List of reconstructed Dacian words

This article contains a list of reconstructed words of the ancient Dacian language. They have been restored by some linguists from attested Dacian place and personal names (toponyms and anthroponyms) and from words believed to be Dacian relics in the modern Romanian and Albanian languages.^[1][2]

In the case of words reconstructed from onomastic evidence, the original meanings ascribed to the names in question are derived from examination of closely cognate words and placenames in other Indo-European languages, complemented by analysis of the historical evolution of such placenames.^[3][4] However, the results are hypothetical and subject, in many cases, to divergent etymological interpretations.^[5]

Reconstructions derived from Romanian and Albanian words are based on the unproven theory (with some linguists and historians, this theory has become an assumption ) that Dacian constitutes the main linguistic substratum of both languages, or the related theory that Dacian and early Albanian both descend from an immediate common ancestor.

Reconstruction of words from place and personal names

Methodology

Both Georgiev and Duridanov use the comparative linguistic method to decipher ancient Thracian and Dacian names, respectively.

Georgiev argues that one can reliably decipher the meaning of an ancient place-name in an unknown language by comparing it to its successor-names and to cognate place-names and words in other IE languages, both ancient and modern. He gives several examples of his methodology, of which one is summarised here:

The city and river (a tributary of the Danube) in eastern Romania called Cernavodă. In Slavic, the name means "black water". The same town in Antiquity was known as Άξίοπα (Axiopa) or Άξιούπολις (Axioupolis) and its river as the Άξιος (Axios). The working assumption is, therefore, that Axiopa means "black water" in Dacian. According to the known rules of formation of IE composite words, this breaks down as axi = "black" and opa or upa = "water" in Dacian (the -polis element is ignored, as it is a Greek suffix meaning "city"). The assumption is then validated by examining cognate placenames. The axi element is validated by another tributary of the Danube called the Axios, which is today known as Crna reka (located in Republic of Macedonia "black river") and by the older Greek name for the Black sea, Άξεινος πόντος (Axeinos pontos, later altered to the euphemism Euxeinos pontos = "Hospitable sea"). The opa/upa element is validated by the Lithuanian cognate upė ("water").^[4] This etymology is questioned by Russu: Axiopa, a name attested only in Procopius' De Aedificiis, may be a corrupt form of Axiopolis.^[6] Even if correct, however, Russu's objection does not invalidate the decipherment of the axi- element.

Apart from Duridanov and Georgiev, other scholars have attempted to reconstruct Dacian and Thracian words. Russu (1967) attempted to decipher Thracian and Dacian onomastic elements (placenames and personal names) by reference to presumed proto-Indo-European roots-words.^[7] Georgiev considers such a methodology (known as Wurzeletymologien = "root-etymologies") to be "devoid of scientific value".^[8] This is because the root-words themselves are reconstructions, which are in some cases disputed and in all cases subject to uncertainty; multiple root-words can often explain the same word; and the list of proposed IE root-words may not be complete. Reichenkron (1966)^[7] assumed that so-called "substratum" words in Romanian (those whose etymology cannot be ascribed to any of the fully documented languages that have influenced Romanian: Latin, Slavic, Hungarian, Greek, Turkish etc.) are of Dacian origin. But Polomé considers that such a methodology is not reliable.^[9] This is because there is no guarantee that the substratum words are, in fact, Dacian. Instead, they could derive from other, unknown or little-known tongues at some period current in Dacia or Moesia: for example, possible pre-Indo-European language(s) of the Carpathians.

Methodological problems

The methodology used by Georgiev and Duridanov has been questioned on a number of grounds, including:

