Jump to content

List of reconstructed Dacian words

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Map of the geographical distribution of attested placenames with the -dava suffix, a Dacian word meaning "settlement" or "fort."

This article contains a list of reconstructed words of the ancient Dacian language. They have been restored by some linguists from attested place and personal names (toponyms and anthroponyms) from the historical region of Dacia.[1][2]

In the case of words reconstructed from onomastic evidence, the original meanings ascribed to the names in question are derived from examination of closely cognate words and placenames in other Indo-European languages, complemented by analysis of the historical evolution of such placenames.[3][4] However, the results are hypothetical and subject, in many cases, to divergent etymological interpretations.[5]

Reconstructions derived from Romanian and Albanian words that have not been attested to be Dacian or that have not been documented in Dacian territory are speculatively based on the unproven theory that Dacian constitutes the main linguistic substratum of Romanian and a closely related language to Albanian, a circular method criticised by mainstream historical linguistics.[6]

Reconstruction of words from place and personal names

[edit]

Methodology

[edit]

Both Georgiev and Duridanov use the comparative linguistic method to decipher ancient Thracian and Dacian names, respectively.

Georgiev argues that one can reliably decipher the meaning of an ancient place-name in an unknown language by comparing it to its successor-names and to cognate place-names and words in other IE languages, both ancient and modern. He gives several examples of his methodology, of which one is summarised here:

The city and river (a tributary of the Danube) in eastern Romania called Cernavodă. In Slavic, the name means "black water". The same town in Antiquity was known as Άξίοπα (Axiopa) or Άξιούπολις (Axioupolis) and its river as the Άξιος (Axios). The working assumption is, therefore, that Axiopa means "black water" in Dacian. According to the known rules of formation of IE composite words, this breaks down as axi = "black" and opa or upa = "water" in Dacian (the -polis element is ignored, as it is a Greek suffix meaning "city"). The assumption is then validated by examining cognate placenames. The axi element is validated by a tributary of the Vardar called the Axios, which is today known as Crna reka (located in Republic of Macedonia "black river") and by the older Greek name for the Black Sea, Άξεινος πόντος (Axeinos pontos, later altered to the euphemism Euxeinos pontos = "Hospitable sea"). The opa/upa element is validated by the Lithuanian cognate upė ("river").[4] This etymology is questioned by Russu: Axiopa, a name attested only in Procopius' De Aedificiis, may be a corrupt form of Axiopolis.[7] Even if correct, however, Russu's objection does not invalidate the decipherment of the axi- element.

Apart from Duridanov and Georgiev, other scholars have attempted to reconstruct Dacian and Thracian words. Russu (1967) attempted to decipher Thracian and Dacian onomastic elements (placenames and personal names) by reference to presumed proto-Indo-European roots-words.[8] Georgiev considers such a methodology (known as Wurzeletymologien = "root-etymologies") to be "devoid of scientific value".[9] This is because the root-words themselves are reconstructions, which are in some cases disputed and in all cases subject to uncertainty; multiple root-words can often explain the same word; and the list of proposed IE root-words may not be complete. Reichenkron (1966)[8] assumed that so-called "substratum" words in Romanian (those whose etymology cannot be ascribed to any of the fully documented languages that have influenced Romanian: Latin, Slavic, Hungarian, Greek, Turkish etc.) are of Dacian origin. But Polomé considers that such a methodology is not reliable.[10] This is because there is no guarantee that the substratum words are, in fact, Dacian. Instead, they could derive from other, unknown or little-known tongues at some period current in Dacia or Moesia: for example, possible pre-Indo-European language(s) of the Carpathians.

Methodological problems

[edit]

The methodology used by Georgiev and Duridanov has been questioned on a number of grounds, including:

  1. The phonetic systems of Dacian and Thracian and their evolution are not reconstructed from elements derived directly from the ancient languages in question but from their approximative Greek and Latin transcripts.[11][12] For example, Greek and Latin had no dedicated graphic signs for phonemes such as č, ġ, ž, š and others. Thus, if a Thracian or Dacian word contained such a phoneme, a Greek or Latin transcript would not represent it accurately.[13] This could result in the wrong cognate being selected to decipher the Dacian name.
  2. The etymologies that are adduced to validate the proposed Dacian and Thracian vowel- and consonant- changes (that are, in turn, used for word-reconstruction by the comparative method) are open to divergent interpretations, since the material is strictly onomastic, with the exception of Dacian plant-names and of the limited number of glosses.[14] Because of this, there are divergent and even contradictory assumptions for the phonological structure and development of the Dacian and Thracian languages.[14] Polomé (1982) notes that, in the case of personal names, the choice of etymology is often based on such assumed phonological rules.[15]
  3. Dana argues that both Georgiev and Duridanov ignore the context of the names and start from arbitrary assumptions, such as considering a name to be of Dacian origin simply because it is attested in Dacia. In Dana's opinion, the Dacian origin of some of the names is doubtful or even excluded. Also, Duridanov's method is unreliable because most of the names he considers are unique.[16]
  4. Dana questions the validity of the Baltic etymologies used to decipher the Dacian names.[16]
  5. According to Messing, Duridanov's results are in contradiction with the reconstruction of a Balto-Slavic language group, as they show many parallels between Dacian and Baltic, but only a few with Slavic languages.[17] (This objection is irrelevant if Baltic and Slavic constitute separate branches of IE (i.e. "Balto-Slavic" never existed, as some linguists maintain); or if, as Duridanov argues, Dacian acquired Baltic words through long-term proximity interaction with Baltic languages, rather than through a genetic link).

Despite these objections, Georgiev and Duridanov claim a high degree of reliability for their reconstructions. However, Polomé (1982), in his survey of the state of research into paleo-Balkan languages for Cambridge Ancient History, considers that only "20–25 Dacian, and 40–45 Thracian words have had reasonable, but not certain, Indo-European etymologies proposed". [18] This compares with c. 100 Dacian words reconstructed by Duridanov, and c. 200 Thracian words by Georgiev.

