SoA Forum

History => Ancient and Medieval History => Topic started by: Imperial Dave on May 29, 2025, 05:39 PM

Title: Modern languages from one ancient tongue?
Post by: Imperial Dave on May 29, 2025, 05:39 PM
https://scroll.in/article/1082629/a-new-book-sets-out-to-trace-the-roots-of-modern-languages-back-to-one-ancient-tongue

Interesting book...
Title: Re: Modern languages from one ancient tongue?
Post by: CarlL on May 29, 2025, 09:38 PM
I remember reading a book about the 'Goth' migrations where the authors tried to find their origins and follow them through their migrations via their linguistic impact on others and own development! Quite technical in places but fascinating how they tried to map out where Goth words had been left behind or new words picked up by Goths.

CarlL

Title: Re: Modern languages from one ancient tongue?
Post by: Imperial Dave on May 30, 2025, 04:39 AM
It's fascinating and highly complex....way above my smarts!
Title: Re: Modern languages from one ancient tongue?
Post by: Jim Webster on May 30, 2025, 08:55 AM
Quote from: CarlL on May 29, 2025, 09:38 PMI remember reading a book about the 'Goth' migrations where the authors tried to find their origins and follow them through their migrations via their linguistic impact on others and own development! Quite technical in places but fascinating how they tried to map out where Goth words had been left behind or new words picked up by Goths.

CarlL

I'd have thought they'd have been better looking for traces of black lipstick etc in the archaeological record  :-\



Title: Re: Modern languages from one ancient tongue?
Post by: CarlL on May 31, 2025, 05:48 PM
Nice one Jim.

It is an old book now, published in 1999, by the Boydell Press, with a long title! "The Visigoths, from migration period to the seventh century, an ethnographic perspective; papers from an earlier conference that were edited by Peter Heather.

As I keep telling our modern 'goths' they are not alone, a whole 'nation' preceded them...

CarlL
Title: Re: Modern languages from one ancient tongue?
Post by: Keraunos on May 31, 2025, 08:04 PM
The first Goth I ever saw was in the Classics faculty at Cambridge, leaning against a corridor wall with one arm in front, one behind, like a figure from an Egyptian frieze.  It was an arresting sight that has haunted my memory ever since.  I am awaiting the (un)History Channel programme in which a bunch of bods 'doing their own research' demonstrate that the Goths were the founders of Gotham City  ::)
Title: Re: Modern languages from one ancient tongue?
Post by: Imperial Dave on May 31, 2025, 08:21 PM
 ::)
 ;D
Title: Re: Modern languages from one ancient tongue?
Post by: Erpingham on Jun 01, 2025, 10:17 AM
Quote from: Keraunos on May 31, 2025, 08:04 PMthe Goths were the founders of Gotham City 

Wasn't it founded by immigrants from Nottinghamshire?
Title: Re: Modern languages from one ancient tongue?
Post by: Nick Harbud on Jun 01, 2025, 02:24 PM
Quote from: CarlL on May 31, 2025, 05:48 PMAs I keep telling our modern 'goths' they are not alone, a whole 'nation' preceded them...

Spoilsport!   :P