1. The phonetic systems of Dacian and Thracian and their evolution are not reconstructed from elements derived directly from the ancient languages in question but from their approximative Greek and Latin transcripts.^{[10] [11]} For example, Greek and Latin had no dedicated graphic signs for phonemes such as č, ġ, ž, š and others. Thus, if a Thracian or Dacian word contained such a phoneme, a Greek or Latin transcript would not represent it accurately.^[12] This could result in the wrong cognate being selected to decipher the Dacian name.
2. The etymologies that are adduced to validate the proposed Dacian and Thracian vowel- and consonant- changes (that are, in turn, used for word-reconstruction by the comparative method) are open to divergent interpretations, since the material is strictly onomastic, with the exception of Dacian plant-names and of the limited number of glosses.^[13] Because of this, there are divergent and even contradictory assumptions for the phonological structure and development of the Dacian and Thracian languages. ^[13] Polomé (1982) notes that, in the case of personal names, the choice of etymology is often based on such assumed phonological rules. ^[14]
3. Dana argues that both Georgiev and Duridanov ignore the context of the names and start from arbitrary assumptions, such as considering a name to be of Dacian origin simply because it is attested in Dacia. In Dana's opinion, the Dacian origin of some of the names is doubtful or even excluded. Also, Duridanov's method is unreliable because most of the names he considers are unique.^[15]
4. Dana questions the validity of the Baltic etymologies used to decipher the Dacian names.^[15]
5. According to Messing, Duridanov's results are in contradiction with the reconstruction of a Balto-Slavic language group, as they show many parallels between Dacian and Baltic, but only a few with Slavic languages.^[16] (This objection is irrelevant if Baltic and Slavic constitute separate branches of IE (i.e. "Balto-Slavic" never existed, as some linguists maintain); or if, as Duridanov argues, Dacian acquired Baltic words through long-term proximity interaction with Baltic languages, rather than through a genetic link).

Despite these objections, Georgiev and Duridanov claim a high degree of reliability for their reconstructions. However, Polomé (1982), in his survey of the state of research into paleo-Balkan languages for Cambridge Ancient History, considers that only "20-25 Dacian, and 40-45 Thracian words have had reasonable, but not certain, Indo-European etymologies proposed". ^[17] This compares with c. 100 Dacian words reconstructed by Duridanov, and c. 200 Thracian words by Georgiev.

Reconstructed Dacian words

TABLE A: ATTESTED DACIAN WORDS
(exc Dacian plant names)

Dacian word	Meaning	Attestation	Possible Indo-European root-word(s)	Ancient cognates	Modern cognates
dava	city, settlement	e.g. PN Rusidava
per	son (child)	inscription Decebal per Scorilo ("Decebal son of Scorilus")[18]		Thrac. -por ("son of": PRN Mucapor = "son of Muka") Iranic -pur (e.g. Shapur = "son of the king" Latin puer ("boy")	Alb. bir ("son") Lith. bernas ("lad"), Latv. bērns ("child"),Rom."prichindel"("small children")
-zila or -dila	plant, herb (bot.)	Dacian plant-names			Lith. žolė Lat. zāle

