Galatian

Facts

  • Language: Galatian
  • Alternate names:
  • Language code: xga
  • Language family: Indo-European, Classical Indo-European, Celtic, Nuclear Celtic
  • Number of speakers: Extinct
  • Script: Old Italic

More information:

    Introduction

    Galatian is an extinct Celtic language once spoken in Galatia in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) from the 3rd century BC up to the 4th century AD.

    Of the language only a few glosses and brief comments in classical writers and scattered names on inscriptions survive. Altogether they add up to about 120 words, mostly personal names ending in 'riks (cf. Gaulish -rix/-reix, Old Irish ri, Gothic language -reiks, Latin rex) "king", some ending in -marus, dative -mari (cf. Gaulish -maros, Old Irish mor, Welsh mawr) "great", and tribal names like Ambitouti (Old Irish imm' "around", Old Irish tuath "tribe"), and a lexical item drunaimeton "place of assembly" (cf. Old Irish drui "druid", Old Irish neimed "holy place").

    Galatian is a Continental Celtic language contemporary and closely related to the Gaulish language.