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Eteocypriot was a pre-Indo-European language spoken in Iron Age Cyprus. It was written in the Cypriot syllabary, a syllabic script derived from Linear A (via the Cypro-Minoan variant Linear C). The language was under pressure from Arcadocypriot Greek from ca. the 10th century BC and was finally extinct in ca. the 4th century BC It is conjectured by some linguists to be related to the Etruscan and Lemnian languages. Due to the small number of texts found, there is currently much unproven speculation.
The Amathus Bilingual The most famous Eteocypriot inscription is in fact a bilingual text dated to around 600 BC and written in both the Attic dialect of Ancient Greek and Eteocypriot. Amathus was an ancient city on the southern coast of Cyprus (about 6 miles east of Limassol and 24 miles west of Larnaka). The following are the syllabic values of the symbols of the Eteocypriot text. To each line is added the suggested pronunciation and translation. The Eteo-Cypriot text: A-NA MA-TO-RI U-MI-E-SA-I MU-KU-LA-I LA-SA-NA Ana mator-i um-iesa-i Mukula-i Lasana At his city dedicated the Tyrrhenians in Mukula A-RI-SI-TO-NO-SE A-RA-TO-WA-NA-KA-SO-KO-O-SE KE-RA KE-RE-TU-LO-SE Ariston-ose Artowanaksoko-ose, kera keretul-ose. To Ariston Artowanax, of good birth. TA KA-NA KU-NO SO-TI A-LO KA-I-LI PO-TI Ta kana kuno sot-i, ail-o kail-i pot-i That gift was given to the tomb, lowered into the earth by the chief. The Greek text: Ἡ πόλις ἡ Ἀμαθουσίων Ἀριστῶνα Ἀριστώνακτος, εὐπατρίδην. The polis of Amathusians, to Ariston (son of) Aristonax, nobleman. Other known texts One: WI-TI-LE RA-NU TA-NA MU-NO-TI A-I-LO Witile Ranu tan mun-oti ail-o. Witile Ranu in this plot was lowered. E-KI YA-NO-TI MA-NA Eki an-oti, man-a. Here in his plot, he lies. KO-TO-U-PA-RA-MI RA-NU TA-NA MU-NO-TI Kotouparami? Ranu tan mun-oti. (?) Ranu in this plot. Two: A-NA TA-SI TU-SA E-KI WI-YA-KI MA-NA Ana tas-i tus-a. Eki, Wiyaki man-a. In his tomb he is buried. Here, Wiyaki lies. A-PO-I E-KI MA-RI MA-NA Apo-i eki Mari man-a. With father here Mari lies. TU-MI-RA I-MI-KA-NI PU-E-NE-MI-NA PA-NA-MO Tumir imikani puenemi-na panam-o. NOUNS (?) ADJECTIVE PASSIVE. KA-NI-O TA-RA-WI KA-WA-LI-YA MA-NA MI-. Kanio taraw-i Kawaliya man-a mi. A gift to be given Kawaliya lies (?). Three: TU A-LI-RA-NI O-I-TE TU-SU TA-LE-YA PA-KU-KE Tu Alirani oite tus-u, Taleya Pakuke. Here Alirani's mother is buried, Taleya Pakuke. A-NO-TI TA-SO-TI A-PU-E-MA O-I-TE A-LI-RA-NI MA-NA An-oti tas-oti, apuema oite Alirani man-a. In this tomb, (?) the mother of Alirani lies. A-SO-NA TU-KA I-MI-NO-NA A-YA-I-A KO-.-. Aiso-na tuka imino-na ayai-a ko.. The divine NOUN ADJECTIVE VERB (?) A-NA TA-SO A-SO-NA TU-KA I-MI-NO-NA Ana taso aiso-na tuka imino-na. Her tomb the divine NOUN ADJECTIVE. TU-MI-RA O-I-TE I-MI-KA-NI O-I-TE TA-KO E-NE-MI-NA O-I-TE Tumir oite imikani, oite tak-o, enemina oite. TA-RA-WO E-NE-MI-NA .-KA-LA-WA-TI-KE MU-SO-TI Taraw-o enemi-na .kalawatike mus-oti. Given ADJECTIVE (?) in the (?). Vocabulary
aisona, divine, of gods Etr ana, 3ps pronoun (an-oti 'in his') Etr Ariston, Ariston Greek male name Artowanax, Aristonax Greek family name eki, here Etr
Etruscan''': ''cen-u'', given Lasana, Tyrrhenian Etr
oite, mother Etr poti, chief
ta, that (tan 'that', tan-oti 'in(to) that') Etr
tu, here Etr <θui> 'here'
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