Reconstructed Dacian words

[edit]
Key
TABLE A: ATTESTED DACIAN WORDS
(exc Dacian plant names)
Dacian
word		 Meaning Attestation Possible Indo-European
root-word(s)		 Ancient cognates Modern cognates Notes
dava city, settlement e.g. PN Rusidava
per son (child) inscription Decebal per Scorilo ("Decebal son of Scorilus")[19] Thrac. -por ("son of": PRN Mucapor = "son of Muka")
Iranic -pur (e.g. Shapur = "son of the king"
Latin puer ("boy") 		Alb. bir ("son")
Lith. bernas ("lad"), peras[20] ("whelp"),

Latv. bērns ("child"), Rom."prichindel"("small child")

-zila or
-dila 		plant, herb (bot.) Dacian plant-names Gaulish dula ("leaf") Lith. žolė
Latv. zāle 		Per Georgiev, the suffixes -dela, -dil(l)a, -zila and -tilia indicate names of medicinal plants.[21]
TABLE B: DACIAN WORDS RECONSTRUCTED FROM ANCIENT NAMES
Reconstructed
Dacian word[22]		 Meaning Attestation Possible Indo-European
root-word(s)		 Ancient cognates
(same meaning unless stated)		 Modern cognates
(same meaning unless stated)		 Cognate
placenames		 Notes
*aba, apa water, river RN *Calabaeus,[23] river in Scythia Minor
RN Apos 		*ab- ("water", "river")

It derived from akwa (shift kw>p, gw>b)[24]

Latin amnis (der.< arch. Latin *abnis), Old Persian ap- ("river") Old Pr. ape ("river") Lith: Upė, Latv. upe ("river"), Romanian: apă,
Alb. amë "river bed" also hap "opening" (< PAl *abnā) 		Latv. RN Abava, Abula
Dac. RN Apos 		Apos is a Dacian or an Illyrian river name[25][26]
*akmon stone, rock PN Άκμονία[27]
(Acmonia)[28]
in R. Dacia between river Thibiscum and Sarmizegethusa 		*ak- ("sharp") Greek άχμον (akmon, "meteorite") Lith. akmuo
Old Latv. akmuons, Latv. akmens, akmenis
Alb. kmesë "sickle"
Romanian: ac ("needle") 		Lith. RN Akmene, LN Akmenas
Phrygian PN Άκμονία (Akmonia) 		Acmonia was spelled Augmonia and Agmonia by the Geographer of Ravenna[29]
*aksi- black PN Άξίοπα (Axiopa), town in Scythia Minor, RN Axios, Macedonian river (now Vardar)[30] Old Persian a-xsei 'black, dark'[30] Alb. i zi "black", nxij "tarnish" (i) According to Georgiev, Dacian Axiopa was translated by Slavic successor-population into mod. name Cernavoda ("Black Water"). River Axios was similarly translated into mod. Bulg. name Crna Rijeka ("Black River")

(ii) Acc. to Parvulescu, Axios name reflects the Iranic (via the Scythian language) root a-xsei 'black, dark' .[30] (iii) Russu argues Axiopa is not a Dacian name, but a corrupt rendition of Axiopolis (a town of Scythia Minor).[7]

*albo[31] white PN Alboca (Dacia)[31]

TN = Albocensi[31]

