Vandalic language
Encyclopedia
Vandalic was a Germanic language probably closely related to Gothic
. The Vandals
, Hasdingi
and Silingi
established themselves in Gallaecia
(Northern Portugal
and Galicia) and in Southern Spain
, following other Germanic and non-Germanic peoples (Visigoths, Alans
and Suevi), before moving to North Africa
in AD 429.
Very little is known about the Vandalic language other than a small number of personal names of Vandalic origin in Spanish
. The regional name Andalusia
is derived from the Vandals, according to the traditional view. When the Moors
invaded and occupied Spain from the 8th century to the end of the 15th, the region was called "Al-Andalus
".
The epigram De conviviis barbaris in the Latin Anthology
, of North African origin and disputed date, contains a fragment in a Germanic language that some authors believe to be Vandalic, although the fragment itself refers to the language as "Gothic". This may be because both languages were East Germanic and closely related; scholars have pointed out in this context that Procopius
refers to the Goths, Vandals, Visigoths, and Gepaedes as "Gothic nations" and opines that they "are all of the Arian faith, and have one language called Gothic". The fragment reads:
Inter “eils” Goticum “scapia matzia ia drincan!”
non audet quisquam dignos educere versus.
Translation:
Between the Gothic [cries] "Hail" and "Let's get [something to] eat and drink"
nobody dares to put forth decent verses.
Another Vandalic phrase is found in Collatio Beati Augustini cum Pascentio ariano 15 by Pseudo-Augustine: Froja armes, "Lord, have mercy!"
In the 16th, 18th and 19th century, it was believed, according to the Slovenes of Prekmurje
, Somogy, and Vas, that they were descendants of the Vandals. In Hungarian
, Latin
and other documents, the Prekmurian language (dialect of the Hungarian Slovenes
and the Prekmurje) is termed Vandalic language.
Gothic language
Gothic is an extinct Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths. It is known primarily from the Codex Argenteus, a 6th-century copy of a 4th-century Bible translation, and is the only East Germanic language with a sizable Text corpus...
. The Vandals
Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
, Hasdingi
Hasdingi
The Hasdingi were the southern tribes of the Vandals, an East Germanic tribe. They lived in areas of today's southern Poland, Slovakia and Hungary...
and Silingi
Silingi
The Silings or Silingi supposedly were an East Germanic tribe, probably part of the larger Vandal group. According to most scholars, examples Jerzy Strzelczyk, Norman Davies, Jerzy Krasuski, Andrzej Kokowski, Henryk Łowmiański, the Silingi may have lived in Silesia...
established themselves in Gallaecia
Gallaecia
Gallaecia or Callaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province and an early Mediaeval kingdom that comprised a territory in the north-west of Hispania...
(Northern Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Galicia) and in Southern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, following other Germanic and non-Germanic peoples (Visigoths, Alans
Alans
The Alans, or the Alani, occasionally termed Alauni or Halani, were a group of Sarmatian tribes, nomadic pastoralists of the 1st millennium AD who spoke an Eastern Iranian language which derived from Scytho-Sarmatian and which in turn evolved into modern Ossetian.-Name:The various forms of Alan —...
and Suevi), before moving to North Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in AD 429.
Very little is known about the Vandalic language other than a small number of personal names of Vandalic origin in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. The regional name Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
is derived from the Vandals, according to the traditional view. When the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
invaded and occupied Spain from the 8th century to the end of the 15th, the region was called "Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
".
The epigram De conviviis barbaris in the Latin Anthology
Latin Anthology
The Latin Anthology is the appellation bestowed upon a collection of fugitive Latin verse, from the age of Ennius to about 1000, formed by Pieter Burmann the Younger...
, of North African origin and disputed date, contains a fragment in a Germanic language that some authors believe to be Vandalic, although the fragment itself refers to the language as "Gothic". This may be because both languages were East Germanic and closely related; scholars have pointed out in this context that Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
refers to the Goths, Vandals, Visigoths, and Gepaedes as "Gothic nations" and opines that they "are all of the Arian faith, and have one language called Gothic". The fragment reads:
Inter “eils” Goticum “scapia matzia ia drincan!”
non audet quisquam dignos educere versus.
Translation:
Between the Gothic [cries] "Hail" and "Let's get [something to] eat and drink"
nobody dares to put forth decent verses.
Another Vandalic phrase is found in Collatio Beati Augustini cum Pascentio ariano 15 by Pseudo-Augustine: Froja armes, "Lord, have mercy!"
In the 16th, 18th and 19th century, it was believed, according to the Slovenes of Prekmurje
Prekmurje
Prekmurje is a geographically, linguistically, culturally and ethnically defined region settled by Slovenes and lying between the Mur River in Slovenia and the Rába Valley in the most western part of Hungary...
, Somogy, and Vas, that they were descendants of the Vandals. In Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and other documents, the Prekmurian language (dialect of the Hungarian Slovenes
Hungarian Slovenes
Hungarian Slovenes are an autochthonous ethnic and linguistic Slovene minority living in Hungary. The largest groups are the Rába Slovenes in the Rába Valley in western Hungary between the town of Szentgotthárd and the borders with Slovenia and Austria. They speak the Prekmurje dialect of Slovene...
and the Prekmurje) is termed Vandalic language.