Dacians and Their Language

Getae and Dacians

• Getae and Dacians were of the same origin, with regional differences.
• Strabon stated that Dacians spoke the same language as the Getae.
• Archeological evidence confirms the unity of their material culture.

The Dacian Language

• Dacian was likely an Indo-European language of the Satem type.
• The language had a well-defined phonetic system.
• Research relies on the assumption that Getae and Thracians spoke the same language.

Differences in Language

• Bulgarian linguist Gheorghiev proposed that Thracian and Dacian-Getic were distinct languages, citing differences in toponyms and phonetics.
• However, limited linguistic evidence makes conclusive differentiation challenging.

Linguistic Data

• The majority of information about the Thracian-Dacian language comes from proper names found in inscriptions and on coins.
• These names include people, tribes, deities, settlements, rivers, and mountains.
• Over 2050 such names are known:
  • 1150 anthroponyms (personal names)
  • 900 toponyms and hydronyms (place and water names)
• Examples:
  • Maris = Mureș (river)
  • Alutus = Olt (river)
  • 'tarabostes' means 'brilliant'
  • '-dava' refers to 'settlement'

Romanian Language Origins

• Approximately 160 Romanian words are believed to be of Geto-Dacian origin.
• These words have no equivalents in other languages.
• Examples include:
  • dusk
  • village
  • cheese