*albho ("white")[31] Latin albus Romanian: alb
Alb. elb (<PA albi) "barley"
*alda (noun),
*alta- (adj.) 		swamp, waterlogged place PN Άλδανες (Aldanes):[32] fort near Naissus (Moesia Sup.)
PN Αλτίνα (Altina):[33] fort nr. Tramarisca 		*olda, *olta ("water", "odorous") Lith. aleti ("flooded")
Latv. aluots, avuots ("source")
Arm. ałt ("filthy")
Alb. balta ("mud", "clay", "dirt")
Rom. baltă ("puddle", "pond") 		Latv. RN Aldes. SN Altenes
Lith. RN Altis 		The Dacian origin of Aldanes is controversial.[34]
*alm- to flow, to stream RN Almus,[35] Dacia Ripensis (Lom, Bulg.}, PN Almo (fort at river-mouth) Lith. almėti ("to flow uninterruptedly"), Latv. aluot, aluoti
*amalas mistletoe (Bot. Viscum album) PN Amlaidina,[36] prob. in Scythia Minor (Dobrogea, Rom.) Lith. ãmalas
Latv. amuols
Rus. oméla
*ara river-course, tide RN Arine[37] river in Dacia, PN Αρίνα, (Arina)[38] fort in Moesia Inf. Gothic runs ("flow") Rom. Arieş, Mureş, Siret, Criş river names in Modern Romania Lith. RN Arina
*auras, *auro[39][40] water, moisture, pool RN Αύρας (Auras),[41] river near Istros, Scythia Min. *uer, *au(e)r 'wet, moisten'[40] Greek αν-αυρος (an-auros, "without water") Alb. ujera "waters". Old Pr. RN Aure
*baidas frightening, repulsive PRN Baedarus (from Drobeta),[42] PRN Bedarus (from Potaissa)[43] *bhoidho-s (Pok. IEW 162) Lith. baidýti ("to frighten")
Latv. baîdās, bailes ("fear", "anxiety"), Russian боиться (boit'sja) "to fear"
*balas,*balos[44] strong[44] PRN Decebalus[44] *bel ('strong'),[44][45] Sanskrit bala-m- 'force, strong'[45] Rom. fală, fălos - pride, imposing Alb. (Gheg) ballas "facing danger",për-balcë "to face, defy"
*balas white PRN Balius (from Dacia)[46] *bhel- ('white, bright')[47] Ancient Greek phalos, phalios, anc. Greek balios "dappled"(< balios is considered a loan from Thracian or Illyrian; it is attested as far back as Homer's Iliad)[48] Rom. bălan (white (horse), blonde), bălai (blonde)
Lith. bãltas
Latv. bãls
Alb. bardhë "white", Alb. bal, "piebald dog or horse"[citation needed]
*berza birch-tree (Bot. Betula) PN Bersovia,[49] Berzobis[50] town in SW Dacia *bhereg "shine", "white" including "birch-tree"[51] Old Bulg. *brěza Lith. béržas
Latv. bērzs
Alb. bredh (< earlier *berdh) 		Here, it is no observable difference between Thracian and Dacian[52]
*bur, buris[53] plentiful, rich, swollen[53] PRN Burebista and PRN Mucabur[53] *b(e)u-, bh(e)u-('to swell, inflate, plentiful')[53] Old Indian bhū́-ri-ḥ 'rich, a lot, immense'[53] Lith. būrys ("a lot, a bunch, a flock")
Latv. burvis (a mag), bur, buris (conjuring)
Alb. boll ("plenty")
*brukla cranberry (Bot. Vaccinium Oxycoccus) PN Brucla[54]
(fort in Dacia, W of R. Mureş) 		*bhreu-k- ("to spread") Latv. brūkle, brūklene, brūklenāys (cowberry plant-place)
Lith. bruknė
Alb.brukë "tamarind" 		Latv. MN Brùkļu
Lith. SN Bruklynė
*buta(s) house, hut, dwelling PN Βούττις (Buttis)[55](fort in Dacia Med.)
PN Boutae[56] (mountain pass into Dacia) 		Lith. bùtas, butà
Latv. buts, būda ("small house")
Old Pr. buttan
Alb. bujt "dwell, accommodate", bujtinë "small house" 		Latv. PN Butani
Old Pr. PN Butyn
Lith. RN Butėnių (kaimas) 		The Dacian origin of Bouttis is controversial.[57]
*čuk-[58] peak, summit PN Thōkyōdis Via[59]
PN *Thoukysidantikī[60] 		*ḱu- ("sharp", "pike") Rom. ciucă, cioc "beak"
Bulg. čuka "small hill"
Latv. čuk-ur-s (summit of roof)
Alb. çuka "crest", suka "hillock"
Greek τσούκα "tumulus"
Hung. csùcs 		Rom. MN Ciuc (possibly from Hung. csík)
Rom. MN Ciucaș
*daba character, nature PRN Δαβεις (Dabis) Old Slavonic dob- Lith. dabá
Latv. daba
Rom. teapă 		Pol. PRN Doba, Dobe
*daba put in order, good[61] PRN Dabeis[61] *dabh ('arrange, suitable')[61]
*d(i)egis burning, shining PRN Degis dhegʷh ('to burn')[62] Sanskrit dáhati ("it burns"), Mid Iranian daig Lith. dègti ("to burn")
Latv. deglis ("burning torch")
Alb. djeg ("burn")
*dina(s) place, region, plain PN Amlaidina, Asbolodina Old Pr. PN Resedynen
*dita(s) light (noun), bright (adj.) PRN Ditugentus[63] *dei-, *di- (to shine, shimmer) Thrac. *ditas Alb. ditë ("day") Old Pr. PRN Ditte
Lith. PN Ditava
*drasda thrush (bird) PN Drasdea Old Slav. drozda Bulg. drozd thrush
Latv. strazds ("thrush")

Lith. strazdas ("thrush")
Alb. trishta

Lith. strãzdas
Lat. draza
Eng. thrush
Swe. trast
Irish truid 		Old Pr. PN Drasda
*dribas/*drigas wild, restless PRN Dribalus[64]
PRN Aurelius Drigissa,[65] a veteran of Legio VII Claudia 		Latv. dribis, dribulis ("a restless man")
Lith. drignis
Alb. dridhem "to shake, tremble" 		Latv. PN Driba
Lith. PN Drigotas
Old Latv. RN Dryzel
Rus. (Baltic origin) RN Drigin'a
*duia swamp or mist, drizzle PN Δουιανα (Duiana), fort in Dacia Mediterranea[66] Lith. dujà (both meanings)
Latv. dujs ("dirty")
Alb. ndyj "dirt" 		Latv. PN Dujas
Russian (Baltic origin) RN Dyja
Lith. PN Daujėnai 		The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[67]
*dūmas dark brown PN Dimum (from *Dumum) Old Irish dumhach ("dark, foggy") Lith. dūmas
Latv. dūms
Alb.tym ("fog, smoke, uncertainty")
E.Bengali. "dhuma" (smoke, fog)
Bulg. tama ("darkness, uncertainty") 		Thrac. PN Δὐμη (Dimi)
*galtis sheet-ice, frost PN Galtis gel(ǝ) ('cold, freeze')[68] Latv. gàla
Rus. golot
Lith. gailus (cold) gelti (to bite, to sting, to ache) 		Old Pr. PN Galtengarb
*genukla pasture, meadow PN Γένουκλα (Genucla)[69]
(fortress of Getan king Zyraxes on Danube) 		Lith. ganyklà
Latv. ganīkla
Alb. gjanë "river mud" 		Latv. SN Dzęnuklis
*ger[70] smart, awake[70] PRN Gerula[70] *ger-4, grēi-(to grow; to awake)[71][70] Latin agilis

Rom. "ager" "smart, clever"

