Celtiberian language explained

Celtiberian
Also Known As:	Northeastern Hispano-Celtic
Extinct:	attested 2nd century BC – 1st century AD
Ref:	^[1]
Familycolor:	Indo-European
Iso3:	xce
Linglist:	xce
Glotto:	celt1247
Glottorefname:	Celtiberian
Map:	Mapa llengües paleohispàniques-ang.jpg

Celtiberian or Northeastern Hispano-Celtic is an extinct Indo-European language of the Celtic branch spoken by the Celtiberians in an area of the Iberian Peninsula between the headwaters of the Douro, Tagus, Júcar and Turia rivers and the Ebro river. This language is directly attested in nearly 200 inscriptions dated from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD, mainly in Celtiberian script, a direct adaptation of the northeastern Iberian script, but also in the Latin alphabet. The longest extant Celtiberian inscriptions are those on three Botorrita plaques, bronze plaques from Botorrita near Zaragoza, dating to the early 1st century BC, labeled Botorrita I, III and IV (Botorrita II is in Latin). Shorter and more fragmentary is the Novallas bronze tablet.^[2]

Overview

Under the P/Q Celtic hypothesis, and like its Iberian relative Gallaecian, Celtiberian is classified as a Q Celtic language, putting it in the same category as Goidelic and not P-Celtic like Gaulish or Brittonic.^[3]

Under the Insular/Continental Celtic hypothesis, Celtiberian and Gaulish are grouped together as Continental Celtic languages but this grouping is paraphyletic: no evidence suggests the two shared any common innovation separately from Insular Celtic. According to Ranko Matasovic in the introduction to his 2009 Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic : "Celtiberian...is almost certainly an independent branch on the Celtic genealogical tree, one that became separated from the others very early."^[4]

Celtiberian has a fully inflected relative pronoun ios (as does, for instance, Ancient Greek), an ancient feature that was not preserved by the other Celtic languages, and the particles -kue 'and' < *kʷe (cf. Latin -Latin: que, Attic Greek Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: τε te), nekue 'nor' < *ne-kʷe (cf. Latin Latin: neque), ekue 'also, as well' < *h₂et(i)-kʷe (cf. Lat. Latin: atque, Gaulish ate, OIr. aith 'again'), ve "or" (cf. Latin enclitic Latin: -ve and Attic Greek Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ἤ ē < Proto-Greek *ē-we). As in Welsh, there is an s-subjunctive, Welsh: gabiseti "he shall take" (Old Irish gabid), robiseti, auseti. Compare Umbrian ferest "he/she/it shall make" or Ancient Greek Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: δείξῃ Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: deiksēi (aorist subj.) / Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: δείξει Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: deiksei (future ind.) "(that) he/she/it shall show".

Phonology

Celtiberian was a Celtic language that shows the characteristic sound changes of Celtic languages such as:^[5]

PIE Consonants

• PIE *bʰ, *dʰ, *gʰ > b, d, g: Loss of Proto-Indo-European voiced aspiration.
  • Celtiberian and Gaulish placename element -brigā 'hill, town, akro-polis' < *bʰr̥ǵʰ-eh₂;
  • nebintor 'they are watered' < *nebʰ-i-nt-or;
  • dinbituz 'he must build' < *dʰingʰ-bī-tōd, ambi-dingounei 'to build around > to enclose' < *h₂m̥bi-dʰingʰ-o-mn-ei (cf. Latin Latin: fingō 'to build, shape' < *dʰingʰ-o, Old Irish cunutgim 'erect, build up' < *kom-ups-dʰingʰ-o), ambi-diseti '(that someone) builds around > enclose' < *h₂m̥bi-dʰingʰ-s-e-ti.
  • gortika 'mandatory, required' < *gʰor-ti-ka (cfr. Latin Latin: ex-horto 'exhort' < *ex-gʰor-to); though, as the meaning in Celtiberian cannot be determined with certainty, this root may be related to Old Irish gort "field" (g^hо̄rd^h-s, Gen. *g^hrd^h-os ‘enclosure, garden, pen") and its many Indo-European cognates.^[6]
  • duatir 'daughter' < *dʰugh₂tēr, duateros 'grandson, son of the daughter' (Common Celtic Celtic languages: duxtir);
  • bezom 'mine' < *bʰedʰ-yo 'that is pierced'.
• PIE *kʷ: Celtiberian preserved the PIE voiceless labiovelar kʷ (hence Q-Celtic), a development also observed in Archaic Irish and Latin. On the contrary Brythonic and Gaulish (P-Celtic—a change also seen in some dialects of Ancient Greek and some Italic branches like P-Italic) changed kʷ to p. -kue 'and' < *kʷe, Latin -que, Osco-Umbrian -pe 'and', neip 'and not, neither' < *ne-kʷe.
• PIE *ḱw > ku: ekuo horse (in ethnic name ekualakos) < *h₁eḱw-ālo (cf. Middle Welsh ebawl 'foal' < *epālo, Latin Latin: equus 'horse', OIr. ech 'horse' < *eko´- < *h₁eḱwo-, OBret. eb < *epo- < *h₁eḱwo-);
  • kū 'dog' < *kuu < *kwōn, in Virokū, 'hound-man, male hound/wolf, werewolf' (cfr. Old Irish Ferchú < *Virokū, Old Welsh Gurcí < *Virokū 'idem.'.^[7]
• PIE *gʷ > b: bindis 'legal agent' < *gʷiHm-diks (cfr. Latin vindex 'defender');^[8]
  • bovitos 'cow passage' < *gʷow-(e)ito (cfr. OIr bòthar 'cow passage' < *gʷow-(e)itro),^[9] and boustom 'cowshed' < *gʷow-sto.
• PIE *gʷʰ > gu: guezonto < *gʷʰedʰ-y-ont 'imploring, pleading'. Common Celtic Celtic languages: guedyo 'ask, plead, pray', OIr. guidid, W. Welsh: gweddi.
• PIE *p > *φ > ∅: Loss of PIE *, e.g. Celtic languages: ro- (Celtiberian, Old Irish and Old Breton) vs. Latin Latin: pro- and Sanskrit . ozas sues acc. pl. fem. 'six feet, unit of measure' (< *φodians < *pod-y-ans *sweks);
  • aila 'stone building' < *pl̥-ya (cfr. OIr. ail 'boulder');
  • vamos 'higher' < *uφamos < *up-m̥os;
  • vrantiom 'remainder, rest' < *uper-n̥tiyo (cfr. Latin Latin: (s)uperans).
  • Toponym Litania now Ledaña 'broad place' < *pl̥th₂-ny-a.

