Tag: Lydian Language

A Blend of Anatolian Heritage

The Lydian language, belonging to the New Anatolian languages, unfolds a linguistic tale shaped by the aftermath of the Hittite Empire’s fall and the subsequent Indo-European settlement in Asia Minor.

Anatolian Melting Pot

As the Hittite Empire crumbled, Anatolian city-states witnessed the emergence of a new era marked by both Indo-European Hittites and non-Indo-European tribes like Hatti, Assyrians, and Aramaeans. By the 7th century B.C., Semitic and other tribes had assimilated most East and Central Anatolian Indo-Europeans, compelling Hittites and Luwians to migrate westward, finding refuge along the Aegean Sea shores Phrygia.

Distinctive Lydian Linguistics

Lydian, directly descended from Hittite, introduces unique linguistic features. The phonetics become more intricate with the introduction of nasal vowels [a] and [e], while the consonant system adopts palatals [s], [t], [d], [l