*geras good (-natured), kind PRN Gerulo
PRN Gerula 		*guer(α)-[72] Lith. gēras,
Alb. gjorë "miserable, wretched" 		Lith. PN Gerulių, RN Gerùlis
*germas hot, warm PN Γέρμαζα (Germaza), PN Γερμἰζερα (Germizera) *ghwer- Latin formus
Sanskrit gharma 		Rom. "jar" "embers"
Latv. gařme
Gr. θερμὀς,
Alb. zjarm "fire, heat" 		Thrac. PN Γερμανἰα
Bulg. RN Germania
*gilus deep PN Gildoba,[73] unknown "Thracian" location where St. Julius was revered Lith. gilùs
Latv. dziļš
Old Pr. gillin 		Lith. RNs Gilijà, Gilupis, Gỹlė
Old Pr. LN Gilge
Latv. LN Dziļaune
*gira (giria) forest or mountain PN Giridava gʷeru ('pole, pike')[74] Sanskrit girí-h ("mountain") Lith. girė, girià ("forest")
Latv. dzire ("mountain")
Rus. gora 'mountain'
Bulg. gora 'forest'
Alb. gur "stone"
*granda plank PN Γράνδετον (Grandeton), fort near Naissus (Moesia Superior) Bulg. greda ("beam")
Lith. grandà ("bridge-plank")
Old Pr. grandico
Latv. gruõdi 		Lith. PN Grandų káimas
Latv. RNs Gruõds, Gruõdi, Gruõdupis
Rom. grinda 		The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[75]
*griva river-bed or river-mouth PN Γρίβο (Grivo),[76] fort near Naissus (moesia Sup.) Thrac. ? *grava ("valley" or "river-bed") Latv. grĩva ("river-mouth")
Lith. greva ("river-bed")
Alb. gravë "cave, lair" 		Lith. RN Grýva
Latv. RNs Grīva, Grīvīte 		The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[77]
kaga[78] sacred, holy kaga[79] *kʷog(h)- (< *kʷeg(h)-) Old Slav. kazat, skazat ("to tell", "to say")
*kalas catfish (?) RN Calabaeus Latin squālus ("large sea fish, shark")
Old Norse hualr ("whale") 		Old Pr. kalis ("catfish")
*kapas hill, slope PN Καπίδαυα (Capidava) Lith. kãpas
Latv. kãpa ("dune, slope")
Alb. kapë ("huge heap")
*kapura hill PN Capora[80] (in basin of river Tyras (Dniester) Lith. kapùrna ("mossy mound")
*karpa to cut, stone[81] MN Carpates TN Karpoi, Carpi,[81][82] *sker, *ker ("to cut"),[81][82] Latv. kārpa (from kārpīt ("to dig and to kick"))
Alb. karpe (*karp-m-) ("stone"),[81] këput "to cut". 		Carpathian Mts.,[81] Carpi tribe .[82]
*karsa cave PN Carsion
Thrac. PN Carsaleon
*katas stable, animal enclosure PN Κάττουζα (Cattuza) Avestan kata- ("cellar") Alb. katoq, kotec, "animal enclosure" Latv. PN Katužs
*keda seat, stool PN Cedonia Lith. kedė
*kerba swampy ground PN Cerbatis Lith. kirba Lith. RN Kerbẽsas
*kerna bush PN *Cerna Old. Pr. kirno
Lith. kirna ("undergrowth") 		Lith. LN Kernỹs
*kerta clearing in a wood PN Certie Lith. kertė
Latv. cirte (clearing in a wood), cērte (pickaxe)
*kina dry ground (mound) in a swamp PN Ciniscus Lith. kinė, kinis
Latv. cine, cin(i)s
*klevas maple-tree (Bot.) PN Clevora Lith. klevas
Latv. klavs
Bulg. klen maple
*krata swampy place or pile, heap PN Κρατίσκαρα (Cratiscara) Lith. kratà ("heaped"), kritùs ("swampy")
Latv. krata ("shaking when driving on bumpy road") 		The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[83]
*kurta grove (stand of planted trees, often sacred) PN Κουρτα (Curta); Thrac. PN Κουρτουσουρα (Curtusura) Old Pr. korto
Alb. korije "grove"
*lug- swamp, bog RN Λύγινος (Luginos) Illyr. ἔλος Λοὐγεον Latv. luga
Rus. luža ("puddle")
Alb.lug ("trough"), ligatinë ("bog"), luginë ("valley") 		Gallic PN Lugdunum (Lyon)
*mala (river) bank, shore, beach PN Dacia Malvensis (name of Roman province) Rom. mal
Latv. mala 		Alb. mal = elevated ground, mountain, hill. Dacia Malvensis meant "river-bank Dacia", ref. to its situation on (north) bank of Danube. Name Latinised to Dacia Riparia or Ripensis (Latin: rīpa = "riverbank") in new province created by Aurelian on south side of Danube after evacuation of Dacia.
*maska pool, puddle PN Μασκάς (Maskas) Latv. PN Mãskas
*mauda(s) hemlock (Conium)(bot.) PN Pomodiana Lith. maudá, máudas Illyrian PN Pamodus (island)
*medeka glade (clearing in a forest) PN Μέδεκα (Medeka) Lith. medėkas The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[84]
*musas mould, moss RN Μουσαίος (Museos), Thrac. PN Μωσυπα (Muspa) Old Slav. мъсһъ
Old High German mos ("swamp")
Gr. μὐσος (músos) 		Lith. mūsas (mùsas)
Alb. myshk "mould, moss"
*nara(s) river, brook RN (Rom. from Dac.) Nǎruja Lith. nérti ("to dive", "swim underwater")
Latv. nāra ("mermaid" from nirt ("to dive"))
Alb. hum-nerë "precipice, chasm" 		Lith. RN Neris, Narùpis
Illyr. RN Νάρον
*net- flow PN Νετίνδαυα (Netindava), RN Netupa Latin natāre ("to swim") Alb.not "to swim" Rom.înot "to swim"
*padas threshing-floor PN Παδισάρα (Padisara) Lith. pãdas
Bulg. pad fall
*pala, *palma swamp, bog PN Παλαδεινα (Paladina); PN Palmatis Latin palūs Lith. pãlios
Latv. pali ("floods")
Alb.pellg ("swamp") 		Lith. RN Palminỹs
*pil- to flow RN Gilpil Lith. pilti ("to pour, to flow")
Latv. pilt ("to drip, to fill up"), pile ("a drop")


