Celtic and Slavic Contact on the Balkan Peninsula
Friday, 20. July 2007, 21:56:21
A Linguistic Analysis of Modern Celtic and Slavic Languages
Faculty Mentor: Walter Whipple, Germanic and Slavic Languages
Gashler, Daniel Josef
The Celts and Slavs were widespread and important cultural phenomena in Iron-Age Europe.
Their influence is still felt in contemporary Europe and the Americas. Many states and peoples
speak modern languages derived from proto-Celtic and proto-Slavonic. The purpose of my
research is to show that these ancient cultures were once in contact on the Balkan Peninsula. The
ultimate goal is to discover the time period, duration, and social nature of this contact through
examining linguistic evidence of contact present in modern South Slavic (those Slavic languages
spoken on the Balkan Peninsula) and Celtic languages.
An assumption of historical linguistics is that all languages change and that language change is a
systematic process. Through an understanding of the processes of language change, it is possible
to reconstruct proto-languages from which modern languages are derived. It is also possible to
find which words in a target language were borrowed from a particular source language. Word
borrowing occurs when people speaking different languages come into contact. The degree and
nature of the borrowing varies with the nature of the contact.
In the case of the Celts and South Slavs, there are two type of contact which probably occurred:
mutual trade and political domination of the Celts over the South Slavs. In the case of trade it is
assumed that words dealing with exchangeable commodities would be equally borrowed
between languages. In the case of Celtic political control over the Slavs it is assumed that the
overwhelming majority of words would be borrowed by the Slavs from the Celts, with very little
word borrowing going the other way.
Modern Celtic and South Slavic languages are over 2000 years removed from the time period
when the Celts and Slavs were likely in contact. Any words which appear to have been
borrowed between Celts and Slavs present in modern languages, are probably but a skeleton of
the former borrowed lexicon. Written documents and inscriptions in proto-Slavonic and proto-
Celtic are so scarce that the modern languages are practically the only linguistic data-set we have
for examining this ancient contact.
Celtic and Slavic languages (along with most of the languages of Europe and many of the
languages in Asia) represent language families that ultimately derive from the Indo-European
language. Many words shared by Celtic and Slavic languages are of common Indo-European
origin and are shared by many other language families as well. These words would not represent
borrowings from the Iron-Age period, but simply a common heritage of Celtic, Slavic, and other
languages. Therefore, only words that are exclusively found in Celtic and Slavic languages will
be considered significant evidence.
The first step I have taken is to examine the most complete dictionaries available of the modern
and recently extinct Celtic languages, namely Irish, Scotch Gaelic, Cornish, Manx, Welsh, and
Breton. My examination of these dictionaries involves first learning the basic grammar of each
respective language, including all inflectional and derivational affixes, pronunciation, and some
basic vocabulary. I then became familiar with the available literature on Slavic and Celtic sound
shifts as well as general sound shift trends with all languages. Bearing all of this information in
mind I will examine the entire contents of all the Celtic languages looking for those words that
appear similar to the modern South Slavic languages, namely Slovene, Serbo-Croatian, and
Macedonian-Bulgarian.
This task has been completed with Welsh and Scotch-Gaelic. 178 words in Welsh and 134
words in Scotch-Gaelic were found to be present in modern South Slavic languages. These
words were determined to be borrowings based on recognizable sound shifts and lack of parallels
in other European languages with Indo-European roots. I will not discount parallels with Western
and Eastern Slavic languages.
It will be important for chronological reasons to obtain data from all six Celtic languages. The
Celtic languages are divided into two families: Goidellic (Irish, Manx, and Scotch Gaelic) and
Brythonic (Cornish, Welsh, and Breton). The Goidellic-speaking Celts split from the Brythonic
Celts between 1000 and 600 BC, isolating themselves on the British Isles. This split caused the
two language groups to evolve in different directions. If a major distinction in the quantity of
words from Goidellic and Brythonic languages present in the South Slavic languages is evident,
it may be possible to date the linguistic influence of the South Slavs and Celts on each other
between 1000 BC and 50 AD. 50 AD represents a general date for when the Celts ceased to
inhabit the Danube region.
When all of the words have been compiled they will be sorted according to words dealing with
politics, ideology, and subsistence. The archaeological record shows the Celts to have been a
more advanced Chieftain society which often dominated those it came in contact with. On the
other hand, the early Slavs were less organized band societies who were often dominated by
more organized cultures. The borrowed words between Celtic and South Slavic languages will
be useful in determining the validity of either of these archaeologically-based assumptions.