TABLE B: DACIAN WORDS RECONSTRUCTED FROM ANCIENT NAMES

Reconstructed Dacian word[19]	Meaning	Attestation	Possible Indo-European root-word(s)	Ancient cognates (same meaning unless stated)	Modern cognates (same meaning unless stated)	Cognate placenames	Notes
*aba, apa	water, river	RN *Calabaeus,[20] river in Scythia Minor RN Apos	*ab- ("water", "river") It derived from akwa (shift kw>p, gw>b) [21]	Latin amnis (der.< arch. Latin *abnis), Old Persian ap- ("river")	Old Pr. ape ("river") Lith: Upė Romanian: apă, Alb. amë "river bed" (< PAl *abnā)	Latv. RN Abava, Abula Dac. RN Apos	Apos is a Dacian or an Illyrian river name [22] [23]
*akmon	stone, rock	PN Άκμονία[24] (Acmonia)[25] in R. Dacia between river Thibiscum and Sarmizegethusa	*ak- ("sharp")	Greek άχμον (akmon, "meteorite")	Lith. akmuo Old Latv. akmuons, Latv. akmens, akmenis Alb. kmesë "sickle" Romanian: ac ("needle")	Lith. RN Akmene, LN Akmenas Phrygian PN Άκμονία (Akmonia)	Acmonia was spelled Augmonia and Agmonia by the Geographer of Ravenna[26]
*aksi-	black	PN Άξίοπα (Axiopa), town in Scythia Minor, RN Axios, Macedonian river (now Vardar)[27]		Old Persian a-xsei 'black, dark'[27]	Alb. i zi "black", nxij "tarnish"		(i) According to Georgiev, Dacian Axiopa was translated by Slavic successor-population into mod. name Cernavoda ("Black Water"). River Axios was similarly translated into mod. Bulg. name Crna Rijeka ("Black River") (ii) Acc. to Parvulescu, Axios name reflects the Iranic (via the Scythian language) root a-xsei 'black, dark' .[27] (iii) Russu argues Axiopa is not a Dacian name, but a corrupt rendition of Axiopolis (a town of Scythia Minor).[6]
*albo[28]	white	PN Alboca (Dacia)[28] TN = Albocensi [28]	*albho ("white")[28]	Latin albus	Romanian: alb Alb. elb (<PA albi) "barley"
*alda (noun), *alta- (adj.)	swamp, waterlogged place	PN Άλδανες (Aldanes):[29] fort near Naissus (Moesia Sup.) PN Αλτίνα (Altina):[30] fort nr. Tramarisca	*olda, *olta ("water", "odorous")		Lith. aleti ("flooded") Latv. aluots, avuots ("source") Arm. ałt ("filthy") Alb. balta ("mud", "clay", "dirt") Rom. baltă ("puddle", "pond")	Latv. RN Aldes. SN Altenes Lith. RN Altis	The Dacian origin of Aldanes is controversial.[31]
*alm-	to flow, to stream	RN Almus,[32] Dacia Ripensis (Lom, Bulg.}, PN Almo (fort at river-mouth)			Lith. almėti ("to flow uninterruptedly"), Latv. aluot, aluoti
*amalas	mistletoe (Bot. Viscum album)	PN Amlaidina,[33] prob. in Scythia Minor (Dobrogea, Rom.)			Lith. ãmalas Latv. amuols Rus. oméla
*ara	river-course, tide	RN Arine[34] river in Dacia, PN Αρίνα, (Arina)[35] fort in Moesia Inf.		Gothic runs ("flow")		Rom. Arieş, Mureş, Siret, Criş river names in Modern Romania Lith. RN Arina
*auras, *auro[36][37]	water, moisture, pool	RN Αύρας (Auras),[38] river near Istros, Scythia Min.	*uer, *au(e)r 'wet, moisten'[37]	Greek αν-αυρος (an-auros, "without water")	Alb. ujera "waters".	Old Pr. RN Aure
*baidas	frightening, repulsive	PRN Baedarus (from Drobeta),[39] PRN Bedarus (from Potaissa)[40]	*bhoidho-s (Pok. IEW 162)		Lith. baidýti ("to frighten") Latv. baîdās, bailes ("fear", "anxiety"), Russian боиться (boit'sja) "to fear"
*balas,*balos[41]	strong [41]	PRN Decebalus[41]	*bel ('strong'),[41] [42]	Sanskrit bala-m- 'force, strong' [42]	Rom. fală, fălos - pride, imposing Alb. (Gheg) për-balcë "to face, defy"
*balas	white	PRN Balius (from Dacia)[43]	*bhel- ('white, bright') [44]	Ancient Greek phalos, phalios, anc. Greek balios "dappled"(<balios is considered a loan from Thracian or Illyrian; it is attested as far back as Homer's Iliad)	Rom. bălan (white (horse), blonde), bălai (blonde) Lith. bãltas Latv. bãls Alb. balë "bright", Alb. bal, "piebald dog or horse" [45]