Final *-m is preserved in Celtiberian (and Lepontic), a further indication of these dialects' conservatism. It is generally fronted to -n in Gaulish (exceptional cases, for instance on the Larzac tablet, are probably due to influence from Latin): boustom "stable."^[10]

Consonant clusters

• PIE *mn > un: as in Lepontic, Brittonic and Gaulish, but not Old Irish and seemingly not Galatian. Kouneso 'neighbour' < *kom-ness-o < *Kom-nedʰ-to (cf. OIr. comnessam 'neighbour' < *Kom-nedʰ-t-m̥o).
• PIE *pn > un: Klounia < *kleun-y-a < *kleup-ni 'meadow' (Cfr. OIr. clúain 'meadow' < *klouni). However, in Latin *pn > mn: Latin: damnum 'damage' < *dHp-no.
• PIE *nm > lm: Only in Celtiberian. melmu < *men-mōn 'intelligence', Melmanzos 'gifted with mind' < *men-mn̥-tyo (Cfr. OIr. menme 'mind' < *men-mn̥. Also occurs in modern Spanish: Spanish; Castilian: alma 'soul' < *anma < Lat. Latin: anima, Asturian galmu 'step' < Celtic Celtic languages: kang-mu.
• PIE *ps > *ss / s: usabituz 'he must excavate (lit. up/over-dig)' < *ups-ad-bʰiH-tōd, Useizu * < *useziu < *ups-ed-yō 'highest'. The ethnic name Latin: contestani in Latin (contesikum in native language), recall the proper name Komteso 'warm-hearted, friendly' (< *kom-tep-so, cf. OIr. tess 'warm' > *tep-so). In Latin epigraphy that sound is transcribed with geminated: Usseiticum 'of the Usseitici' < *Usseito < *upse-tyo. However, in Gaulish and Brittonic *ps > *x (cf. Gaulish Uxama, MW. uchel, 'one six').
• PIE *pt > *tt / t: setantu 'seventh' (< *septm_o-to). However, in Gaulish and Insular Celtic *pt > x: sextameto 'seventh', Old Irish sechtmad (< *septm_o-e-to).
• PIE *gs > *ks > *ss / s: sues 'six' < *sweks;
  • Desobriga 'south/right city' (Celts oriented looking east) < *dekso-*bʰr̥ǵʰa; **Nertobris 'strength town' < *h₂ner-to-*bʰr̥ǵʰs;
  • es- 'out of, not' < *eks < *h₁eǵʰs (cf. Lat. ex-, Common Celtic Celtic languages: exs-, OIr. ess-). In Latin epigraphy that sound its transcript with geminated: Suessatium < *sweks- 'the sixth city' (cfr. Latin Latin: Sextantium)^[11]
  • Dessicae < *deks-ika. However, in Gaulish *ks > *x: Dexivates.
• PIE *gt > *kt > *tt / t: ditas 'constructions, buildings' < *dʰigʰ-tas (= Latin Latin: fictas);
  • loutu 'load' < *louttu < *louktu < *leugʰ-tu;
  • litom 'it is permitted', ne-litom 'it is not permitted' (< *l(e)ik-to, cf. Latin Latin: licitum < *lik-e-to). But Common Celtic *kt > *xt: luxtu < *louktu < *leugʰ-tu, OIr. lucht.
  • Celtiberian Retugenos 'right born, lawful' < *h₃reg-tō-genos, Gaulish Rextugenos. In Latin epigraphy that sound is transcribed with geminated: Britto 'noble' < *brikto < *bʰr̥ǵʰ-to.
  • Bruttius 'fruitful' < *bruktio < *bʰruHǵ-t-y-o (cfr. Latin Latin: Fructuosus 'profitable').
• PIE *st > *st: against Gaulish, Irish and Welsh, where the change was *st > ss. This preservation of the PIE cluster *st is another indication of the phonological conservatism of this dialect. Gustunos 'excellent' < *gustu 'excellence' < *gus-tu. Old Irish gussu 'excellence' (cfr. Fergus < *viro-gussu), Gaulish gussu (Lezoux Plate, line 7).