In compiling this data it will also be necessary to find a way to explain the contact between Celts
and Slavs. The main problem is that the Celts left the Balkan area, and almost all of continental
Europe before 50 AD while the Slavs did not arrive on the Balkan peninsula until 500 AD at the
earliest. Alternative theories such as a Slavic genesis within the Balkan area will be examined in
order to explain the overwhelming amount of linguistic evidence linking South Slavic languages
with Scotch-Gaelic and Welsh, and likely the other Celtic languages as well. The linguistic
evidence shows contact between peoples who were separated by almost 500 years according to
conventional histories. The linguistic data needs an explanation.
My goal is to complete the analyses of the remaining four Celtic languages and statistical
analyses of all Celtic and South Slavic common words by June of 2004. I will report on the
results and obtain scholarly reviews of this work in order to fulfill the honor’s thesis requirement.
ORCA funds have been extremely helpful in obtaining materials and correspondences necessary
for the completion of this project. Thank you.

Anonymous # 9. November 2008, 20:59
What are the 178 words and the 134 words that are shared?
macedon # 10. November 2008, 02:57
http://my.opera.com/ancientmacedonia/blog/show.dml/2673876
Anonymous # 20. November 2009, 00:59
history is fake.slavs were on balkan at the same time as celts.the main contact between them was around the rivers sava and danube.many modern serbs have a celtic gene.most of them in north bosnia.in 4-th century,in the time of huns(atila)invasion slavs and alans from south russia came on balkan and asimilate with earlier slavic inhabitants.in alani language serbs(srbi) means "people".many alans went also in today modern poland,italy,france,spain,england,IRELAND...Later,in 7-th century many alans came from poland and took with them also slavs.Greek emperor Heracles invite them in 621 AD.Modern serbs are: slavs(40%),alans(30%),turks(15%,but more persian turks than turkish turks if you understand difference),CELTS(5-6%),german(2%,gottic),greek,arab,jewish,gipsy...I think that irish have also alans gene.BUT MOST OF ALANS ARE SERBS.THAT IS HISTORY.Croat on alani language means "friend".Bosnians are serbs of muslim religion...
macedon # 20. November 2009, 02:56
Alans?
i think....Alans are R1a....same as Russians,Polishs.....
Celtic gene?what this mean?
Anonymous # 30. November 2009, 00:39
I dont know what is R1 a.Genetics is not my field.You can not numerate nations,maybe every single human,but not nations.Big part of ex Yugoslavia was inhabitted by people from Poland in 7-th century.Key of history is Hun invasion.Before that,European slavic people were mixed with Persian people from the Don river to the mount Caucasus.They were a very special slavic-persian people whose name is ALANI.When Huns invaded their homeland part of Alans where killed or taken as Huns soldiers,part of them moved to the Caucasus(today modern Ossetia),and the biggest part of Alans,maybe even 80% of them were runaway across whole Europe,also in Poland and Russia.Today you have their names,customs in whole Europe.In english "Alan",french "Alain",serbian "Alen"...CATALONIA(CATALUNYA) means Goth+Alania.They call themselves CATALAN people,because they are that.Gots and Alans were defending Spain together at the time of Hun invasion.It was a very big battle near Barcelona in 5-th century.Look at the map of Europe in 714,a time of Charles the Great,you will see a state of Serbia near Berlin,and also on Balkan.This is because Alans called themselves "SERBS" which means "people",and Hurvata(Croat),means"friend'.They gave names to Serbian and Croatian nations which are same people.Macedonians,Montenegrins,Bosniaks are same people too.Macedonians and Serbs are very similar,one were inhabited ancient macedonia and took that name as part of Serbian people who live in Macedonia.Big part of people in ex Yugoslavia have Alan ancestors,one call themselves serbs,other croats,macedonians,bosniaks,montenegrins,slovens.
History is very painfull,but even church which knows almost everything dont know what part of irish,english,french,spanish,italian,belgian,portuguese,algerian.....people are in fact "SERBS".I hope your genetic research will show that in a few years.On the other side one part of Serbs are CELTS.CELTS have founded Belgrade and thanks to them.Europe is very mixed and special.Maybe CELTS are slavs in fact.They have streched from Alps to the Asian continent almost,same teritories as Slavs.
macedon # 30. November 2009, 01:44
i think.....Polish and balkan "slavs"...
first...
http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&resnum=0&q=kid%20creole%20annie%20not%20your%20daddy&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#q=KID+CREOLE+%26+THE+COCONUTS+-+Don't+Take+My+Coconuts&hl=en&view=2&emb=0&qvid=kid+creole+dont+take+my+coconets&vid=-2771186526598603595
why coconets?...we are from "coconets"...
then....
http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&resnum=0&q=kid%20creole%20annie%20not%20your%20daddy&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#q=kid+creole+annie+not+your+daddy&hl=en&emb=0&qvid=kid+creole+annie+not+your+daddy&vid=980546842370727363
ink against blood?
no chance.....