Bulg. pilea scatter

*preida pine-tree (Bot. pinus) PN Πρέιδις (Pridis) Latv. priẽde
Alb.bredh ("fir tree")
Bulg. bor ("pine-tree")
*put- to swell, thicken PN Putina Lith. pūstis ("to swell"); Lith pùtinas ("snowball") Old Latv. PRN Putte
*rabo, rebo 'to move' 'to flow' 'be in motion' RN Rabon river in Dacia (Jiul?) It was etymologically connected with Arabon (Narabon?) from Pannonia[85] *rebh 'to move' 'to flow' 'be in motion'[86] Alb. rrjedh ("to flow")
*ramus peaceful, restful PN Ραμίδαυα (Ramidava); Thrac. PN Rhamae Sanskrit rámate Lith. ramùs
Latv. rāms ("calm, peaceful")
Alb. ramun ("fallen asleep") 		Latv. Rāmava
*rō(u)ka drizzle, fine rain PN (from RN) Rhocobae Lith. rõkė
Alb. rrjedh "to flow" or rajka "falling(snow, rain etc.)"
*rus- to flow PN Rusidava; Thrac. PN Ροὐσιον Lith. ruséti ("to flow slowly")
Alb.rreshje "precipitation"
*san-apa confluence (of two rivers) RN Sanpaeus Lith. Santaka Lith. LN Sampė (< *San-upė)
*sausas dry PRN Sausa *saus- ('dry')[87] Lith. saũsas
Latv. sauss ("dry")
Alb. thatë "dry"
Bulg. suh ("dry")
*sermas river, river-current PN Sirmium
*skabas sharp, quick, lively PRN Σκαβης (Scabis) Latin scābēre ("to scratch") Lith. skubus ("prompt, swift"), skabùs ("sharp"), skabrùs ("quick, lively")
Latv. skuba ("hurry"), skubināt ("to hurry, to rush")
Alb. i shkathët "quick, prompt"
*skaudus painful, sad or powerful TN Scaugdae Lith. skaudùs
Latv. skauds, skaudrs ("very intensive" (pain))
*skena clearing (in a wood) PN Scenopa Lith. nuo-skena
*skuia fir-tree (Bot.) PN Σκουάνες (Scuanes) sk(h)u̯oi̯-, sk(h)u̯i(i̯)- ('needle, thorn')[87] Old Slav. chvoja (pine needles/branches) Latv. skuja ("spruce-needle")
Alb. hu "stake, picket, pole" 		The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[88]
*skumbras hill, down PN Σκουμβρο (Scumbro) Old Alb. zëmbres, zbres ("to go down) Latv. kumbrs ("rounded top of a hill") The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[89]
*spirus fast, quick, rapid RN Πασπίριος (Paspirios) Lith. spėrus
Latv. spars ("force, zeal"), spert ("to hit quickly")


Old Alb. shpjertë, Alb. shpejtë "fast, quick"
Bulg. skoro ("quickly, fast")

*stendas stiff, rigid, viscose PN Στένδαι (Stende) Lith. standùs, Alb. tendos "rigid", Bulg. stena ("wall") Latv. RN Steñde The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[90]
*suka rip, tear, gap PN Σουκίδαυα (Sucidava); Thrac. PN Succi (mt. pass) Lith. šùkė
Latv. sukums
Alb. shuk or shkun "to shake, beat, push"
*sunka liquid, to flow PN (from RN) Σονκητα (Sunkita) Lith. sunkà ("liquid", "tree-sap"),
Alb. lëng "liquid" 		Lith. RN Sunkìnė
*suras salty PN Σούρικον (Suricon) Lith. sūras
Latv. sūrs ("salty and bitter")
Alb. shurrë "urine", "sour liquid"
*taras chatterer, gossiper PRN Tara Alb.thërras "call"
*tauta people, nation, country PRN Tautomedes Old Pr. tauto ("country")
Goth. thiuda ("people")
Old Irish tuath ("people") 		Lith. tautà ("people, country")
Latv. tauta ("people"),
Alb.Tënde ("your kin", "your own")
*tiras bare, barren, desolate FN Τίριξις (Tirizis) Lith. týras
Latv. tīrs ("clean")
*tut- blow, emit smoke RN Τοὐτης (Tutes) Lith. tűtúoti ("to blow", "to sound horn")
Ger. tuten ("to hoot")
Alb. tyta "pipe, barrel", tym/tymos "smoke, to smoke" 		Lith RN Tūtupis
*upa river PN Scenopa Lith. upė
Latv. upe ("river")
*urda(s) stream, brook RN Όρδησσός (Ordessos); Thrac. PN (from RN) Οὐρδαυς (Urdanes) Lith. urdulỹs
Latv. urdaviņa
Alb. hurdhë "brook" 		Celtic RN Urda, Bulg. RN Arda
*vaigas fast, rapid PN (from RN) Aegeta Lith. RN Váigupis
*varpa whirlpool PN (from RN) Άρπις (Harpis) Lith. verpetas
Latv. virpa ("whirlpool")
Alb. vorbull "whirlpool" 		Lith. RN Varpė
*visas fertile, fruitful PN Βισ-δίνα (Visdina) Lith. vislus, vaisùs Lith. PN Visalaukė
*zalmo- fur, skin, shield PRN Ζαλμοδεγικος (Zalmodenicos)
Ζάλμοξις (Zalmoxis) 		Alb. thelmë "rag, patch" (in sewing)
*zelmas shoot (of a plant) PRN Ζαλμοδεγικος Lith. želmuo
Latv. zelmenis ("a field of shoots, shoots in the field"), zelt ("to grow, to become green")
Alb. çel ("blossom")
*zud-as careful, precise PRN Zude Latv. zūdit ("to take care") Lith. PN Zude, Zudius Alb. kujdes ("to take care")
*zuras hot, shining RN Zyras Sanskrit jūrvati ("scorched") Latv. zvêruot ("to light up", "shine"), Lith.žaros ("sparkles, glow"),
Alb.Ziej, i zier ("boiling" "hot") 		Latv. PN (< RN) Zūras
Lith. RN Žiūrà

