Bastarneian language: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
Most modern Germanic languages have greatly reduced levels of inflection, particularly in the realm of noun declension. In contrast, Bastarneian retains a four-case synthetic grammar comparable to but significantly more conservative and synthetic than German. The conservatism of the Bastarneian language and its resultant near-isomorphism to {{wpl|Gothic language|Gothic}} means that modern Bastarneians can easily read Gothic texts such as the {{wpl|Gothic Bible|Wulfila Bible}} and the {{wpl|Skeireins}}. | Most modern Germanic languages have greatly reduced levels of inflection, particularly in the realm of noun declension. In contrast, Bastarneian retains a four-case synthetic grammar comparable to but significantly more conservative and synthetic than German. The conservatism of the Bastarneian language and its resultant near-isomorphism to {{wpl|Gothic language|Gothic}} means that modern Bastarneians can easily read Gothic texts such as the {{wpl|Gothic Bible|Wulfila Bible}} and the {{wpl|Skeireins}}. | ||
The majority of Bastarneian speakers live in [[Bastarneia]], though nearly 419 thousand live in {{wpl|Ukraine}}, 162 thousand live in {{wpl|Romania}}, and a further 156 thousand reside in {{wpl|Russia}}. Smaller diaspora communities can be found throughout the {{wpl|Commonwealth of Independent States|CIS}} as well as in the {{wpl|United Kingdom}} and {{wpl|United States}}. | The majority of Bastarneian speakers live in [[Bastarneia]], though nearly 419 thousand live in {{wpl|Ukraine}}, 162 thousand live in {{wpl|Romania}} and {{wpl|Moldova}}, and a further 156 thousand reside in {{wpl|Russia}}. Smaller diaspora communities can be found throughout the {{wpl|Commonwealth of Independent States|CIS}} as well as in the {{wpl|United Kingdom}} and {{wpl|United States}}. | ||
The state funded [[Bastarneian Academy]] serves as a centre for preserving medieval Bastarneian manuscripts and studying the language and its literature. | The state funded [[Bastarneian Academy]] serves as a centre for preserving medieval Bastarneian manuscripts and studying the language and its literature. |
Revision as of 01:09, 7 August 2019
Bastarneian | |
---|---|
Bastjaniska | |
Pronunciation | [bastjanʲɪskɐ] |
Native to | Bastarneia, Ukraine |
Ethnicity | Bastarneians |
Native speakers | c. 9.7 million (2018) |
Indo-European
| |
Early form | |
Dialects | Pannonian |
Latin (Bastarneian alphabet) | |
Official status | |
Official language in | Bastarneia |
Regulated by | Bastarneian Academy |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | – |
Bastarneian (/bæstɑː(ɹ)nɪən/; Bastarneian: Bastjaniska pronounced [bastjanʲɪskɐ]) is an East Germanic language spoken in Bastarneia. Along with the recently-extinct Crimean Gothic, it constitutes the only group of East Germanic languages to have survived into the modern era.
Most modern Germanic languages have greatly reduced levels of inflection, particularly in the realm of noun declension. In contrast, Bastarneian retains a four-case synthetic grammar comparable to but significantly more conservative and synthetic than German. The conservatism of the Bastarneian language and its resultant near-isomorphism to Gothic means that modern Bastarneians can easily read Gothic texts such as the Wulfila Bible and the Skeireins.
The majority of Bastarneian speakers live in Bastarneia, though nearly 419 thousand live in Ukraine, 162 thousand live in Romania and Moldova, and a further 156 thousand reside in Russia. Smaller diaspora communities can be found throughout the CIS as well as in the United Kingdom and United States.
The state funded Bastarneian Academy serves as a centre for preserving medieval Bastarneian manuscripts and studying the language and its literature.
History
Language of the Bastarnae
Podolian period (4th century—1257)
Middle Bastarneian (1257—1650)
Modern Bastarneian
Legal status and recognition
The 1989 state language law of the former Bastarneian Soviet Socialist Republic declared that Bastarneian, written in the Latin script, was the sole state language, intending it to serve as a primary means of communication among all citizens of the republic. Until 1989 Bastarneian was written in the Cyrillic alphabet in official and public contexts.
In 1991, the Declaration of Independence of Bastarneia named the official language as Bastarneian; the 1994 Constitution of Bastarneia establishes Bastarneian as "the official language in Bastarneia".
Dialects
Phonology
Grammar
Vocabulary
Linguistic purism
Writing system
The Bastarneian alphabet is notable for its addition of Þ, þ (þaurnus, "thorn"). In historical spelling, the letter Ƕ, ƕ (hwair or ƕair) can also be found, although both standard Bastarneian orthography and general usage prescribe the digraph hw for the corresponding sound [hʷ] or [ʍ]. The complete Bastarneian alphabet is:
Majuscule forms (also called uppercase or capital letters) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | W | X | Z | Þ |
Minuscule forms (also called lowercase or small letters) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
a | b | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | w | x | z | þ |
Along with Icelandic, Bastarneian is one of only two living languages to utilise the letter Þ, þ.