Vowels

• PIE *e, *h₁e > e: Togoitei eni 'in Togotis' < *h₁en-i (cf. Lat. in, OIr. in 'into, in'), somei eni touzei 'inside of this territory', es- 'out of, not' < *eks < *h₁eǵʰs (cf. Lat. ex-, Common Celtic Celtic languages: exs-, OIr. ess-), esankios 'not enclosed, open' lit. 'unfenced' < *h₁eǵʰs-*h₂enk-yos, treba 'settlement, town', Kontrebia 'conventus, capital' < *kom-treb-ya (cf. OIr. treb, W. tref 'settlement'), ekuo horse < *h₁ekw-os, ekualo 'horseman'.
• PIE *h₂e > a: ankios 'fenced, enclosed' < *h₂enk-yos, Ablu 'strong' < *h₂ep-lō 'strength', augu 'valid, firm' < *h₂ewg-u, adj. 'strong, firm, valid'.
• PIE *o, *Ho > o: olzui (dat.sing.) 'for the last' (< *olzo 'last' < *h₂ol-tyo, cf. Lat. Latin: ultimus < *h₂ol-t-m̥o. OIr. ollam 'master poet' < *oltamo < *h₂ol-t-m̥), okris 'mountain' (< *h₂ok-r-i, cf. Lat. Latin: ocris 'mountain', OIr. ochair 'edge' < *h₂ok-r-i), monima 'memory' (< *monī-mā < *mon-eye-mā).
• PIE *eh₁ > ē > ī?. This Celtic reflex isn't well attested in Celtiberian. e.g. IE ^*h₃rg^'-s meaning "king, ruler" vs. Celtiberian -reiKis, Gaulish -rix, British rix, Old Irish, Old Welsh, Old Breton ri meaning "king". In any case, the maintenance of PIE ē = ē is well attested in dekez 'he did' < *deked < *dʰeh₁k-et, identical to Latin fecit.
• PIE *eh₂ > ā: dāunei 'to burn' < *deh₂u-nei (Old Irish dóud, dód 'burn' < *deh₂u-to-), silabur sāzom 'enough money, a considerable amount of money' (< *sātio < *seh₂t-yo, Common Celtic Celtic languages: sāti 'sufficiency', OIr. sáith), kār 'friendship' (< *keh₂r, cf. Lat. cārus 'dear' < *keh₂r-os, Irish cara 'friend', W. caru 'love' < *kh₂r-os).
• PIE *eh₃, *oH > a/u: Celtic Celtic languages: ū in final syllables and Celtic languages: ā in non-final syllables, e.g. IE ^*dh₃-td to Celtiberian datuz meaning 'he must give'. dama 'sentence' < *dʰoh₁m-eh₂ 'put, dispose' (cfr. Old Irish dán 'gift, skill, poem', Germanic dōma < *dʰoh₁m-o 'verdict, sentence').
• PIE *Hw- > w-: uta 'conj. and, prep. besides' (< *h₂w-ta, 'or, and', cfr, Umb. ute 'or', Lat. aut 'or' (< *h₂ew-ti).
• PIE ey remains ey in Celtiberian and Lepontic (teiuo- < *dēywo-), but in other Celtic languages, it becomes ē (apparently, another indication of the conservatism of Celtiberian, unless these spellings indicate a high /e/ rather than an actual diphthong).^[12]

Syllabic resonants and laryngeals

• PIE *n̥ > an / *m̥ > am: arganto 'silver' < *h₂r̥gn̥to (cf. OIr. argat and Latin Latin: argentum). kamanom 'path, way' *kanmano < *kn̥gs-mn̥-o (cf. OIr. céimm, OW. cemmein 'step'), decameta 'tithe' < *dekm̥-et-a (cf. Gaulish decametos 'tenth', Old Irish dechmad 'tenth'), dekam 'ten' (cf. Lat. Latin: decem, Common Celtic dekam, OIr. deich < *dekm̥), novantutas 'the nine tribes', novan 'nine' < *h₁newn̥ (cf. Lat. novem, Common Celtic Celtic languages: novan, OW. nauou < *h₁newn̥), ās 'we, us' (< *ans < *n̥s, Old Irish sinni < *sisni, *snisni 'we, us', cf. German uns < *n̥s), trikanta < *tri-kn̥g-ta, lit. 'three horns, three boundaries' > 'civil parish, shire' (modern Spanish Tres Cantos).
• Like Common Celtic and Italic (SCHRIJVER 1991: 415, McCONE 1996: 51 and SCHUMACHER 2004: 135), PIE *CHC > CaC (C = any consonant, H = any laryngeal): datuz < *dh₃-tōd, dakot 'they put' < *dʰh₁k-ont, matus 'propitious days' < *mh₂-tu (Latin Latin: mānus 'good' < *meh₂-no, Old Irish maith 'good' < *mh₂-ti).
• PIE *CCH > CaC (C = any consonant, H = any laryngeal): Magilo 'prince' (< *mgh₂-i-lo, cf. OIr. mál 'prince' < *mgh₂-lo).
• PIE *r̥R > arR and *l̥R > alR (R = resonant): arznā 'part, share' < *φarsna < *parsna < *pr̥s-nh₂. Common Celtic Celtic languages: φrasna < *prasna < *pr̥s-nh₂, cf. Old Irish ernáil 'part, share'.
• PIE *r̥P > riP and *l̥P > liP (P = plosive): briganti PiRiKanTi < *bʰr̥ǵʰ-n̥ti. silabur konsklitom 'silver coined' < *kom-skl̥-to 'to cut'.
• PIE *Cr̥HV > CarV and *Cl̥HV > CalV: sailo 'dung, slurry' *salyo < *sl̥H-yo (cf. Lat. Latin: saliva < *sl̥H-iwa, OIr. sal 'dirt' < *sl̥H-a), aila 'stone building' < *pl̥-ya (cf. OIr. ail 'boulder'), are- 'first, before' (Old Irish ar 'for', Gaulish are 'in front of', < *pr̥h₂i. Lat. prae- 'before' < *preh₂i).
• Like Common Celtic (JOSEPH 1982: 51 and ZAIR 2012: 37), PIE *HR̥C > aRC (H = any laringeal, R̥ any syllabic resonant, C = any consonant): arganto 'silver' < *h₂r̥gn̥to, not **riganto.

