Thraco-Illyrian

Linguistical theory

Thraco-Illyrian

(proposed)
Geographic
distribution| Balkans
Linguistic classification| Indo-European

* Thraco-Illyrian

Proto-language| Proto-Thraco-Illyrian
Subdivisions|

* Daco-Thracian
* Illyrian

Language codes
Hypothetical Indo-European
phylogenetic clades

Balkan

* Paleo-Balkan
* Graeco-Albanian
* Daco-Thracian
* Graeco-Armenian
* Graeco-Aryan
* Graeco-Phrygian
* Armeno-Phrygian
* Thraco-Illyrian

Other

* Italo-Celtic
* Indo-Hittite
* Indo-Uralic

* v
* t
* e

The term Thraco-Illyrian refers to a hypothesis according to which the Daco-Thracian and Illyrian languages comprise a distinct branch of Indo-European. Thraco-Illyrian is also used as a term merely implying a Thracian-Illyrian interference, mixture or sprachbund, or as a shorthand way of saying that it is not determined whether a subject is to be considered as pertaining to Thracian or Illyrian. Downgraded to a geo-linguistic concept, these languages are referred to as Paleo-Balkan.

The linguistical hypothesis was especially current in the early 20th century, but after the 1960s it was seriously called into question. New publications argued that no strong evidence for Thraco-Illyrian exists, and that the two language-areas show more differences than correspondences (Vladimir Georgiev, Ivan Duridanov, Eric Hamp, et al.). It has also been pointed out that the onomastic studies carried out in the 20th century were conducted through pan-Thracian and pan-Illyrian theoretical approaches, which are considered outdated in current historical linguistics.[1]

## Linguistic contact and similarity

[edit]

The Vardar, South Morava and Great Morava rivers are generally considered to approximate the border between the Illyrian and Thracian spheres, in the west and east respectively.[2] However, Thracian and Illyrian did not have a clear-cut frontier.[3] There was also, clearly, significant interaction between the Illyrian and Thracian spheres, with some Thracian groups occupying the Illyrian sphere and vice versa; the identity of some groups as Illyrian or Thracian has also remained unclear,[4] or, in some instances, a Thraco-Illyrian mix has been proposed.[5] Such factors reinforce the impression that many similarities between the Illyrian and Thracian lexes resulted from language contact.[6]

Other scholars, such as Romanian linguist and historian Ion Russu, argue that there were major similarities between Illyrian and Thracian and so a shared, ancestral linguistic branch is probable, rather than them forming a sprachbund.[3] Among the Thraco-Illyrian correspondences noted by I. I. Russu are the following:

Illyrian  | Daco-Thracian  | Remarks

|
|

Abroi  | Abre-  | Abre- is an element taken from certain Thracian anthroponyms
Aploi, Aplus, Apulia  | Apuli, Appulus, Apulum
Bilia, Bilios  | Bila
Dardi, Dardani | Dardanos, Darda-para
Saprinus  | Sapri-sara
Separi  | Sapaioi
Sita  | Sita, Seita
Tribulium  | Triballi, Tribanta
Zorada  | Zar-, Zur-

Not many Thraco-Illyrian correspondences are definite, and a number may be incorrect, even from the list above. Sorin Paliga (2002) however states: "According to the available data, we may surmise that Thracian and Illyrian were mutually understandable, e.g. like Czech and Slovak, in one extreme, or like Spanish and Portuguese, at the other."

Other linguists however argue that Illyrian and Thracian were different Indo-European branches which later converged through contact. It is also of significance that Illyrian languages still have not been classified whether they were centum or satem language, while it is undisputed that Thracian was a satem language by the Classical Period (the satem nature of proto-Thracian is disputed, Olteanu 2002).

Due to the fragmentary attestation of both Illyrian and Thraco-Dacian, the existence of a Thraco-Illyrian branch remains controversial. Evidence of a Thraco-Illyrian branch has also been sought in the Albanian language, which has been claimed to have developed from either an Illyrian language with Thraco-Dacian influences or a Thraco-Dacian language with Illyrian influences.[7][8] However, the arguments for such claims tend to be circular: for example, the kinship of the Albanian with the Thracian is affirmed by attributing Albanian traits to the Thracian.[9]

Due to the paucity of written evidence, what can be said with certainty in current research is that on the one hand a significant group of shared Indo-European non-Romance cognates between Albanian and Romanian indicates at least contact with the 'Daco-Thraco-Moesian complex', and that on the other hand there is some evidence to argue that Albanian is descended from the 'Illyrian complex'.[10] On the basis of shared features and innovations, Albanian is grouped together with Messapic in the same branch in the current phylogenetic classification of the Indo-European language family, called 'Albanoid' or 'Illyric'.[11][12][13][14][15]

## See also

[edit]

* Albanian language
* Balkan sprachbund
* Classification of Thracian
* Dacian language
* Paleo-Balkan languages
* Romanian words of possible Dacian origin (and comparison with Albanian words)
* Albanian–Romanian linguistic relationship
* Thracian language
* Venetic language

