I've been very busy studying more languages than I ever thought I'd
need to. I'm just describing a small part of my findings because of
its relation to what I've said about Burushaski.
From:
http://users.tpg.com.au/etr/etrusk/po/picene.html
>
The famous Novilara inscription is the longest sample of north Picene
language:
mimnis erut gaarestades rotnem uvlin parten us polem isairon tet
sut trat nesi krus tenag trut ipiem rotnes lutuis thalu isperion vul
tes rotem teu aiten tasur soter merpon kalatne nis vilatos paten arn
uis balestenag ands et sut i akut treten teletau nem polem tisu sotris eus
>
The interpretation given here of the letters and separations isn't
perfect, but it's a start.
Even with these problems, (partial) repetition of many words is
apparent. Dividing it in three parts to show this more clearly:
mimnis
erut gaarestades
rotnem uvlin parten
us polem isairon tet sut
trat nesi krus tenag
trut ipiem
rotnes lutuis
thalu isperion vul tes
rotem teu aiten tasur
soter merpon kalatne
nis vilatos paten
arn uis balestenag
ands et sut i akut
treten teletau
nem polem tisu
sotris eus
This shows rep. like:
1 gaarestades
2 krus tenag
3 balestenag
1 rotnem
2 rotnes
2 rotem
1 isairon
2 isperion
1 polem
3 polem
1 tet sut
2 tasur
3 et sut
1 parten
2 paten
2 soter
3 sotris
3 arn uis
3 ands
2 vul tes
2 vilatos
3 teletau
1 erut
2 trat nes[ # i- ]
2 trut
3 treten
Based on the type of repetition and the scene on the back it seems
like a list of three groups of animals slaughtered for a feast (or
sacrifice). The three sections are the contributions from three
groups speaking three dialects. The words were likely put down right
when spoken by the members of the dif. groups just as they said them.
The speed may have hampered careful work; many letters seem sloppy or
even transposed (possibly as a result of unfamiliar dia.) contributing
to the misinterpretation. Since many are repeated, it becomes easier
to figure out the mistakes on both parts.
First, the beginning of each section contains
1 gaarestades
2 krus tenag [or ikrus]
3 balestenag
Since so many words end in -s it's most likely the two interpreted
as C are S. The first parts also end in -s, so if IE at all, *gWarus
tenas < *gWovus dhexYm(e)na:- 'cow giving milk'.
The two words with D must have R (or N unless N>R between V in that
dia.).
The words beginning the animal descriptions must be numbers which
optionally add plural -(e)s like:
1 rotnem
2 rotnes
2 rotem
2 soter
3 sotris
3 arn uis
3 ands
1 erut
2 trat nes[ # i- ]
2 trut
3 treten
The plural ending is -s for most; -n (-N?) for n-stems; -t for
u-stems (and wo- > u-).
There is an alt. of l/r.
There is u > u/a/e.
The word which must mean 'seven' (by process of elimination) is thalu.
There is w > m (after other changes to w and before other sounds > w).
These point to a close connection with Burushaski.
Saving more of my reasoning for later, here's the reading I prefer:
mimnis
Trut gaares te:Ra:s
rotnem uvlin parten
us polem isairon tetsut
tratnes ikrus te:na:S
trut ipiem
rotnes lutuis
thalu isperion vultes
rotem tevaiten tasut
soter merpon kalatne
nis vilatos paten
arnuis bales te:na:S
anRs tetsut iakut
treten velAtES
nem polem tiMS
sotris eus
Glossed (with () around an animal if it's implied by the previous line
like: seven swine male; four+five (swine) female):
mimnis
meats
trut gaares te:Ra:s
three cows milch
rotnem uvlin parten
four lambs young
us polem isairon tetsut
one+ten swine female
tratnes ikrus te:na:S
three cows milch
trut ipiem
three calves (cows)
rotnes lutuis
four yearlings (cows)
thalu isperion vultes
seven swine male
rotem tevaiten tasut
four+five (swine) female
soter merpon kalatne
eight bulls horned
nis vilatos paten
six males young (bulls)
arnuis bales te:na:S
nine cows milch
anRs tetsut iakut
nine female horses
treten velateS
three male (horses)
nem polem tiMS
two+ten rams/wethers?
sotris eus
eight ewes
A preliminary translation:
(killed for) meat:
1
three milch cows;
four young lambs;
eleven female swine
2
three milch cows,
three calves,
four yearlings;
seven male swine,
nine females;
eight horned bulls,
six young males
3
nine milch cows;
nine female horses,
three males;
twelve rams,
eight ewes