Exclusive developments

• Affrication of the PIE groups -*dy-, -*dʰy-. -*ty- > z/th (/θ/) located between vowels and of -*d, -*dʰ > z/th (/θ/) at the end of the word: adiza 'duty' < *adittia < *h₂ed-d(e)ik-t-ya; Useizu 'highest' < *ups-ed-yō; touzu 'territory' < *teut-yō; rouzu 'red' < *reudʰy-ō; olzo 'last' < *h₂ol-tyo; ozas 'feet' < *pod-y-ans; datuz < *dh₃-tōd; louzu 'free' (in: LOUZOKUM, MLH IV, K.1.1.) < *h₁leudʰy-ō (cf. Oscan loufir 'free man', Russian ljúdi 'men, people'. That this is one of only a very few phonological developments that distinguishes Celtiberian phonologically from Proto-Celtic is one of the reasons Matasovic has concluded that Celtiberian is a very early independent branch of Proto-Celtic.^[13] It is noteworthy that this weakening of most non-initial Proto-Celtic voiced dental stops (ds) seems to indicate that Celtiberian had taken the first step in what became more widespread lenition of non-initial (and in some cases even initial) voiced consonants in later Celtic dialects.^[14]

Morphology

Noun and adjective cases

• arznā 'part, share' < *parsna < *pr̥s-nh₂. Common Celtic Celtic languages: φrasna < *parsna
• veizos 'witness' < *weidʰ-yo < *weidʰ- 'perceive, see' / vamos 'higher' < *up-m̥os
• gentis 'son, descendance' < *gen-ti. Common Celtic Celtic languages: genos 'family'
• loutu 'load' < *louttu < *louktu < *leugʰ-tu. Common Celtic Celtic languages: luxtu < *louktu < *leugʰ-tu (oir. lucht).
• duater 'daughter' < *dʰugh₂tēr. Common Celtic Celtic languages: duxtir.

Case	Singular						Plural
	ā-stem	o-stem	i-stem	u-stem	r-stem		ā-stem	o-stem	i-stem	u-stem	r-stem
Nominative	arznā	veizos / *vamos (n. *-om)	gentis	loutus	duater		arznās / *arznī	veizoi (n *-a)	gentis	loutoves	duateres
Accusative	arznām	veizom	gentim	loutum	duaterem		arznās < -*ams	veizus < *-ōs < -*oms	gentīs < -*ims	loutūs < -*ums	duaterēs < -*ems
Genitive	arznās	veizo	gentes^[15]	?	duateros		arznaum	veizum < *weidʰ-y-ōm	gentizum < *isōm	loutoum < *ewōm	?
Dative	arznāi	veizūi < *weidʰ-y-ōi	gentei	loutuei^[16]	?		?	veizubos	?	?	?
Ablative	arznaz^[17]	veizuz < *weidʰ-y-ōd / *vamuz < *up-m̥ōd	gentiz	loutuez	duaterez < -*ed		?	veizubos	?	?	?
Locative	arznai	veizei	gentei	?	?		?	?	?	?	?

^{[18] [19]}

An -n- stem can be seen in melmu nom.sg. < *-ōn, melmunos gen. sg. (from Botorrita III, probably a name).

It is notable that the genitive singular -o- stem ends in -o in Celtiberian, unlike the rest of Celtic (and Italic) where this ending is -ī^{[20] [21]}

There is also a potential Vocative case, however this is very poorly attested, with only an ambiguous -e ending for o-stem nouns being cited in literature.

Demonstrative pronouns

Case	Singular				Plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter		masculine	feminine	neuter
Nominative	so: so viros 'this man'	sa: sa duater 'this daughter'	soz: soz bezom < *so-d *bʰedʰ-yom 'this mine'.		sos < *so-s ?	sas < *sa-s ?	soizos < so-syos < *so-sy-os ?
Accusative	som: 'to this'	sam: 'to this'	sozom < *so-sy-om?		sus < *sōs < *so-ms	sās < *sa-ms	soizus < so-syōs < *so-sy-oms ??
Genitive	?	?	?		soum < *so-ōm 'of these'	saum < *sa-ōm 'of these'	soizum < *so-sy-ōm 'of these'
Dative	somui < *so-sm-ōi 'for this'	somai < *so-sm-ai 'for this'	?		?	?	?
Locative	somei < *so-sm-ei 'from this'	samei < *sa-sm-ei 'from this'	?		?	?	?

^[22]

Relative pronoun

Forms of the masculine singular relative pronoun *yo- can be found in the first Botorrita plaque: The form io-s in line 10 is the nominative singular masculine of the relative pronoun from Proto-Indo-European *yo- (Sanskrit ya-, Greek hos), which shows up in Old Irish only as the aspiration for leniting relative verb forms. Line 7 has the accusative singular io-m and the dative singular io-mui of the same root.^[23]

Verbal endings

The Indo-European third person verbal ending system seems to be evident, though the exact meaning of many verbs remains unclear: primary singular active *-ti in ambitise-ti (Botorrita I, A.5), '(that someone) builds around > encloses' from *h₂m̥bi-dʰingʰ-s-e-ti, and auzeti, secondary *-t > /θ/ written in terbere-z (SP.02.08, B-4) and perhaps kombalke-z; primary plural active *-nti in ara-nti (Z.09.24, A-4) and zizonti "they sow" (or perhaps "they give" with assimilation of the initial do the medial ),^[24] secondary *-nt perhaps in atibio-n (Z.09.24, A-5), middle voice *-nto in auzanto (Z.09.03, 01) and perhaps esianto (SP.02.08 A-2).^[25]

A third person imperative *-tо̄d > -tuz perhaps is seen in da-tuz "he must give" (Bronze plaque of Torrijo del Campo), usabituz, bize-tuz (Botorrita I A.5) and dinbituz 'he must build' < *dʰingʰ-bī-tōd.

