Ancient Belgian language

Short description: Hypothetical extinct European language

Ancient Belgian

Belgic
(controversial)
Native to| Low Countries
Region| Nordwestblock, Belgica
Ethnicity| Belgae, Germanic Substrate?
Extinct| Antiquity

Language family

Indo-European (?)

* Celtic/Italic (?)[1][2]
* Ancient Belgian

Language codes
ISO 639-3| None (`mis`)
Glottolog| None

Ancient Belgian is a hypothetical extinct Indo-European or Pre-Indo-European language, spoken in Belgica (northern Gaul) in late prehistory with no known written records. It is mostly explained by Celtic onomastics, but having some features distinct from neighbouring languages, including Germanic. It is sometimes identified with the hypothetical Nordwestblock.[3] According to the theory, which was further elaborated by Hans Kuhn and others, traces of Belgian can be found in certain toponyms such as South-East-Flemish Bevere, Eine, Mater and Melden.

## Contents

* 1 Overview
* 2 Classification
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 Sources

## Overview

The borders of the Belgian Sprachraum are made up by the Canche and the Authie in the south-west, the Weser and the Aller in the east, and the Ardennes and the German Mittelgebirge in the south-east. Some scholars associate it with the Nordwestblock, more specifically with the Hilversum culture.

The use of the name Belgian for the language is to some extent supported by Julius Caesar's De Bello Gallico. Some terms can be traced directly to Celtic, such as Indutiomaros (Gaulish maros 'great', 'powerful'), Eburovices (similar to Eburacum, York) or Boduognatos (compare the Irish mythological figure Bodb Derg)

Caesar mentions that the Belgae and the Galli spoke different languages, which is partially supported by toponyms in present-day Belgium, which, according to Kuhn, point at the existence of an Indo-European language, distinct from Celtic and Germanic languages.[4] Hans Kuhn also noted certain connections (suffixes, ethnonyms, toponyms, anthroponyms) between this language and the Indo-European languages of southern Europe, in particular with the Italic languages. Before their migration to the south, the Italics might have resided in central Europe, in the vicinity of the Germans, Celts and the Slavs, as shown by amount of vocabulary common to these groups. Some of them may have migrated to the northwest, while the others headed for the Italian peninsula.[1][2]

Proponents of the Belgian language hypothesis also suggest that it was influenced by Germanic languages during a first, early Germanicisation in the 3rd century BC, distinct from the Frankish colonization in the 5th to the 8th centuries AD. For example, the Germanic sound shifts (p → f, t → th, k → h, ŏ → ă) have affected toponyms that supposedly have a Belgian-language origin.

Characteristics of Belgian are said to include the retention of p after the sound shifts, a trait that it shared with the Lusitanian language. Names of bodies of water ending in -ara, as in the name for the Dender; -ănā or -ŏnā, as in Matrŏnā (Marne River and also the current Mater) and settlement names ending in -iŏm are supposedly typically Belgian as well.

According to Gysseling, traces of Belgian are still visible. The diminutive suffix -ika, the feminizing suffixes -agjōn and -astrjō and the collective suffix -itja have been incorporated in Dutch, sometimes very productively. In toponymy, apa, poel, broek, gaver, drecht, laar and ham are retained as Belgian loanwords.

## Classification

The language is mostly seen as Celtic, due to Celtic tribe names of later Belgae or Para-Celtic features similar to Lusitanian, and sometimes as Germanic. Linguists proposed that Belgian was distinct from the Celtic and Germanic languages; some see it as a non-Indo-European language related to Tyrsenian, while others suggest a distinct Indo-European branch, similar to the case with Lusitanian.[4][5] Similarly, an alternative view suggests that Belgian was the result of an interaction between different substrates and time periods, that started resembling a distinct language, despite not being one.

## See also

* Germanic substrate hypothesis
* Para-Celtic languages

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 F. Ribezzo, Revue Internationale d'Onomastique, II, 1948 p. 43 sq. et III 1949, p. 45 sq., M.Almagro dans RSLig, XVI, 1950, p. 42 sq, P.Laviosa Zambotti, l.c.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bernard, Sergent (1995) (in fr). Les Indo-Européens: Histoire, langues, mythes. Paris: Bibliothèques scientifiques Payot. pp. 84–85.
3. ↑ Lendering, Jona (30 April 2005). "The Dutch Language". https://www.livius.org/dutchhistory/language.html.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hachmann, Rolf; Kossack, Georg; Kuhn, Hans (1986) (in de). Völker zwischen Germanen und Kelten. pp. 183–212.
5. ↑ Rosemarie Lühr, The Language of the Nordwestblock (Humboldt University of Berlin)

## Sources

* M. Gysseling, "Enkele Belgische leenwoorden in de toponymie", in Naamkunde 7 (1975), pp. 1–6. Script error: The function "in_lang" does not exist.
* J. Molemans, "Profiel van de Kempische toponymie", in Naamkunde 9 (1977), pp. 1–50. Script error: The function "in_lang" does not exist.