Alleged words reconstructed from Romanian and Albanian

[edit]

Georgiev, Duridanov and Russu concur that the Dacian language constitutes the main pre-Latin substratum of the modern Romanian language. Duridanov also accepts Georgiev's theory that modern Albanian is descended from "Daco-Moesian". Where words in modern Albanian and/or Romanian can be plausibly linked to an Indo-European root and modern cognates of similar meaning, a reconstruction of the putative Dacian originals have been proposed by Duridanov, who included them in a separate list from words reconstructed from placenames.

CAVEAT: The following word-reconstructions are based on the assumption that the Albanian language is descended from "Daco-Moesian". This theory is contested by many linguists, especially Albanian, who consider the language a direct descendant of the extinct Illyrian language.[91] Thus, reconstructions based on modern Albanian words, or Romanian substratum words with Albanian cognates, may in reality represent ancient Illyrian, rather than Dacian, elements. In addition, the reconstructions below, unlike those in Table A above, are not validated by Dacian place- or personal names. The "Dacianity" of the reconstructions is therefore completely speculative, in comparison to those derived from placenames. (N.B. Even if Albanian is descended from Illyrian, the reconstructions below could nevertheless represent Dacian elements if the "Daco-Illyrian" theory - that the Dacian and Illyrian languages were closely related - is correct; or if the words below represent Illyrian borrowings from "Daco-Moesian", but not if they represent "Daco-Moesian" borrowings from Illyrian)

TABLE C: ALLEGED DACIAN WORDS RECONSTRUCTED FROM ALBANIAN AND ROMANIAN WORDS[92]
Dacian
word		 Meaning Albanian and Romanian word Possible Indo-European
root-word(s)		 Modern cognates Notes
*bred- fir-tree (Abies alba) Alb. bredh
Rom. brad 		*bhreg'-os, *bhrog'-os (Pokorny IEW 139) Lith. brãzas (resin), Old Slav. brěza (birch)
*daina song Rom. dialect daină, doină
Alb. zana "mountain fairy" 		*doina Lith. dainà, Lat. daīņa
*mal- bank, shore or mountain Alb. mal (mountain)
Rom. mal (bank, shore) 		*mol- (Pok. aaO. 721f) Lat. mala (beach, shore)
*spand- hellebore (plant: Helleborus purpurescens) Alb. shpendër
Rom. spînz 		*sponǎ(i)- (Georgiev 1965 p80) Lat. spuóds (bright)
*skrumb ash, burnt material Alb. shkrumb
Rom. scrum 		*skrṃb(h)- Lith. skrembù (skrebti) Old Prussian placename Scrumbayn (today Schrombehnen)
*strunga milking-enclosure Alb. shtrungë
Rom. strungă 		*strṇgā Dacian placename Στρὁγγες (Proc. Aed. IV.4)
*zuv- fish Rom. juvete (a species of fish) *g'hduụ- (Pok. IEW 416) Lith. žuvis Lat. dial. zuva Dac. placename Ζουσἱδαυα