A possible third person singular subjunctive -a-ti may be asekati, and another in -e-ti may be seen in auzeti < *aw-d^hh₁-e-ti "he may bestow."^[26]

From the same root, we may have a truncated form of an athematic active third person singular aorist if auz is from *auzaz < *aw-d^h h₁-t.^[27]

Also from the same root, an example of the genitive plural of the present active participle ending -nt-om may be found on the Novallas bronze tablet in audintum < *awd^heh₁-nt-ōm.^[28]

Possible infinitive form -u-nei perhaps from *-mn-ei may be seen in ambi-tinko-unei (Botorrita I A.5), and in ta-unei ‘to give’,^{[29] [30]} a reduplicated infinitive form in ti-za-unei if from *d^hi-d^hh₁-mn-ei "to place."^[31]

Syntax

Celtiberian syntax is considered to have the basic order subject–object–verb.^[32] Another archaic Indo-European feature is the use of the relative pronoun jos and the repetition of enclitised conjunctions such as k^we.

Sample texts

First Botorrita plaque, side A

One of four bronze plaques found in Botorrita, this text was written in eastern Celtiberian script. The other side consists of a list of names. (K.01.01.A)italic=no| : trikantam : bergunetakam : togoitos-kue : sarnikio (:) kue : sua : kombalkez : nelitom : nekue [: to-ver-daunei : litom : nekue : daunei : litom : nekue : masnai : dizaunei : litom : soz : augu : aresta[lo] : damai : uta : oskues : stena : verzoniti : silabur : sleitom : konsklitom : gabizeti : kantom [:] sanklistara : otanaum : togoitei : eni : uta : oskuez : boustom-ve : korvinom-ve : makasiam-ve : ailam-ve : ambidiseti : kamanom : usabituz : ozas : sues : sailo : kusta : bizetuz : iom : asekati : [a]mbidingounei : stena : es : vertai : entara : tiris : matus : dinbituz : neito : trikantam : eni : oisatuz : iomui : listas : titas : zizonti : somui : iom : arznas : bionti : iom : kustaikos : arznas : kuati : ias : ozias : vertatosue : temeiue : robiseti : saum : dekametinas : datuz : somei : eni touzei : iste : ankios : iste : esankios : uze : areitena : sarnikiei : akainakubos : nebintor : togoitei : ios : vramtiom-ve : auzeti : aratim-ve : dekametam : datuz : iom : togoitos-kue : sarnikio-kue : aiuizas : kombalkores : aleites : iste : ires : ruzimuz : Ablu : ubokum

italic=no|soz augu arestalo damai^[33]

all this (is) valid by order of the competent authority

italic=no|soz

all this (< *sod).

italic=no|augo

final, valid (< *h₂eug-os 'strong, valid', cf. Latin Latin: augustus 'solemn').

italic=no|arestalo

of the competent authority (gen. sing. arestalos < *pr̥Hi-steh₂-lo 'competent authority' < *pr̥Hi-sto 'what is first, authority').

italic=no|damai

by order (instrumental fem. sing. < *dʰoh₁m-eh₂ 'establish, dispose').

(Translation: Prospér 2006)

italic=no|saum dekametinas datuz somei eni touzei iste ankios iste es-ankios^[34]

of these, he will give the tax inside of this territory, so be fenced as be unfenced

italic=no|saum

of these (< *sa-ōm).

italic=no|dekametinas

the tithes, the tax.

italic=no|datuz

he will pay, will give.

italic=no|eni

inside, in (< *h₁en-i).

italic=no|somei

of this (loc. sing. < *so-sm-ei 'from this').

italic=no|touzei

territory (loc. sing. < *touzom 'territory' < *tewt-yo).

italic=no|iste ankios

so (be) fenced.

italic=no|iste es-ankios

as (be) unfenced.

(Transcription: Jordán 2004)

italic=no|togoitei ios vramtiom-ve auzeti aratim-ve dekametam datuz

In Togotis, he who draws water either for the green or for the farmland, the tithe (of their yield) he shall give

(Translation: De Bernardo 2007)

Great inscription from Peñalba de Villastar

An inscription in the Latin alphabet in the Celtiberian sanctuary of Peñalba de Villastar, in the current municipality of Villastar, Teruel province. (K.03.03) Other translations, which differ dramatically from this and from each other, may be found in P. Sims-Williams' treatment of the Celtic languages in The Indo-European Languages.^[35]

italic=no| :eni Orosei :uta Tigino tiatunei :erecaias to Luguei :araianom komeimu :eni Orosei Ekuoisui-kue :okris olokas togias sistat Luguei tiaso :togias

italic=no|'''eni Orosei uta Tigino tiatunei erecaias to Luguei araianom comeimu'''

In Orosis and the surroundings of Tigino river, we dedicate the fields to Lugus.

italic=no|eni

in (< *h₁en-i).

italic=no|Orosei

Orosis (loc. sing. *oros-ei).

italic=no|uta

and (conj. cop.).

italic=no|Tigino

of Tigino (river) (gen. sing. *tigin-o).

italic=no|tiatunei

in the surroundings (loc. sing. *tiatoun-ei < *to-yh₂eto-mn-ei).

italic=no|erecaias

the furrows > the land cultivated (acc. pl. fem. erekaiās < *perka-i-ans > English furrow).

italic=no|to Luguei

to Lugus.

italic=no|araianom

properly, totally, (may be a verbal complement > *pare-yanom, cfr. welsh iawn).

italic=no|comeimu

we dedicate (present 3 p.pl. komeimu < *komeimuz < *kom-ei-mos-i).

italic=no|eni Orosei Ekuoisui-kue okris olokas togias sistat Luguei

In Orosis and Equeiso the hills, the vegetable gardens [and] the houses are dedicated to Lugus.

italic=no|Ekuoisui

in Ekuoisu (loc. sing.) -kue: and (< *-kʷe).

italic=no|okris

the hills (nom. pl. < *h₂ok-r-eyes).

italic=no|olokas

the vegetable gardens (nom. pl. olokas < *olkās < *polk-eh₂-s > English fallow).

italic=no|togias

(and) the roofs > houses (nom. pl. or gen. sg. togias < tog-ya-s > Old Irish tuige "cover, protection").^[36]

italic=no|sistat

are they (dedicated) (3 p.pl. < *sistant < *si-sth₂-nti).

italic=no|Luguei

to Lug (dat. Lugue-i).