* v
* t
* e

Germanic languages

According to contemporary philology

West Germanic

| Anglo-Frisian|

| Anglic|

* English*
* dialects
* Yola
* Fingallian
* Old English
* Middle English
* Scots
* Early Scots
* Middle Scots

|

Frisian|

* East Frisian
* Ems
* Saterland Frisian
* Weser
* Wangerooge Frisian
* Wursten Frisian
* North Frisian
* Insular
* Eiderstedt
* Föhr–Amrum
* Föhr
* Amrum
* Heligolandic
* Sylt
* Mainland
* Bökingharde
* Mooring
* Halligen
* Goesharde
* Northern
* Central
* Southern
* Karrharde
* Strand
* Wiedingharde
* West Frisian
* Hindeloopen
* Schiermonnikoog
* Westlauwers–Terschellings
* Mainland West Frisian
* Clay Frisian
* Wood Frisian
* Westereendersk
* Terschelling
* Old Frisian
* Middle Frisian

Low German|

| Historical forms|

* Old Saxon
* Middle Low German

|

West Low German|

* Dutch Low Saxon
* Stellingwarfs
* Tweants
* Gronings
* Drèents
* Gelders-Overijssels
* Achterhooks
* Sallaans
* Urkers
* Veluws
* Northern Low Saxon
* East Frisian Low Saxon
* Schleswigsch
* Holsteinisch
* Hamburgisch
* Ollnborger
* North Hanoveranian
* Dithmarsch
* Emsländisch
* Westphalian
* Eastphalian

East Low German|

* Mecklenburg-Western Pomeranian
* Mecklenburgish
* West Pomeranian
* Brandenburgisch
* East Pomeranian–West Prussian
* Western East Pomeranian
* Eastern East Pomeranian
* Bublitzisch
* Pommerellisch
* Central Pomeranian
* West Central Pomeranian
* Low Prussian
* Mennonite Low German

Low Franconian|

| Standard variants|

* Dutch*
* Frankish
* Old Dutch
* Middle Dutch
* Afrikaans*

|

West Low Franconian|

* Hollandic
* West Flemish
* French Flemish
* Zeelandic
* East Flemish
* Brabantian
* Surinamese Dutch
* Jersey Dutch
* Mohawk Dutch
* Stadsfries
* Bildts
* Yiddish Dutch

East Low Franconian|

* Meuse-Rhenish
* Limburgish
* Southeast Limburgish
* South Guelderish

Transitional|

* Low Dietsch

High German|

| Standard variants|

* German*
* Namibian German
* Namibian Black German
* Brazilian German
* Unserdeutsch
* Barossa German
* Belgranodeutsch
* Parana Volga German
* Kiautschou Pidgin German
* Old High German
* Middle High German
* Early New High German
* Yiddish
* Eastern
* Western
* Litvish
* Poylish
* Ukrainish
* Galitzish
* Scots Yiddish
* Alsatian Yiddish
* Klezmer-loshn
* Ganovim
* Balagole
* Katsoves
* Lachoudisch
* Yenish
* Rotwelsch
* Lotegorisch

|

Central German|

| West Central German|

* Central Franconian
* Ripuarian
* Colognian
* Moselle Franconian
* Luxembourgish
* Transylvanian Saxon
* Hunsrückisch
* Hunsrik
* Rhine Franconian
* Lorraine Franconian
* Palatine
* Volga German
* Pennsylvania German
* Hessian
* Amana

|

East Central German|

* Thuringian
* Upper Saxon
* Ore Mountainian
* Lusatian-Neumarkish
* Berlinerisch
* Silesian German
* High Prussian
* Wymysorys
* Halcnovian
* Prague German

High Franconian|

* South Franconian
* East Franconian
* Main Franconian
* Vogtlandian

Upper German|

* Alemannic
* Low Alemannic
* Alsatian
* Coloniero
* High Alemannic
* Swiss German
* Highest Alemannic
* Walser German
* Swabian
* Bavarian
* Northern Bavarian
* Central Bavarian
* Viennese German
* Southern Bavarian
* South Tyrolean
* Cimbrian
* Mòcheno
* Hutterite German
* Langobardic

Standard German|

* German Standard German
* Austrian Standard German
* Swiss Standard German

North Germanic and East Germanic

| North Germanic|

| Historical forms|

* Proto-Norse
* Old Norse
* Old West Norse
* Old East Norse
* Old Gutnish

|

West Scandinavian|

* Norwegian*
* Spoken
* Bergensk
* Kebabnorsk
* Sognamål
* Trøndersk
* Valdris
* Vestlandsk
* Vikværsk
* Written
* Bokmål
* Nynorsk
* Old Norwegian
* Middle Norwegian
* Insular Scandinavian
* Faroese
* Icelandic
* Old Icelandic
* Middle Icelandic
* Gronlandsk
* Norn

