Sicel was an ancient language spoken by the Sicels (Greek Sikeloi, Latin Siculi), one of the three indigenous (i.e. pre-Greek and pre-Punic) tribes of Sicily; the Elymians and the Sicani were the other two. According to some authors (Varro, Diodorus Siculus) the speakers of Sicel entered Sicily from the Italian mainland, and the language is quite likely of Indo-European origin. In particular the verb form pibe "drink" is a second-person singular present imperative active exactly cognate with Latin bibe and Sanskrit piba; this is firm evidence recommending the language's Indo-European origin.
A close relationship with Latin and Faliscan cannot be ruled out: Varro states that Sicel language was strictly allied to Latin as many words sounded almost identical and had the same meaning, such as oncia, lytra, moeton (Lat. mutuum).
The longest and most well known Sicel inscription is scratched on the lid of a guttus (vine jug) found in 1824 near Centoripe (ancient Centuripae, then Centorbi). It reads:
NUNUSTENTIMIMARUSTAINAMIEMITOMESTIDUROMNANEPOS
DUROMIEMTOMESTIVELIOMNEDEMPONITANTOMEREDESUINO
BRTOME[...
There have been various attempts at interpreting it (e.g. V. Pisani 1963, G. Radke 1996) with no sure results.
Famous quotes containing the word language:
“Which I wish to remark—
And my language is plain—
That for ways that are dark
And for tricks that are vain,
The heathen Chinee is peculiar:
Which the same I would rise to explain.”
—Bret Harte (1836–1902)