*berza	birch-tree (Bot. Betula)	PN Bersovia,[46] Berzobis[47] town in SW Dacia	*bhereg "shine" "white" including "birch-tree" [48]	Old Bulg. *brěza	Lith. béržas Latv. bērzs Alb. bredh (<earlier *berdh)		Here, it is no observable difference between Thracian and Dacian[49]
*bur, buris[50]	plentiful, rich, swollen .[50]	PRN Burebista and PRN Mucabur .[50]	*b(e)u-, bh(e)u-('to swell, inflate, plentiful') .[50]	Old Indian bhū́-ri-ḥ 'rich, a lot, immense'.[50]	Lith. būrys ("a lot, a bunch, a flock") Latv. burvis ( a mag), bur, buris (conjuring) Alb. boll ("plenty")
*brukla	cranberry (Bot. Vaccinium Oxycoccus)	PN Brucla[51] (fort in Dacia, W of R. Mureş)	*bhreu-k- ("to spread")		Latv. brūkle, brūklene, brūklenāys (cowberry plant-place) Lith. bruknė Alb.brukë "tamarind"	Latv. MN Brùkļu Lith. SN Bruklynė
*buta(s)	house, hut, dwelling	PN Βούττις (Buttis)[52](fort in Dacia Med.) PN Boutae[53] (mountain pass into Dacia)			Lith. bùtas, butà Latv. buts, būda ("small house") Old Pr. buttan Alb. buj "dwell, accommodate", bujtinë "small house"	Latv. PN Butani Old Pr. PN Butyn Lith. RN Butėnių (kaimas)	The Dacian origin of Bouttis is controversial.[54]
*čuk-[55]	peak, summit	PN Thōkyōdis Via[56] PN *Thoukysidantikī[57]	*ḱu- ("sharp", "pike")		Rom. ciucă, cioc "beak" Bulg. čuka "small hill" Latv. čuk-ur-s (summit of roof) Alb. çuka "crest", suka "hillock" Greek τσούϰα "tumulus" Hung. csùcs	Rom. MN Ciuc (possibly from Hung. csík) Rom. MN Ciucaș
*daba	character, nature	PRN Δαβεις (Dabis)		Old Slavonic dob-	Lith. dabá Latv. daba	Pol. PRN Doba, Dobe
*daba	put in order, good [58]	PRN Dabeis [58]	*dabh ('arrange, suitable')[58]
*d(i)egis	burning, shining	PRN Degis	dhegʷh ('to burn')[59]	Old Hindi dáhati ("it burns"), Mid Iranian daig	Lith. dègti ("to burn") Alb. djeg ("burn")
*dina(s)	place, region, plain	PN Amlaidina, Asbolodina				Old Pr. PN Resedynen
*dita(s)	light (noun), bright (adj.)	PRN Ditugentus[60]	*dei-, *di- (to shine, shimmer)	Thrac. *ditas	Alb. ditë ("day")	Old Pr. PRN Ditte Lith. PN Ditava
*drasda	thrush (bird)	PN Drasdea		Old Slav. drozda	Lith. strãzdas Eng. thrush Swe. trast Irish truid	Old Pr. PN Drasda
*dribas/*drigas	wild, restless	PRN Dribalus[61] PRN Aurelius Drigissa,[62] a veteran of Legio VII Claudia			Latv. dribis, dribulis ("a restless man") Lith. drignis Alb. dridhem "to shake, tremble"	Latv. PN Driba Lith. PN Drigotas Old Latv. RN Dryzel Rus. (Baltic origin) RN Drigin'a
*duia	swamp or mist, drizzle	PN Δουιανα (Duiana), fort in Dacia Mediterranea[63]			Lith. dujà (both meanings) Latv. dujs ("dirty") Alb. ndyj "dirt"	Latv. PN Dujas Russian (Baltic origin) RN Dyja Lith. PN Daujėnai	The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[64]
*dūmas	dark brown	PN Dimum (from *Dumum)		Old Irish dumhach ("dark, foggy")	Lith. dūmas Latv. dūms Alb.tym ("fog, smoke, uncertainty") E.Bengali. "dhuma" (smoke, fog)	Thrac. PN Δὐμη (Dimi)
*galtis	sheet-ice, frost	PN Galtis	gel(ǝ) ('cold, freeze')[65]		Latv. gàla Rus. golot Lith. gailus (cold) gelti (to bite, to sting, to ache)	Old Pr. PN Galtengarb
*genukla	pasture, meadow	PN Γένουκλα (Genucla)[66] (fortress of Getan king Zyraxes on Danube)			Lith. ganyklà Latv. ganīkla Alb. gjanë "river mud"	Latv. SN Dzęnuklis
*ger[67]	smart, awake[67]	PRN Gerula[67]	*ger-4, grēi-(to grow; to awake)[68] [67]
*geras	good (-natured), kind	PRN Gerulo PRN Gerula	*g^uer(α)-[69]		Lith. gēras, Alb. gjorë "miserable, wretched"	Lith. PN Gerulių, RN Gerùlis
*germas	hot, warm	PN Γέρμαζα (Germaza), PN Γερμἰζερα (Germizera)	*g^hwer-	Latin formus Sanskrit gharma	Rom. "jar" "embers" Latv. gařme Gr. θερμὀς, Alb. zjarm "fire, heat"	Thrac. PN Γερμανἰα Bulg. RN Germania