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Duridanov (1969) 90–5
  2. ^ Georgiev (1976) 276–8
  3. ^ Duridanov (1969) 12–13
  4. ^ a b Georgiev (1976) 277
  5. ^ Polomé 1982, p. 878
  6. ^ Ledesma, Manuel Sanz (1996). Ediciones Clásicas (ed.). El Albanés: gramática, historia, textos. Instrumenta studiorum: Lenguas indoeuropeas (in Spanish). pp. 37–38. ISBN 9788478822089..
  7. ^ a b See Russu 1963, p. 131 and Russu 1969, p. 76. Ἀξιόπλ is assumed to be an abbreviation for Axiopolis in the manuscripts of De Aedificiis.
  8. ^ a b Posner & Green 1981, p. 71.
  9. ^ Georgiev 1977, p. 276.
  10. ^ Polomé 1982, p. 876.
  11. ^ Fisher 2003, p. 570.
  12. ^ Polomé 1982, p. 885.
  13. ^ Paliga 1986, p. 120.
  14. ^ a b Polomé 1982, pp. 878–879.
  15. ^ Polomé 1982, p. 881.
  16. ^ a b Dana 2003, p. 169-170.
  17. ^ Messing 1972, p. 962.
  18. ^ Polomé 1982, p. 872.
  19. ^ McKendrick (1965) 45
  20. ^ "Lietuvių kalbos žodynas (Academic Dictionary of Lithuanian)". lkz.lt. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  21. ^ Georgiev, Vladimir I.. "Thrakisch und Dakisch". Band 29/2. Teilband Sprache und Literatur (Sprachen und Schriften [Forts.]), edited by Wolfgang Haase, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1983. p. 1180. doi:10.1515/9783110847031-015
  22. ^ Source unless otherwise specified: Duridanov (1969) pp90-5
  23. ^ ISM I 68
  24. ^ Walde-Pokorny 1959, p. 46
  25. ^ Kitson 1996, p. 218.
  26. ^ Athanassakis 1999, p. 108.
  27. ^ Ptolemy III.8.4
  28. ^ Rav. 203.14
  29. ^ Schütte 1917, p. 85.
  30. ^ a b c Parvulescu 1989, p. 291.
  31. ^ a b c d Russu 1967, p. 90.
  32. ^ Proc. De Aed IV.4
  33. ^ Proc. De Aed. IV.11
  34. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 11, but Celtic according to Beševliev 1970, p. 104, cf. Aldaniae, Aldaniacus mons.
  35. ^ It. Ant. 219.4; Tab. Peut. VII.5
  36. ^ CIL III. 13743
  37. ^ Rav. IV.14
  38. ^ Proc. De Aed. IV.11
  39. ^ Duridanov (1969) 91
  40. ^ a b Russu 1967, p. 137, 143.
  41. ^ Herod. IV.49
  42. ^ CIL III.8021
  43. ^ CIL III.917
  44. ^ a b c d Russu 1969, p. 150, 163.
  45. ^ a b Walde & Pokorny 1973, p. 110.
  46. ^ CIL III.8064
  47. ^ Walde & Pokorny 1973, p. 118-120.
  48. ^ Athanassakis, Apostolos N. (2002). "Akhilleus's Horse Balios: Old and New Etymologies". Glotta. 78 (1/4): 1–11. ISSN 0017-1298. JSTOR 40267134.
  49. ^ Rav. 204.3; Tab. Peut. VII.3
  50. ^ Prisc. Inst. VI.13
  51. ^ Walde & Pokorny 1973, p. 170.
  52. ^ Solta 1980, p. 22.
  53. ^ a b c d e Russu 1967, p. 97, 132.
  54. ^ Tab. Peut. VIII.2
  55. ^ Proc. De Aed IV.4; Hes. 122.26
  56. ^ Jord. Get. 74
  57. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 84, but Celtic according to Beševliev 1970, p. 99.
  58. ^ Olteanu (2007)
  59. ^ Olteanu 2007. Θωκύωδις βία in Proc. De Aed., IV.11,15
  60. ^ Olteanu 2007. *Θουκυσιδαντικη is one of the strategies of Thrace. Θουκυσιδαντικῆς on IGB IV 2338.
  61. ^ a b c Russu 1969, p. 151, 158.
  62. ^ Walde & Pokorny 1973, p. 240.
  63. ^ CIL III.835
  64. ^ CIL III.3888
  65. ^ CIL III.14507
  66. ^ Proc. De Aed. IV.4; Hes. 121, 17
  67. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 151, but Latin according to Russu 1962, p. 398 and Beševliev 1970, p. 97, derived with suffix -iana.
  68. ^ Walde & Pokorny 1973, p. 366.
  69. ^ Dio LI.26
  70. ^ a b c d Russu 1967, p. 137, 140.
  71. ^ Walde-Pokorny 1959, p. 598f.
  72. ^ Pokorny 478
  73. ^ Acta SS Nov. II.155 XIII Kal. ian.
  74. ^ Walde & Pokorny 1973, p. 479.
  75. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 108, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, p. 106: Granditum [castellum].
  76. ^ Proc. De Aed. IV.4; H. 124, 9
  77. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 109, but Latin or Celtic according to Beševliev 1970, pp. 25, 114: Gribus possibly derived from a Celtic *gravo = "sand".
  78. ^ Sluşanschi (1989)
  79. ^ Olteanu 1989. The word καγα occurs twice, in ISM II 36 and in ISM II 138, with the meaning sacrum.
  80. ^ Rav. 178, 3
  81. ^ a b c d e Russu 1969, pp. 114, 205.
  82. ^ a b c Poghirc 1989, p. 302.
  83. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 266, possibly derived from a Greek name, but Celtic according to Beševliev 1970, p. 93.
  84. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 291, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, p. 97: the adjective medicus.
  85. ^ Russu 1969, p. 134.
  86. ^ Russu 1969, p. 153, 158.
  87. ^ a b Walde & Pokorny 1973, p. 880.
  88. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 461, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, p. 100: squama = "scale, metal plate".
  89. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 459,461, related to the Thracian tribe Σκόμβροι, and to the mountain name Σκόμβρος, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, pp. 57, 111: scomber = "mackerel".
  90. ^ Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 479, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, pp. 94, 114.
  91. ^ Polomé 1982, p. 888.
  92. ^ Duridanov 1969 93–5 unless otherwise stated

References

[edit]

Ancient

[edit]