## Notes

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* ^ The place of Paeonian remains unclear.[16] Not much has been determined in the study of Paeonian, and some linguists do not recognize a Paeonian area separate from Illyrian or Thracian. The place of Ancient Macedonian is also undetermined. Paliga (2002) states: "It is therefore difficult to say whether the ancient Macedonians spoke an idiom closer to Thracian, Illyrian, Greek or a specific idiom."[citation needed]

## References

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1. ^ Babamova, Slavica (2008). "Personal names on the territory of Paeonia in the Roman period". Živa Antika / Antiquité Vivante. 58 (1–2): 87–96\. eISSN 2671-3985. ISSN 0514-7727.1–2&rft.pages=87-96&rft.date=2008&rft.eissn=2671-3985&rft.issn=0514-7727&rft.aulast=Babamova&rft.aufirst=Slavica&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=fBpSAQAAIAAJ&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Thraco-Illyrian" class="Z3988"> p. 94.
2. ^ Balkans
3. ^ a b Russu 1969.
4. ^ Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992, ISBN 0-631-19807-5, p. 85, "Whether the Dardanians were an Illyrian or a Thracian people has been much debated..."
5. ^ Wilkes et al., 1992.
6. ^ Hemp, Georgiev 'et al.
7. ^ Fortson, Benjamin W. (2004). Indo-European Language and Culture. Blackwell Publishing. p. 390\. ISBN 1-4051-0316-7. "The widespread assertion [of origin of the language] that it is the modern-day descendant of Illyrian, spoken in much the same region during classical times, makes geographic and historical sense but is linguistically untestable since we know so little about Illyrian. Competing hypotheses, likewise untestable, would derive Albanian from Thracian, another lost ancient language from farther east than Illyrian, or from Daco-Mysian ..."
8. ^ "From the end of the 19th century, a central place in this problem [the origin of Albanian] belongs to the question of the possible development of Albanian from one of the languages that were spoken in Antiquity in the northern part of the Balkans. However, this question itself resulted from speculations that were largely deductive. Two main theories consider Albanian as a descendant of either Illyrian or Thracian languages, respectively ..." Rusakov, Alexander. "Albanian". In: Mate Kapović (ed.). The Indo-European Languages. Second edition. Routledge, 2017. p. 555.
9. ^ Ledesma, Manuel Sanz (1996). Ediciones Clásicas (ed.). El Albanés: gramática, historia, textos. Instrumenta studiorum: Lenguas indoeuropeas (in Spanish). pp. 37–38\. ISBN 9788478822089..
10. ^ Friedman, Victor (2022). "The Balkans". In Salikoko Mufwene, Anna Maria Escobar (ed.). The Cambridge Handbook of Language Contact: Volume 1: Population Movement and Language Change. Cambridge Handbooks in Language and Linguistics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781009115773.
11. ^ Hyllested, Adam; Joseph, Brian D. (2022). "Albanian". In Olander, Thomas (ed.). The Indo-European Language Family : A Phylogenetic Perspective. Cambridge University Press. pp. 223–245\. doi:10.1017/9781108758666.013. ISBN 9781108758666. S2CID 161016819. p. 235.
12. ^ Yntema, Douwe (2017). "The Pre-Roman Peoples of Apulia (1000-100 BC)". In Gary D. Farney, Guy Bradley (ed.). The Peoples of Ancient Italy. De Gruyter Reference. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. pp. 337–. ISBN 9781614513001. p. 337.
13. ^ Friedman, Victor A. (2020). "The Balkans". In Evangelia Adamou, Yaron Matras (ed.). The Routledge Handbook of Language Contact. Routledge Handbooks in Linguistics. Routledge. pp. 385–403\. ISBN 9781351109147. p. 338.
14. ^ Majer, Marek (2019). "Parahistoria indoevropiane e fjalës shqipe për 'motrën'" [Indo-European Prehistory of the Albanian Word for 'Sister']. Seminari Ndërkombëtar për Gjuhën, Letërsinë dhe Kulturën Shqiptare [International Seminar for Albanian Language, Literature and Culture] (in Albanian). 1 (38). University of Prishtina: 252–266\. ISSN 2521-3687. p. 258.
15. ^ Trumper, John (2018). "Some Celto-Albanian isoglosses and their implications". In Grimaldi, Mirko; Lai, Rosangela; Franco, Ludovico; Baldi, Benedetta (eds.). Structuring Variation in Romance Linguistics and Beyond: In Honour of Leonardo M. Savoia. John Benjamins Publishing Company. ISBN 9789027263179. p. 383–386.
16. ^ Paeonia

## Bibliography

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* Georgiev, Vladimir.
* Paliga, Sorin. Pre-Slavic place-names. 2002.
* Russu, Ion I. (1969). Limba traco-dacilor (in Romanian). Bucharest: Editura Stiintifica.
* Wilkes, J. J. (1992). The Illyrians. Blackwell. ISBN 06-3119-807-5.

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