Anonymous # 30. November 2009, 21:42
blood is blood,of course.Whole Balkan is a mix of probably hundred nations and people are different everywhere. In ex Yugoslavia dominant is Slavic gen,from Poland,Russia,Czech,Slovakia...Also is Persian,Turkish,Celtic,Ilyrian(they were also Slavs my friend)...Many nations were on Balkan,of course that in modern Macedonia many people have ancient macedonian gen,you have it also in greece,bulgaria,serbia.No one can not erase one nation,only assimilate.Macedonians are Slavs the most,very similar with Bulgarians and Serbs,and after that probably have ancient macedon gen.But Makedonija was one of Serbian lands,also as kosovo,bosna,raska,zeta...Name Macedonia is for Geographic place where Serbian people had lived.
macedon # 1. December 2009, 01:55
what is wrong with you?
http://my.opera.com/ancientmacedonia/blog/show.dml/4504132
Serbia is latin name..from Servus=ROB....
Servia=land between Beograd and Nish....?
Serbians are mix of Shqiptars and "Servus" people....
nice name...Servus=ROB....
Anonymous # 23. December 2009, 00:22
SRB=COVEK
HURVATA=PRIJATELJ
SER(ENGLISH WORD OF ARIAN(PERSIAN)ORIGIN)=GOSPODIN COVEK
BAJAGA I INSTR.-PLAVI SAFIR
Duvaju promaje kroz vrata naroda
Tuda smo prosli mi jos davno nekada
Kazi mi ko ti guzva postelju
I ko ima zlatne kljuceve od tvojih tajnih odaja ....
hajde...plavi moj safiru
hajde...ceznjo i nemiru....
SRB NA LITVANSKOM ZNACI ZASTITNIK,NA BELORUSKOM RODJAK
POLA EVROPE IMA SRPSKI GEN R1A,POLA BLISKOG ISTOKA I DOBAR DEO INDIJE POSTO SU ARIJEVCI NASELILI INDIJU TAKODJE O CEMU JE GOVORIO ZARATUSTRA,U SANSKRITU POSTOJI REC SRB AKO TE BAS ZANIMA GENETICARU..
Makedonka # 23. December 2009, 01:25
It's true that all people are mixed trough out the times, and no one can claim "100 pure"", but man you are delusional.
How can everyone be Serb, when Serbs DID NOT EXISTED in BC times???
So must be that they are/were something else, later renamed as Serbs!
As far as Macedonians is concern WE DID NOT CHANGED our name for all these years, and WE DO EXISTED AND STILL EXIST as a people, nation and country! No one can wipe out people's origin no matter how much they've mixed with other race. Taking all these factors in consideration including genes, WE ARE ANCESTORS OF ANCIENT MACEDONIANS! And were the problem is with it been who we are, that some people have with us? Jealousy, territorial aims, rich history, culture or antiquity? Man...Nothing can justify ethnic cleansings and aim of wipe out on people and nations - NOTHING!
I hope that you will understand one day and accept it as it is without trying to change the history and make a "better picture" for yourselves. And yes you are mixed with Celts more that any other Balkanian nation, and must be in your Celtic genes that likes to create a "history" over the wishes, fantasy and mythology, same as the so called Greeks do, so they too are more Celts than Ethiopians or at least they both have the same origin - Africa!
macedon # 23. December 2009, 05:33
so much SER(ESH)....in Macedonian
How you knowing that you are r1a?
your chance is 1:7.....
Maybe you are Bulgarian (r1a)?
Maybe you are from Oman(r1a)?
you're funny....
how r1a come in servia?
with helicopters?
i think,you are from Oman (r1a)....r1a from Oman is older than serbian r1a...
and Shqiptars are from Yemen (j2)...
http://my.opera.com/ancientmacedonia/blog/show.dml/4504132
then you live together in the Caucasus (Albania ans Serbia...see maps)
then you come to Balkan....
then you continue with blod-mix with shiptars.....Kuchi,(K)obilic etc....
many servians and shqiptars have same faces.....
coincidence?...NO....
this is your (dark age) history....
you have (sexyal) contacts with shqiptars,not with celts...
Makedonka...i have nice (face reconstruction) pic
http://my.opera.com/ancientmacedonia/blog/2009/11/21/ancient-mitochondrial-dna-evidence-and-macedonians
then...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB22wJxlYsY
enjoy
Anonymous # 23. December 2009, 23:32
pa i vi makedonci imate keltski gen,a evo kako izgleda distribucija "arijevskog persijskog gena u evropu",indiju o cemu je govorio zaratustra.naravno da su srbi samo deo tog naroda R1A,to isto je i pola evrope,pa i vi makedonci dobrim delom
http://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%98%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BF%D1%99%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8