(Transcription: Meid 1994, Translation: Prósper 2002^[37])

Bronze plaque of Torrijo del Campo

A bronze plaque found in Torrijo del Campo, Teruel province in 1996, using the eastern Celtiberian script.

italic=no| :kelaunikui :derkininei : es :kenim : dures : lau :ni : olzui : obakai :eskenim : dures :useizunos : gorzo :nei : lutorikum : ei :subos : adizai : ekue : kar :tinokum : ekue : lankikum :ekue : tirtokum : silabur :sazom : ibos : esatui

italic=no|Lutorikum eisubos adizai ekue Kartinokum ekue Lankikum ekue Tirtokum silabur sazom ibos esatui (datuz)

for those of the Lutorici included in the duty, and also of the Cartinoci, of the Lancici and of the Tritoci, must give enough money to settle the debt with them.

italic=no|Lutorikum

of the Lutorici (gen. masc. pl.).

italic=no|eisubos

for those included (< *h₁epi-s-o-bʰos).

italic=no|adizai

in the assignment, in the duty (loc. fem. sing. < *adittia < *ad-dik-tia. Cfr. Latin addictio 'assignment').

italic=no|ekue

and also (< *h₂et(i)kʷe).

italic=no|Kartinokum

of the Cartinoci (gen. masc. pl.).

italic=no|Lankikum

of the Lancici (gen. masc. pl.).

italic=no|Tirtokum

of the Tritoci (gen. masc. pl.).

italic=no|silabur

money.

italic=no|sazom

enough (< *sātio < *seh₂t-yo).

italic=no|ibos

for them (dat.3 p.pl. ibus < *i-bʰos).

italic=no|esatui

to settle the debt (< *essato < *eks-h₂eg-to. Cfr. Latin ex-igo 'demand, require' & exactum 'identical, equivalent').

italic=no|datuz

must give (< *dh₃-tōd).

(Transcription and Translation: Prósper 2015)

See also

• Celtiberian script
• Botorrita plaque
• Luzaga's Bronze
• Gallaecian language
• Gaulish
• Lepontic language
• Iberian scripts
• Continental Celtic languages
• Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula
• Lusitanian language

Sources

• Alberro . Manuel . The celticisation of the Iberian Peninsula, a process that could have had parallels in other European regions . Études Celtiques . 35 . 2003 . 7–24 . 10.3406/ecelt.2003.2149 .
• Anderson, James M. "Preroman indo-european languages of the hispanic peninsula" . In: Revue des Études Anciennes. Tome 87, 1985, n°3-4. pp. 319–326. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/rea.1985.4212]; [www.persee.fr/doc/rea_0035-2004_1985_num_87_3_4212]
• Hoz, Javier de. "Lepontic, Celtiberian, Gaulish and the archaeological evidence". In: Etudes Celtiques. vol. 29, 1992. Actes du IXe congrès international d'études celtiques. Paris, 7-12 juillet 1991. Deuxième partie : Linguistique, littératures. pp. 223–240. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/ecelt.1992.2006
• Hoz, Javier de. (1996). The Botorrita first text. Its epigraphical background; in: Die größeren altkeltischen Sprachdenkmäler. Akten des Kolloquiums Innsbruck 29. April - 3. Mai 1993, ed. W. Meid and P. Anreiter, 124 - 145, Innsbruck.
• Jordán Cólera, Carlos: (2004). Celtibérico. http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/ekeltoi/volumes/vol6/6_17/jordan_6_17.pdf. University of Zaragoza, Spain.
• Joseph, Lionel S. (1982): The Treatment of *CRH- and the Origin of CaRa- in Celtic. Ériu n. 33 (31-57). Dublín. RIA.
• Lejeune, Michel (1955) Celtiberica Acta Salmanticensia: Filosofia y Letras, vol. 7, #4. Salamanca. Universidad de Salamanca.
• Lorrio, Alberto J. "Les Celtibères: archéologie et culture". In: Etudes Celtiques. vol. 33, 1997. pp. 7–36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/ecelt.1997.2109
• Luján, Eugenio R. "Celtic and Celtiberian in the Iberian peninsula". In: E. Blasco et al. (eds.). Iberia e Sardegna. Le Monnier Universitá. 2013. pp. 97–112.
• Luján, Eugenio R.; Lorrio, Alberto J. "Un puñal celtibérico con inscripción procedente de Almaraz (Cáceres, España)". In: Etudes Celtiques, vol. 43, 2017. pp. 113–126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/ecelt.2017.1096
• McCone, Kim.(1996): Towards a relative chronology of ancient and medieval Celtic sound change Maynooth Studies in Celtic Linguistics 1. Maynooth. St. Patrick's College.
• Meid, Wolfgang. (1994). Celtiberian Inscriptions, Archaeolingua, edd. S. Bökönyi and W. Meid, Series Minor, 5, 12 - 13. Budapest.
• Schrijver, Peter (1991): The reflexes of the Proto-Indo-European laryngeals in Latin. Amsterdam. Ed. Rodopi.
• Schumacher, Stefan (2004): Die keltischen Primärverben: ein vergleichendes, etymologisches und morphologisches Lexikon. Innsbrucker Beiträge zur Sprachwissenschaft vol. 110. Universität Innsbruck.
• Untermann, Jürgen. (1997): Monumenta Linguarum Hispanicarum. IV Die tartessischen, keltiberischen und lusitanischen Inschriften, Wiesbaden.
• Velaza, Javier (1999): Balance actual de la onomástica personal celtibérica, Pueblos, lenguas y escrituras en la Hispania Prerromana, pp. 663–683.
• Villar, Francisco (1995): Estudios de celtibérico y de toponimia prerromana, Salamanca.
• Zair, Nicholas. (2012): The Reflexes of the Proto-Indo-European Laryngeals in Celtic. Leiden. Ed. Brill.