*gilus	deep	PN Gildoba,[70] unknown "Thracian" location where St. Julius was revered			Lith. gilùs Latv. dziļš Old Pr. gillin	Lith. RNs Gilijà, Gilupis, Gỹlė Old Pr. LN Gilge Latv. LN Dziļaune
*gira (giria)	forest or mountain	PN Giridava	gʷeru ('pole, pike')[71]	Old Hindi girí-h ("mountain")	Lith. girė, girià ("forest") Latv. dzire ("mountain") Rus. gora 'mountain' Alb. gur "stone"
*granda	plank	PN Γράνδετον (Grandeton), fort near Naissus(Moesia Superior)			Lith. grandà ("bridge-plank") Old Pr. grandico Latv. gruõdi	Lith. PN Grandų káimas Latv. RNs Gruõds, Gruõdi, Gruõdupis Rom. grinda	The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[72]
*griva	river-bed or river-mouth	PN Γρίβο (Grivo),[73] fort near Naissus (moesia Sup.)		Thrac. ? *grava ("valley" or "river-bed")	Latv. grĩva ("river-mouth") Lith. greva ("river-bed") Alb. gravë "cave, lair"	Lith. RN Grýva Latv. RNs Grīva, Grīvīte	The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[74]
kaga[75]	sacred, holy	kaga[76]	*kʷog(h)- (< *kʷeg(h)-)		Old Slav. kazat′, skazat′ ("to tell", "to say")
*kalas	catfish (?)	RN Calabaeus		Latin squalus ("shark") Old Norse hualr ("whale")	Old Pr. kalis ("catfish")
*kapas	hill, slope	PN Καπίδαυα (Capidava)			Lith. kãpas Latv. kãpa ("dune, slope") Alb. kapë ("huge heap")
*kapura	hill	PN Capora[77] (in basin of river Tyras (Dniester)			Lith. kapùrna ("mossy mound")
*karpa	to cut, stone [78]	MN Carpates TN Karpoi, Carpi, [78] [79]	*sker, *ker ("to cut"), [78][79]		Alb. karpe (*karp-m-) ("stone"), [78] këput "to cut".	Carpathian Mts.,[78] Carpi tribe .[79]
*karsa	cave	PN Carsion Thrac. PN Carsaleon
*katas	stable, animal enclosure	PN Κάττουζα (Cattuza)		Avestan kata- ("cellar")	Alb. katoq, kotec, "animal enclosure"	Latv. PN Katužs
*keda	seat, stool	PN Cedonia			Lith. kedė
*kerba	swampy ground	PN Cerbatis			Lith. kirba	Lith. RN Kerbẽsas
*kerna	bush	PN *Cerna			Old. Pr. kirno Lith. kirna ("undergrowth")	Lith. LN Kernỹs
*kerta	clearing in a wood	PN Certie			Lith. kertė
*kina	dry ground (mound) in a swamp	PN Ciniscus			Lith. kinė, kinis Latv. cine, cin(i)s
*klevas	maple-tree (Bot.)	PN Clevora			Lith. klevas Latv. klavs
*krata	swampy place or pile, heap	PN Κρατίσκαρα (Cratiscara)			Lith. kratà ("heaped"), kritùs ("swampy")		The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[80]
*kurta	grove (stand of planted trees, often sacred)	PN Κουρτα (Curta); Thrac. PN Κουρτουσουρα (Curtusura)			Old Pr. korto Alb. korije "grove"
*lug-	swamp, bog	RN Λύγινος (Luginos)		Illyr. ἔλος Λοὐγεον	Latv. luga Rus. luža ("puddle") Alb.lug ("trough"), ligatinë ("bog"), luginë ("valley")	Gallic PN Lugdunum (Lyon)
*mala	(river) bank, shore, beach	PN Dacia Malvensis (name of Roman province)			Rom. mal Latv. mala		Dacia Malvensis meant "river-bank Dacia", ref. to its situation on (north) bank of Danube. Name Latinised to Dacia Riparia or Ripensis (Latin: ripa = "bank") in new province created by Aurelian on south side of Danube after evacuation of Dacia.
*maska	pool, puddle	PN Μασκάς (Maskas)				Latv. PN Mãskas
*mauda(s)	hemlock (Conium)(bot.)	PN Pomodiana			Lith. maudá, máudas	Illyrian PN Pamodus (island)
*medeka	glade (clearing in a forest)	PN Μέδεκα (Medeka)			Lith. medėkas		The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[81]
*musas	mould, moss	RN Μουσαίος (Museos), Thrac. PN Μωσυπα (Muspa)		Old Slav. мъсһъ Old High German mos ("swamp") Gr. μὐσος (músos)	Lith. mūsas (mùsas) Alb. myshk "mould, moss"
*nara(s)	river, brook	RN (Rom. from Dac.) Nǎruja			Lith. nérti ("to dive", "swim underwater") Alb. hum-nerë "precipice, chasm"	Lith. RN Neris, Narùpis Illyr. RN Νάρον
*net-	flow	PN Νετίνδαυα (Netindava), RN Netupa		Latin natare ("to swim")	Alb.not "to swim"
*padas	threshing-floor	PN Παδισάρα (Padisara)			Lith. pãdas