Modern

[edit]
  • Abramea, Anna P (1994). Thrace. Idea Advertising-Marketing. ISBN 9789608560918.
  • Asenova, Petja (1999). "Bulgarian". Handbuch der Südosteuropa-Linguistik. Wiesbaden, Harrassowitz. ISBN 9783447039390.
  • Athanassakis, Apostolos N. (1999). "Okeanos: Mythic and Linguistic Origins". Proceedings of the tenth annual UCLA Indo-European Conference, Los Angeles, May 21–23, 1998. pp. 95–116.
  • Beševliev, Veselin (1970). Zur Deutung der Kastellnamen in Prokops Werk "De Aedificiis". Amsterdam: Adolf M. Hakkert.
  • Fraser, P.M. (1959). Samothrace: no. 1. The inscriptions on stone edited by Karl Lehmann, Phyllis Williams Lehmann. Pantheon Books.
  • Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World (2000)
  • Gordon, Childe (1930). The Bronze Age/With Map. Biblo-Moser. ISBN 978-0819601230.
  • CIL: Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
  • Crossland, R.A. (1982). "Linguistic problems of the Balkan area in the late prehistoric and early Classical period". In Boardman, John (ed.). The Cambridge Ancient History. Vol. III.1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521224963.
  • Dana, Dan (2003). "Les daces dans les ostraca du désert oriental de l'Égypte. Morphologie des noms daces". Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik. 143: 166–186.
  • Detschew, Dimiter (1957). Die thrakischen Sprachreste. Vienna: Rudolf M. Rohrer.
  • Georgiev, Vladimir I. (1977). Trakite i technijat ezik/Les Thraces et leur langue (The Thracians and their language) (in Bulgarian and French). Sofia, Bulgaria: Izdatelstvo na Bălgarskata Akademija na naukite.
  • Price, Glanville (1998). Encyclopedia of the languages of Europe. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-22039-9.
  • Du Nay, André (1977). The early history of the Rumanian language. ISBN 9780933104037.
  • Duridanov, I. (1969): Die Thrakisch- und Dakisch-Baltischen Sprachbeziehungen
  • Fisher, Iancu (2003). Les substrats et leur influence sur les langues romanes: la Romania du Sud-Est / Substrate und ihre Wirkung auf die romanischen Sprachen: Sudostromania in Romanische Sprachgeschichte. Mouton De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3110146943.
  • Fol, Alexander (1996). Thracians, Celts, Illyrians and Dacians in History of Humanity: From Seventh Century B.C. to the Seventh Century A.D. Bernan Assoc. ISBN 978-9231028120.
  • Jones, A. H. M. (1964): The Later Roman Empire, 284-602
  • Kitson, Peter R. (1996). "Reconstruction, typology and the "original homeland" of the Indo-Europeans". In Fisiak, Jacek (ed.). Linguistic reconstruction and typology. Mouton De Gruyter. pp. 183–239. ISBN 978-3110149050.
  • Lloshi, Xhevat (1999): Albanian in Handbuch der Südosteuropa Linguistik Band 10 (online)
  • Mayer, H.E. (1992). "Dacian and Thracian as southern Baltoidic". Lituanus. 38 (2). Defense Language Institute, United States Department of Defense. ISSN 0024-5089.
  • MacKendrick, Paul Lachlan (1975). The Dacian Stones Speak. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. pp. 60–61. ISBN 0-8078-1226-9.
  • Messing, Gordon M. (1972). "'Thrakisch-dakische Studien, I: Die thrakisch- und dakisch-baltischen Sprachbeziehungen by Ivan Duridanov' reviewed by Gordon M. Messing Cornell University Edited by George Melville Bolling". Language. 48 (4). Linguistic Society of America: 960–963. doi:10.2307/412001. JSTOR 412001.
  • Nandris, John (1976). The Dacian Iron Age A Comment in a European Context in Festschrift für Richard Pittioni zum siebzigsten Geburtstag. Wien, Deuticke, Horn, Berger. ISBN 9783700544203.
  • Olteanu, Sorin (2007). "Toponime procopiene". SCIVA. 58 (1–2): 67–116.
  • Olteanu, Sorin (1989). "Kaga şi Kōgaionon. Datele problemei". Thraco-Dacica. X: 215–217.
  • Paliga, Sorin (1986). The social structure of the South-East European Societies in the Middle Ages. A Linguistic View. Vol. s 26–29. Linguistica.
  • Papazoglu, Fanula (1978). The Central Balkan Tribes in Pre-Roman Times:Triballi, Autariatae, Dardanians, Scordisci, & Moesians, translated by Mary Stansfield-Popovic. John Benjamins North America, Incorporated. ISBN 9789025607937.
  • Parvan, Vasile (1928). Dacia. The Cambridge University Press.
  • Parvulescu, Adrian (1989). 'Black water' in the Thracian hidronymy Thracians and Mycenaeans: Proceedings of the Fourth International Congress of Thracology Rotterdam, 24–26 September 1984. Brill Academic Pub. ISBN 978-9004088641.
  • Poghirc, Cicerone (1989). "Considerations chrono-geographiques sur l'oscillation a/o en Thrace et en Daco-Mesien" published in Thracians and Mycenaeans: Proceedings of the Fourth International Congress of Thracology Rotterdam, 24–26 September 1984. Brill Academic. ISBN 978-0819601230.
  • Polomé, Edgar Charles (1982). "Balkan Languages (Illyrian, Thracian and Daco-Moesian)". Cambridge Ancient History. Vol. III.1. pp. 866–888.
  • Posner, Rebecca; Green (1981). Trends in Romance Linguistics and Philology. Mouton De Gruyter. ISBN 978-9027978868.
  • Rădulescu, Mircea-Mihai (1987). "The Indo-European position of Illyrian, Daco-Mysian and Thracian: A historica-methodological approach". Journal of Indo-European Studies. ISSN 0092-2323.
  • Renfrew, Colin (1987): Archaeology and Language: the Puzzle of Indo-European Origins
  • Russu, Ion Iosif (1962). "Les toponymes dans la péninsule des Balkans dans le "De aedificiis"". Studii şi Cercetări Lingvistice. XIII: 393–403.
  • Russu, Ion Iosif (1963). "Die Ortsnamen der Balkanhalbinsel in De Aedificiis". Revue de Linguistique. VIII: 123–132.
  • Russu, Ion Iosif (1967). Limba traco-dacilor. Bucharest: Editura Ştiinţifică.
  • Russu, Ion Iosif (1969). Die Sprache der Thrako-Daker.
  • Solta, Georg Renatus (1980). Berücksichtigung des Substrats und des Balkanlateinischen. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.
  • Schütte, Gudmund (1917). Ptolemy's maps of northern Europe: a reconstruction of the prototypes. H. Hagerup.
  • Sluşanschi, Dan (1989). "Kaga şi Kōgaionon. Analiză filologică şi lingvistică". Thraco-Dacica. X: 219–224.
  • Walde-Pokorny, Julius (1959). The Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (IEW, "Indo-European Etymological Dictionary") and notes.
  • Walde, Alois; Pokorny, Julius (1973). Vergleichendes Warterbuch Der Indogermanischen Sprachen. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3110045567.
  • Thompson, E.A. (1982): Zosimus 6.10.2 and the Letters of Honorius in Classical Quarterly 33 (ii)

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dacia and Dacians.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dacian language.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_reconstructed_Dacian_words&oldid=1236670969"