Further reading

General studies

• Beltrán Lloris, Francisco; Jordán Cólera, Carlos. "Celtibérico". In: Palaeohispanica: revista sobre lenguas y culturas de la Hispania antigua n. 20 (2020): pp. 631–688. DOI: 10.36707/palaeohispanica.v0i20.395
• de Bernardo Stempel, Patrizia (2002). "Centro Y áreas Laterales: Formación Del Celtibérico Sobre El Fondo Del Celta Peninsular Hispano". In: Palaeohispanica. Revista Sobre Lenguas Y Culturas De La Hispania Antigua, n.º 2 (diciembre), 89-132. https://doi.org/10.36707/palaeohispanica.v0i2.349.
• Blažek, Václav. "Celtiberian". In: Sborník prací Filozofické fakulty brněnské univerzity. N, Řada klasická = Graeco-Latina Brunensia. 2007, vol. 56, iss. N. 12, pp. [5]-25. .
• Jordán Cólera, Carlos (2007). "Celtiberian". e-Keltoi: Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies. Vol. 6: The Celts in the Iberian Peninsula. Article 17. pp. 749–850. Available at: https://dc.uwm.edu/ekeltoi/vol6/iss1/17
• Stifter, David (2006). "Contributions to Celtiberian Etymology II". In: Palaeohispanica: revista sobre lenguas y culturas de la Hispania Antigua, 6. pp. 237–245. .
• Wodtko . Dagmar . 2023 . Das Keltiberische Lexikon . The Celtiberian lexicon . Palaeohispanica. Revista Sobre Lenguas y Culturas de la Hispania Antigua . 23 . 151–64 . DE . 10.36707/palaeohispanica.v23i0.531. 2024-04-06 .

Specific themes

• Bernardo Stempel, Patrizia de. "Celtic ‘son’, ‘daughter’, other descendants, and *sunus in Early Celtic". In: Indogermanische Forschungen 118, 2013 (2013): 259–298. doi: https://doi.org/10.1515/indo.2013.118.2013.259
• Fernández, Esteban Ngomo. “A propósito de matrubos y los términos de parentesco en celtibérico”. In: Boletín del Archivo Epigráfico. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. nº. 4 (2019): 5-15.
• Fernández, Esteban Ngomo. "El color rojo en celtibérico: del IE *H1roudh- al celtibérico routaikina". In: Boletín del Archivo Epigráfico. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. nº. 6 (junio, 2020): 5-19.
• Simón Cornago, Ignacio; Jordán Cólera, Carlos Benjamín. "The Celtiberian S. A New Sign in (Paleo)Hispanic Epigraphy". In: Tyche 33 (2018). pp. 183–205.

External links

• Detailed map of the Pre-Roman Peoples of Iberia (around 200 BC)
• Celtic, Celtiberian - 2nd - 1st c. B.C. Examples of writing