*pala, *palma	swamp, bog	PN Παλαδεινα (Paladina); PN Palmatis		Latin palus	Lith. pãlios Alb.pellg ("swamp")	Lith. RN Palminỹs
*pil-	to flow	RN Gilpil			Lith. pilti ("to pour, to flow") Latv. pile ("to drip")
*preida	pine-tree (Bot. pinus)	PN Πρέιδις (Pridis)			Latv. priẽde Alb.bredh ("fir tree")
*put-	to swell, thicken	PN Putina			Lith. pūstis ("to swell"); Lith pùtinas ("snowball")	Old Latv. PRN Putte
*rabo, rebo	'to move' 'to flow' 'be in motion'	RN Rabon river in Dacia (Jiul?) It was etymologically connected with Arabon (Narabon?) from Pannonia [82]	*rebh 'to move' 'to flow' 'be in motion' [83]
*ramus	peaceful, restful	PN Ραμίδαυα (Ramidava); Thrac. PN Rhamae		Old Hindi rámate	Lith. ramùs Alb. ramun ("fallen asleep")
*rō(u)ka	drizzle, fine rain	PN (from RN) Rhocobae			Lith. rõkė Alb. rrjedh "to flow"
*rus-	to flow	PN Rusidava; Thrac. PN Ροὐσιον			Lith. ruséti ("to flow slowly") Alb.rreshje "precipitation"
*san-apa	confluence (of two rivers)	RN Sanpaeus			Lith. Santaka	Lith. LN Sampė (< *San-upė)
*sausas	dry	PRN Sausa	*saus- ('dry')[84]		Lith. saũsas Alb. thatë "dry"
*sermas	river, river-current	PN Sirmium
*skabas	sharp, quick, lively	PRN Σκαβης (Scabis)		Latin scabere ("to scratch")	Lith. skubus ("prompt, swift"), skabùs ("sharp"), skabrùs ("quick, lively") Alb. i shkathët "quick, prompt"
*skaudus	painful, sad or powerful	TN Scaugdae			Lith. skaudùs
*skena	clearing (in a wood)	PN Scenopa			Lith. nuo-skena
*skuia	fir-tree (Bot.)	PN Σκουάνες (Scuanes)	sk(h)u̯oi̯-, sk(h)u̯i(i̯)- ('needle, thorn')[84]	Old Slav. chvoja (pine needles/branches)	Latv. skuja ("spruce-needle") Alb. hu "stake, picket, pole"		The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[85]
*skumbras	hill, down	PN Σκουμβρο (Scumbro)					The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[86]
*spirus	fast, quick, rapid	RN Πασπίριος (Paspirios)			Lith. spėrus Old Alb. shpjertë, Alb. shpejtë "fast, quick"
*stendas	stiff, rigid, viscose	PN Στένδαι (Stende)			Lith. standùs	Latv. RN Steñde	The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial.[87]
*suka	rip, tear, gap	PN Σουκίδαυα (Sucidava); Thrac. PN Succi (mt. pass)			Lith. šùkė Latv. sukums Alb. shuk "to shake, beat, push"
*sunka	liquid, to flow	PN (from RN) Σονκητα (Sunkita)			Lith. sunkà ("liquid", "tree-sap")	Lith. RN Sunkìnė
*suras	salty	PN Σούρικον (Suricon)			Lith. sūras Alb. shurrë "urine, sour liquid"
*taras	chatterer, gossiper	PRN Tara			Alb.thërras "to speak loudly"
*tauta	people, nation, country	PRN Tautomedes		Old Pr. tauto ("country") Goth. thiuda ("people") Old Irish tuath ("people")	Lith. tautà ("people, country")
*tiras	bare, barren, desolate	FN Τίριξις (Tirizis)			Lith. týras
*tut-	blow, emit smoke	RN Τοὐτης (Tutes)			Lith. tűtúoti ("to blow", "to sound horn") Ger. tuten ("to hoot") Alb. tyta "pipe, barrel"	Lith RN Tūtupis
*upa	river	PN Scenopa			Lith. upė
*urda(s)	stream, brook	RN Όρδησσός (Ordessos); Thrac. PN (from RN) Οὐρδαυς (Urdanes)			Lith. urdulỹs Latv. urdaviņa Alb. hurdhë "brook"	Celtic RN Urda
*vaigas	fast, rapid	PN (from RN) Aegeta				Lith. RN Váigupis
*varpa	whirlpool	PN (from RN) Άρπις (Harpis)			Lith. verpetas Alb. vorbull "whirlpool"	Lith. RN Varpė
*visas	fertile, fruitful	PN Βισ-δίνα (Visdina)			Lith. vislus, vaisùs	Lith. PN Visalaukė
*zalmo-	fur, skin, shield	PRN Ζαλμοδεγικος (Zalmodenicos) Ζάλμοξις (Zalmoxis)			Alb. thelmë "rag, patch" (in sewing)
*zelmas	shoot (of a plant)	PRN Ζαλμοδεγικος			Lith. želmuo Alb. çel ("blossom")
*zud-as	careful, precise	PRN Zude			Latv. zūdit ("to take care")	Lith. PN Zude, Zudius
*zuras	hot, shining	RN Zyras		Old Hindi jūrvati ("scorched")	Latv. zvêruot ("to light up", "shine"), Lith.žaros ("sparkles, glow")	Latv. PN (< RN) Zūras Lith. RN Žiūrà

