Galindan
Galindian
RegionNortheastern Poland
ExtinctFourteenth century
Language codes
ISO 639-3xgl
xgl
GlottologNone
Distribution of the Baltic tribes, circa 1200 CE (boundaries are approximate).

The term Galindian is sometimes ascribed to two separate Baltic languages, both of which were peripheral dialects:

  • First, a West Baltic language referred to as West Galindian; and
  • Second, a Baltic language previously spoken in Mozhaysk region (present day Russia), referred to as East Galindian[1]

Name

There are three proposed etymologies for the denomination Galindian:[2]: 308–309 

  • Proto-Baltic *Galind- meaning 'outsider' (Lithuanian: gãlas 'wall; border').[3] This is supported by the etymology of the common Old Russian term for the Galindians Голядь Goljad' > *golędь > Baltic *Galind-);
  • It is derived from the root *gal-/*gil found in Baltic hydronyms;[4][5] and
  • The name means 'the powerful ones' (Lithuanian: galià 'power, strength') and also Celtic languages (Irish: gal 'strength', Welsh: gallus 'power', Galli, Gallia).[6]

Proposed relation

Based on the common name used for the two peoples by ancient authors, some scientists propose a common origin of the two peoples and languages.[2]: 309 [7] In order to prove this hypothesis, they investigate common features between Old Prussian/West Galindian and East Galindian.[2]: 309–310 

West Galindian

West Galindian is the poorly attested extinct Baltic language of the Galindians previously spoken in what is today northeastern Poland and thought to have been a dialect of Old Prussian,[2]: 290  or a Western Baltic language similar to Old Prussian.[8] There are no extant writings in Galindian.

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Dental/
Alveolar		 Post-
alveolar		 Velar
plain pal.
Nasal m n nʲ
Plosive voiceless p t tʲ k
voiced b d dʲ dʒ ɡ
Fricative voiceless f s ʃ
voiced z ʒ
Trill r rʲ
Approximant l lʲ j

Vowels

Front Central Back
shortlong shortlong shortlong
High i iː u uː
Mid eː oː
Mid-low ɔ
Low a aː

East Galindian

Europe in 7–8th century – Baltic tribes are shown in dark purple. Eastern Galindians can be seen within the Slavic territory.

East Galindian is the poorly attested extinct Baltic language of the Balts living in the Protva Basin in present-day Russia.[2]: 307 

Phonology

Based on Baltic substratum and hydronomy in the Protva Basin, the following phonology can be reconstructed:[2]: 311–312 [9]

Consonants

Labial Dental/
Alveolar		 Post-
alveolar		 Velar
plain pal.
Nasal m n nʲ
Plosive voiceless p t tʲ tʃ k
voiced b d dʲ ɡ
Fricative voiceless s ʃ
voiced v z ʒ
Trill r rʲ
Approximant l lʲ j

Vowels

Front Central Back
shortlong shortlong shortlong
High i iː u uː
Mid eː oː
Mid-low ɛ
Low a aː

Lexicon

There are some Russian words from the Portva Basin region suspected to be Baltisms:[2]: 312 

Russian Transliteration Translation Proposed Baltic cognates
алáня alánja 'beer' Lithuanian: alìnas 'special type of beer', Lithuanian: alùs, Latvian: aliņš
кромсáть kromsát' 'to break something into pieces' Lithuanian: kramseti, Latvian: kramstīt
нóрот nórot 'fishing gear' Lithuanian: nérti, Latvian: nērt 'to sink'
пикýлька pikúl'ka 'type of weed' Lithuanian: pìkulė 'sisymbrium'

References

  1. ↑ "galindai" [The Galindians]. Visuotinę lietuvių enciklopediją (in Lithuanian). Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dini, Pietro U. (2014). Foundations of Baltic languages. Translated by Richardson, Milda B.; Richardson, Robert E. Vilnius: Vilniaus universitetas. ISBN 978-609-437-263-6.
  3. ↑ Būga, Kazimieras (1924). Lietuvių tauta ir kalba bei jos artimieji giminaičiai [The language and nation of the Lithuanians and its close relatives] (in Lithuanian). Kaunas.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ Nalepa, Jerzy (1971). "Próba nowej etymologii nazwy Galindia czyli Golędź" [Proposal of a new etymology of the name Galindia or Golędź]. Opuscula slavica 1. Slaviska och baltiska studier (in Polish). Vol. 9. Lund: Slaviska institutionen vid Lunds universitet. pp. 93–115.
  5. ↑ Mažiulis, Vytautas (1981). Prūsų kalbos paminklai [Monuments of the Prussian language] (in Lithuanian). Vol. II. Vilnius: Mokslas. pp. 318–319.
  6. ↑ Schmid, Wolfgang P. (1998). "Galinder" [Galindians]. In Beck, Heinrich; Geuenich, Dieter; Steuer, Heiko (eds.). Reallexikon der germanischen Alterskunde [Dictionary of Germanic antiquities] (in German). Vol. 10 (2nd revised and enlarged ed.). Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter. pp. 325–327. ISBN 978-3-11-015102-2.
  7. ↑ Otrębski, Jan Szczepan (1958). "Zagadnienie Galindów" [The Galindian question]. In Gieysztor, Aleksander (ed.). Studia Historica. W 35-lecia pracy naukowej Henryka Łowmiańskiego [Studia Historica. On the 35th jubilee of Henryk Łowmiański's scientific work] (in Polish). Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawn. Naukowe. pp. 37–41.
  8. ↑ Tarasov, Iliya (January 2017). "The Balts in the migration period". Istoričeskij Format Исторический Формат (in Russian). 3–4: 95–124.
  9. ↑ Лекомцева, Маргарита Ивановна (1983). "Zur phonologischen Rekonstruktion der Goljad'-Sprache" [On the phonological reconstruction of the Goljad' language]. Baltistica (in German). Vilnius: Baltų kalbų tyrinėjimai. 19 (2): 114–119. doi:10.15388/baltistica.19.2.1591.
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