Notes and References

1. Book: Bernd Vath . Sabine Ziegler . 2017 . Jared Klein . Brian Joseph . Matthias Fritz . Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics . The documentation of Celtic . 1168–1188 . 10.1515/9783110523874-022.
2. Francisco Beltrán Lloris, Carlos Jordán Cólera, Borja Díaz Ariño1, and Ignacio Simón Cornago. Journal of Roman Archaeology 34 (2021), 713–733 doi:10.1017/S1047759421000635
3. Book: Mallory, J.&nbsp;P. . 1989 . In Search of the Indo-Europeans . Thames & Hudson . 0-500-05052-X . 106 . registration .
4. Ranko Matasovic 2009 Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic Leiden: Brill, 2009, p.13 https://archive.org/stream/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic/Etymological%20Dictionary%20of%20Proto-Celtic_djvu.txt
5. Book: Koch, John . Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia . ABL-CIO . 2005 . 1465–66 . 978-1-85109-440-0 . June 10, 2011.
6. Matasovic, R. Etymological Dictionary Of Proto-Celtic Brill, 2009, pp. 264-265
7. Lambert, Pierre-Yves. "Francisco Villar, M.a Pilar Fernandez Álvarez, ed. Religión, lengua y cultura prerromanas de Hispania, Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca, 2001 (Acta Salmanticensia, Estudios Filológicos, 283). = Actas del VIII Coloquio internacional sobre lenguas y culturas prerromanas de la Península Ibérica (11-14 mai 1999, Salamanque)". In: Etudes Celtiques, vol. 35, 2003. p. 393. [www.persee.fr/doc/ecelt_0373-1928_2003_num_35_1_2242_t1_0386_0000_2]
8. De Bernardo, P. "La gramática celtibérica del bronce de Botorrita. Nuevos Resultados". In Palaeohispanica 9 (2009), pp. 683-699.
9. Schmidt, K. H. "How to define celtiberian archaims?". in Palaeohispanica 10 (2010), pp. 479-487.
10. Cólera, Carlos Jordán (2007) "Celtiberian," e-Keltoi: Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies: Vol. 6, Article 17. p. 768 Available at: https://dc.uwm.edu/ekeltoi/vol6/iss1/17
11. De Bernardo Stempel, Patrizia 2009 "El nombre -¿céltico?- de la Pintia vaccea". BSAA Arqueología Nº. 75, (243-256).
12. Cólera, Carlos Jordán (2007) "Celtiberian," e-Keltoi: Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies: Vol. 6, Article 17. p753. Available at: https://dc.uwm.edu/ekeltoi/vol6/iss1/17
13. Ranko Matasovic 2009 Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic Leiden: Brill, 2009, p.17 https://archive.org/stream/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic/Etymological%20Dictionary%20of%20Proto-Celtic_djvu.txt
14. Cólera, Carlos Jordán (2007) "Celtiberian," e-Keltoi: Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies: Vol. 6, Article 17. p.763 Available at: https://dc.uwm.edu/ekeltoi/vol6/iss1/17
15. Gorrochategui, Joaquín 1991 "Descripción y posición lingiiistica del celtibérico" in "Memoriae L. Mitxelena magistri sacrum vol I (3-32)". Ed. Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea
16. Beltrán Lloris, F. Jordán Cólera, C. Marco Simón, F. 2005 "Novedades epigráficas en Peñalba de Villastar (Teruel)". Palaeohispánica: Revista sobre lenguas y culturas de la Hispania antigua Nº. 5, 911-956: ENIOROSEI Dat. sg. de un tema en -i. LVGVEI, Dat. sg. de un tema en -u. ERECAIAS, Gen .sg. de un tema en -a, TIASO, Gen. sg. de un tema en -o
17. Villar Liébana, F. 1996 "Fonética y Morfología Celtibéricas". La Hispania prerromana : actas del VI Coloquio sobre lenguas y culturas prerromanas de la Península Ibérica (339-378): 1) filiación expresada mediante genitivo y cuya desinencia es -as < (*-ās) y 2) origen que se expresa mediante ablativo, cuya desinencia es -az < (*-ād)
18. Wodtko, Dagmar S. "An outline of Celtiberian grammar" 2003
19. Web site: Gaulish language. Václav. Blažek. digilib.phil.muni.cz. 2018-10-20. 2013-07-04.
20. Francisco Beltrán Lloris and Carlos Jordán Cólera (2020) "Celtiberian" PALAEOHISPANICA: revista sobre lenguas y culturas de la Hispania antigua pp. 631-690. I.S.S.N. 1578-5386 DOI: 10.36707/palaeohispanica.v0i20.395
21. Untermann, J. (1967). "Die Endung des Genitiv singularis der o-Stämme im Keltiberischen." In W. Meid (ed.), Beiträge zur Indogermanistik und Keltologie, Julius Pokorny zum 80. Geburtstag gewidmet, pp. 281-288. Innsbruck: Sprachwissenschaftliches Institut der Universität Innsbruck.
22. Jordán Cólera, Carlos "La forma verbal cabint del bronce celtibérico de Novallas". En Emerita, Revista de Lingüística y Filología Clásica LXXXII 2, 2014, pp. 327-343
23. Matasovic, R. Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic. Leiden: Brill. 2006. p. 436
24. Addenda et corrigenda to Ranko Matasović’s Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Brill, Leiden 2009) Zagreb, December 2011, p.10. https://mudrac.ffzg.hr/~rmatasov/EDPC-Addenda%20et%20corrigenda.pdf
25. Jordán Cólera, Carlos. "Avdintvm, una nueva forma verbal en celtibérico y sus posibles relaciones paradigmáticas (auzeti, auzanto, auz, auzimei, auzares...)" Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Cuadernos de filología clásica. Estudios griegos e indoeuropeos, 2015-05, Vol.25 (25), pp.11-23
26. Jordán Cólera, Carlos. "Avdintvm, una nueva forma verbal en celtibérico y sus posibles relaciones paradigmáticas (auzeti, auzanto, auz, auzimei, auzares...)" Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Cuadernos de filología clásica. Estudios griegos e indoeuropeos, 2015-05, Vol.25 (25), pp.11-23
27. Jordán Cólera, Carlos. "Avdintvm, una nueva forma verbal en celtibérico y sus posibles relaciones paradigmáticas (auzeti, auzanto, auz, auzimei, auzares...)" Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Cuadernos de filología clásica. Estudios griegos e indoeuropeos, 2015-05, Vol.25 (25), pp.11-23
28. Jordán Cólera, Carlos. "Avdintvm, una nueva forma verbal en celtibérico y sus posibles relaciones paradigmáticas (auzeti, auzanto, auz, auzimei, auzares...)" Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Cuadernos de filología clásica. Estudios griegos e indoeuropeos, 2015-05, Vol.25 (25), pp.11-23
29. Addenda et corrigenda to Ranko Matasović’s Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Brill, Leiden 2009) Zagreb, December 2011, p.10. https://mudrac.ffzg.hr/~rmatasov/EDPC-Addenda%20et%20corrigenda.pdf
30. Francisco Beltrán Lloris and Carlos Jordán Cólera (2020) "Celtiberian" PALAEOHISPANICA: revista sobre lenguas y culturas de la Hispania antigua pp. 631-690. I.S.S.N. 1578-5386 DOI: 10.36707/palaeohispanica.v0i20.395
31. Prosper, Blanca María. "Some Thoughts on the Gaulish Result of Common Celtic -mn- in Galatian" Celtic Studies 3. 2008. pp. 189-199, p. 190
32. 2000. Fife J. 2000. Historical Aspects. In: The Celtic Languages. Ed. by Martin j. Ball. with James Fife. Routledge. P.74
33. Prósper . Blanca María . 2006 . SOZ AUKU ARESTALO TAMAI: La segunda línea del bronce de Botorrita y el anafórico celtibérico . Palaeohispánica: Revista sobre lenguas y culturas de la Hispania antigua . Institución Fernando el Católico . 6 . 139–150 .
34. Jordán Cólera . Carlos . 2004 . Celtibérico . Monografías de Filología Griega . Universidad de Zaragoza . Zaragoza . 16 . IV . 84-96214-38-9.
35. Kapović, M. (editor) The Indo-European Languages Routledge: 2017. p. 360 https://archive.org/stream/MateKapoviTheIndoEuropeanLanguages/Mate%20Kapovi%C4%87%20The%20Indo-European%20Languages_djvu.txt
36. Matasovic, R. Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic Leiden: Brill. 2009. p. 376
37. Prósper, Blanca M. 2002: «La gran inscripción rupestre celtibérica de Peñalba deVillastar. Una nueva interpretación», Palaeohispanica 2, pp. 213–226.