East Scandinavian|

* Swedish*
* Åland
* Estonian
* Finlandic
* Gotlandic/Gutnish
* Jämtlandic
* Kalix
* Kiruna
* Luleå
* Norrland
* Ostrobothnian
* Småländska
* South Swedish
* Scanian
* Stockholm
* Rinkeby
* Uppländska
* Västgötska
* Westrobothnian
* Old Swedish
* Danish*
* Bornholmsk
* Gøtudanskt
* Insular Danish
* Jutlandic
* South Jutlandic
* Perkerdansk
* Old Danish
* Middle Danish
* Dalecarlian
* Elfdalian

East Germanic|

* Gothic
* Crimean Gothic
* Burgundian
* Vandalic

Philology

| Language subgroups|

* North
* East
* West
* Elbe (Irminonic)
* Weser-Rhine (Istvaeonic)
* North Sea (Ingvaeonic)

* Northwest
* Gotho-Nordic
* South

|

Reconstructed|

* Proto-Germanic
* Proto-Germanic grammar
* Germanic parent language
* Ancient Belgian language

Diachronic features|

* Grimm's law
* Verner's law
* Holtzmann's law
* Sievers's law
* Kluge's law
* Germanic substrate hypothesis
* West Germanic gemination
* High German consonant shift
* Germanic a-mutation
* Germanic umlaut
* Germanic spirant law
* Ingvaeonic nasal spirant law
* Great Vowel Shift

Synchronic features|

* Germanic verb
* Germanic strong verb
* Germanic weak verb
* Preterite-present verb
* Grammatischer Wechsel
* Indo-European ablaut

* Italics indicate extinct languages
* * (asterisks) indicates languages with more than 3 million speakers
* Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left.

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* e

Celtic languages

Continental Celtic|

* Hispano-Celtic
* Celtiberian
* Gallaecian
* Galatian
* Gaulish
* Cisalpine Gaulish
* Lepontic
* Noric

Insular Celtic|

| Brittonic (Brythonic)|

* Common Brittonic
* Old Welsh
* Middle Welsh
* Welsh
* Cumbric
* Cornish
* Breton
* Ivernic

|

Goidelic (Gaelic)|

* Primitive Irish
* Old Irish
* Middle Irish
* Classical Gaelic
* Irish
* Manx
* Scottish Gaelic
* Galwegian Gaelic

Uncertain|

* Pictish

Mixed|

* Beurla Reagaird
* Shelta
* Bungi Creole
* Welsh-Romani

Celtic-speaking areas|

* Gaeltacht
* Gàidhealtachd
* Y Fro Gymraeg
* Lower Brittany
* Cape Breton Island
* Y Wladfa

Immersive education|

* Irish medium education
* Gaelic medium education
* Manx medium education
* Welsh medium education
* Breton medium education
* Cornish medium nursery

Reconstructed|

* Proto-Celtic
* Proto-Brittonic

Italics indicate extinct or ancestor languages

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* e

Celts

Ancient Celts
Celtic studies|

| Peoples|

* Names
* Gaels
* Britons
* Picts
* Gauls
* Celtiberians
* Galatians
* Tyliseans

|

Places|

* Gaelic Ireland
* Dálriata / Alba
* Iron Age Britain / Roman Britain / Sub-Roman Britain
* Dumnonia
* Iron Age Gaul / Roman Gaul / Brittany
* Gallaecia
* Britonia
* Brigantia (ancient region)
* Cisalpine Gaul
* Balkans
* Transylvania
* Galatia

Religion|

* Polytheism
* Christianity
* Animism

Mythology|

* Irish
* Scottish
* Welsh
* British
* Breton
* Cornish

Society|

* Calendar
* Law
* Warfare (Gaelic warfare)
* Coinage

Art|

* Insular
* Pictish
* Brooches
* Carnyx
* High cross
* Interlace
* Knotwork
* Mazes
* Triple spiral
* Taranis

Modern Celts
Celtic Revival|

* Modern Celtic nations
* Pan-Celticism (Celtic Congress
* Celtic League)
* Music (Rock)
* Neopaganism
* Reconstructionist
* Celtic Wicca
* Neo-Druidism

Languages|

* Italo-Celtic
* Proto-Celtic
* Insular Celtic
* Brythonic
* Goidelic
* Continental Celtic
* Celtiberian
* Gaulish
* Galatian
* Gallaecian
* Lepontic
* Noric

Festivals|

* Samhain/Calan Gaeaf
* Imbolc/Gŵyl Fair
* Beltane/Calan Mai
* Lughnasadh/Calan Awst

Lists|

* Celts
* Tribes
* Deities
* English words of Celtic origin
* Spanish words of Celtic origin
* Galician words of Celtic origin
* French words of Gaulish origin

* Category

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