This article in Russian represents an attempt of classification of known pre-Indo-European languages, either attested by inscriptions or reconstructed as substrates, based on both linguistic and archaeological data. The work is ongoing and the article represents just preliminary conclusions.
The a...
This article in Russian represents an attempt of classification of known pre-Indo-European languages, either attested by inscriptions or reconstructed as substrates, based on both linguistic and archaeological data. The work is ongoing and the article represents just preliminary conclusions.
The article discusses two possible variants of classification, by linguistic affinity and by territory. In either case, the following classification seems to be the most viable:
- Aegean pre-Greek (MInoan, Eteocretan, Cypro-Minoan, "Pelasgian")
- Tyrrhenian (Etruscan, Lemnian, Raetic, Eteocypriot)
- Paleo-Italian (Ligurian, Sican, paleo-Sardic, Camunnic, North Picene, "paleo-Adriatic")
- Paleo-Britannic (Pictic, including both inscriptions and the reconstructed pre-Celtic substrate)
- Paleo-Hispanic, probably consisting of two or even three different clusters: Southwest Lusitanian (Tartessian), Iberian, and Basque/Aquitanian (the article is not discussing the question about the affinity between the two latter, while Tartessian is surely not related to either of them)
- pre-Germanic substrate (Mailhammer et al)
- paleo-European hydronymy (Krahe)
Finally, in addition to pre-Indo-European languages, proto-Samic substrate language should also be taken in consideration, especiallly in the context of Europe's archaeological data.