Camunic language

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Camunic is an extinct language once spoken by the Camunni tribe that dwelt in the Val Camonica, Brescia, Italy.

The language is of unknown classification.

Camunic writing is found mainly on rocks in the variety of the Old Italic alphabet that is sometimes termed the "alphabet of Sondrio." About 200 inscriptions, all dating from the first millennium BCE, are known. Most were found within the Val Camonica. The tongue likely died out some time in the 1st century BCE due to Latin expansion.

Note: This language should not be confused with the Camunic dialect that is a local variant of Eastern Lombard spoken at present days in Val Camonica beside Italian.

Contents

[edit] History

Local toponyms of Camonica valley and old words of Camunic Italian dialect play an important role in determining some words of the old Camunic language.


The main problem by analyzing nowaday's Italic Camunic dielect is that it is not uniquely identifiable as a dialect, rather as a family of similar dialects (dialèt is the local name of their dialect).

These dialects, despite similarities to other dialects of neighboring areas, remain very different from one another.

A curious example is the vernacular languae of Prestine, where the "R" sound does not exist (Prestine itself is pronounced Pgesten).

[edit] Local toponyms

Toponym Italian Meaning Location
Còren Corna Rock Loc. Corna (Darfo Boario Terme)
Cùi Covel Den, hide beneath the rocks Dos Cùi (Nadro)
Fopa Foppa Hole, narrowness Foppe (Nadro)
Luera Lovera Mine Lovere, Loveno
Poja Poia Muddy place Torrente Poia (Cedegolo), Loc. Poia (Ponte di Legno)
Ruc Ronchi Ronchi di Zir (Capo di Ponte)


[edit] See also

[edit] References


  • Mancini, Alberto. 1980. "Le iscrizioni della Valcamonica" in Studi Urbinati di storia, filosofia e letteratura. Supplemento linguistico 2, pp. 75-166.
  • Mancini, Alberto. 1991. "Iscrizioni retiche e iscrizioni camune. Due ambiti a confronto" in Quaderni del Dipartimento di Linguistica, Università degli studi di Firenze 2, pp. 77-93.
  • Tibiletti Bruno, Maria Grazia. 1990. "Nuove iscrizioni camune" in Quaderni camuni 49-50, pp. 29-171.
  • Tibiletti Bruno, Maria Grazia. 1992. "Gli alfabetari" in Quaderni camuni 60, pp. 309-380.
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