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From: mcv@inter.NL.net (Miguel Carrasquer)
Subject: Re: basque/guanche/pictish/ligurian etc.
Message-ID: <D07Gx5.KLC@inter.NL.net>
Keywords: basque,guanche,pictish,ligurian
Organization: NLnet
References: <3bhj13$id@kcl.fi> <3bn948$sm6@kcl.fi> <D06z9v.6MC@inter.NL.net> <dnb105.468.2EDF549E@psu.edu>
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 1994 22:53:28 GMT
Lines: 44

In article <dnb105.468.2EDF549E@psu.edu>, Ferret <dnb105@psu.edu> wrote:
>In article <D06z9v.6MC@inter.NL.net> mcv@inter.NL.net (Miguel Carrasquer) writes:
>
>>the South (in modern Andalusia).  The linguistic map of the
>>Iberian peninsula at the time of the Roman conquest looked 
>>something like:
>
>>                               Aquitani
>>Gallaeci  Cantabri - Vascones / 
>>(Celtic)       ("Pre-Iberian")               Ilergetes-Lacetani
>>                                       (Iberian w. Celtic adstrate)
>>   |                 Celtiberians
>>   |           (Celtic w. Iberian substr.)        /
>>Lusitani                                         /
>>("Pre-Celtic")    Carpetani/Vetoni              /
>>   |                (Celtic ?)          Iberians Proper
>>                                    (Edetani, Bastetani...)
>>Cinetes      Turdetani                /     
>>("Pre-Iber.")(Tartessians)     -------
>
>
>What methods are used to deduce the languages of cultures that left no 
>surviving written records ?
>

In this case, mostly descriptions by Roman authors, place names and
personal names (in Latin inscriptions or writings), and some guess-
work.

Roman authors unfortunately were not interested in collecting
word lists or writing grammars on the `barbarian' languages (or
if they did, the Medieval monks weren't interested in copying
those manuscripts).  However, the Cantabri (I believe) are 
described as "speaking an incomprehensible, unpronounceable
gibberish" (or words to that effect).  This is never said about
tribes about which we can be sure (by other means) that they were 
Celtic speaking.  So, if no slanderous remarks are made about
a particular tribe's language, that makes it more likely (not 
certain, obviously) that they were Celtic speaking, too.

-- 
Miguel Carrasquer         ____________________  ~~~
Amsterdam                [                  ||]~  
mcv@inter.NL.net         ce .sig n'est pas une .cig 
