explorer, history buff, or simply curious about ancient languages, this video is for you. Don't forget to like and subscribe to our channel for more in-depth explorations of fascinating linguistic topics. Thank you for joining us, and we look forward to sharing more linguistic adventures with you soon! 📚🗺️🧩
Selected Bibliography (in order of relevance)
🌟Tribulato, O. (Ed.). (2012). Language and Linguistic Contact in Ancient Sicily (Cambridge Classical Studies). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139248938
(This book includes many many relevant articles by Marchesini, Pocetti and Simkin)
🌟Prag, J. R. (2020). The indigenous languages of ancient Sicily. Palaeohispanica, 20, 531–551.
🌟Agostiniani, Luciano. (1977). Iscrizioni anelleniche di Sicilia : le iscrizioni elime / Luciano Agostiniani. Firenze : L. S. Olschki
Kinch, K.F. (1888). Die Sprache der sicilischen Elymer, Zeitschr. f. Numism. XVI, 192-194
Biondi, L. (1995). ISCRIZIONI ELIME. Annali Della Scuola Normale Superiore Di Pisa. Classe Di Lettere e Filosofia, 25(4), 1179–1182. [ Ссылка ]
Willi, A. (2008). Sikelismos: Sprache, Literatur und Gesellschaft im griechischen Sizilien (8.-5. Jh. v. Chr.). Biblioteca Helvetica Romana XXIX. Basel: Schwabe Verlag.
Marchesini, S. (1998) “Il segno И in Elimo: una nuova proposta”, AnnPisa. Classe di
Lettere e Filosofia, ser.4, 3/1-2, 1998, 289-301.
Tribulato, O. (2017). Learning to Write in Indigenous Sicily A New Abecedary from the Necropolis of Manico di Quarara (Montelepre, South-West of Palermo). Zeitschrift Für Papyrologie Und Epigraphik, 201, 117–122. [ Ссылка ]
Agostiniani. (2021). Iscrizioni anelleniche di Sicilia : le iscrizioni elime : appendice 1978-2020 / Luciano Agostiniani. “L’Erma” di Bretschneider.
Rex E. Wallace. 2007. The Sabellic languages of ancient Italy. (Languages of the World/Materials, 371.) München: LINCOM. xiv+72pp.
Agnello, S. L. (1953). Silloge di iscrizioni paleocristiane della Sicilia. Roma: "L'Erma" di Bretschneider.
Buck, C. D. (1904). A Grammar of Oscan and Umbrian: With a Collection of Inscriptions and a Glossary. Boston: Ginn.
Next up, if I am feeling brave, we'll take a look at the possible feminine gender in Anatolian and Hittite 😨
Music:
Vespers on the Shore - The Mini Vandals
Sao Meo - Doug Maxwell_ Zac Zinger
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