Hi,
Regarding the proposed Nordwestgruppen Indo-European (non-Celtic,
non-Germanic) language that has been suggested to have been the
pre-Celtic language of the Belgae, based on place-names between the Somme
and Aller:
Regarding the suggestion that Caesar was making a mere dialectal
differentiation between the Belgae, Gauls and Aquitanians it should be
important to remember that one of those 3 were the Aquitani. Now, the
Aquitani didn't speak a dialect of Gaulish, they spoke a
non-Indo-European language. And so when Caesar says that the Gauls,
Belgae and Aquitani all spoke different languages, he obviously isn't
noting a mere dialectal difference between the Aquitani and the Belgae
and Gauls.
So, that shows that when he remarks on the language differences
between these three, they don't necessarily merely mean dialectal
differences. It would make no sense at all for Caesar to say include the
Belgae as being a third distinct language group if they merely spoke a
regional dialectal different Gaulish, that showed hardly any more
linguistic differentiation to the rest of the Gauls then the rest of the
Gauls had between their various tribes. This coupled with the fact that
non-Celtic place names are found between the Somme and Aller should hint
at the strong possibility that the Belgae originally spoke this
Nordwestgruppen, but were later Gallicised.
I can think of 3 alternative theses:
1. The Belgae were the speakers of this Nordwestgruppen, and acquired
Gaulished speech after settling east of the Rhine.
2. The Nordwestgruppen preceded the Belgae, and the Belgae introduced
Gaulish speech, the previous language only surviving in place names.
3. The Nordwestgruppen people acquired Gaulish speech and maybe were
absorbed by Gauls prior to the later settlement of the Belgae, the Belgae
either originally speaking a form of Gaulish or Germanic
opinions?
take care,
Michael
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
> For Archives and Celtic Studies links don't forget to visit the
> Continental Celtic homepage at:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/continentalceltic
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> continentalceltic-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!