KEY:
N.B. Asterisk (*before word) indicates reconstructed word
PN = 'settlement placename

PRN = personal name
TN = tribal name

RN = river/stream/brook name
LN = lake/pool/spring/waters name
SN = swamp name

MN = mountain/hill name
FN = field/meadow name
PLN = plant name

Reconstruction from Romanian and Albanian words

Georgiev, Duridanov and Russu concur that the Dacian language constitutes the main pre-Latin substratum of the modern Romanian language. Duridanov also accepts Georgiev's theory that modern Albanian is descended from Daco-Moesian. Where words in modern Albanian and/or Romanian can be plausibly linked to an Indo-European root and modern cognates of similar meaning, a reconstruction of the putative Dacian originals have been proposed by Duridanov, who included them in a separate list from words reconstructed from placenames.

CAVEAT: The following word-reconstructions are based on the assumption that the Albanian language is descended from Daco-Moesian. This theory is contested by many linguists, especially Albanian, who consider the language a direct descendant of the extinct Illyrian language.^[88] Thus, reconstructions based on modern Albanian words, or Romanian substratum words with Albanian cognates, may in reality represent ancient Illyrian, rather than Dacian, elements. In addition, the reconstructions below, unlike those in Table A above, are not validated by Dacian place- or personal names. The "Dacianity" of the reconstructions is therefore more speculative than those derived from placenames. (N.B. Even if Albanian is descended from Illyrian, the reconstructions below could nevertheless represent Dacian elements if the Daco-Illyrian theory - that the Dacian and Illyrian languages were closely related - is correct; or if the words below represent Illyrian borrowings from Daco-Moesian)

TABLE C: DACIAN WORDS RECONSTRUCTED FROM ALBANIAN AND ROMANIAN RELIC-WORDS^[89]

Dacian word	Meaning	Albanian/Romanian relic	Possible Indo-European root-word(s)	Modern cognates	Notes
*bred-	fir-tree (Abies alba)	Alb. bredh, Rom. brad	*bhreg'-os, *bhrog'-os (Pokorny IEW 139)	Rom. brad Lith. brãzas (resin)
*daina	song	Rom. dialect daină, doină, Alb. zana "mountain fairy"	*doina	Lith. dainà, Lat. daīņa
*draga	yeast	Alb. drā	*dhraghā (Pok. IEW 251)	Rom. "drojdie" Lith. drãgės, Lat. dradži, Old Pr. dragios, Old Bulg. drożdje, Pol. drożdże
*gen-	to hunt, to chase	Alb. gjanj (hunt, chase)	*gu̯hen-	Lith. genù (giñti)
*gerna	skin	Alb. zorrë	*gųernā (Pok. aaO. 474)	Lith. žárna, Lat. zařna
*kasla	cough	Alb. kollë	kųāslā (Pok. aaO. 649)	Lith. kosulỹs, Lat. kašļi
*kesa	time	Alb. kohë	*k(u)ē(i)sā (Pok. aaO. 636)	Old Pr. kismān, Old Bulg. časă, Pol. czas
*kur	when	Alb. kur (when, as)	*ku̯ur- (Pok. a.a.O. 647)	Lith. kuř (where), Lat. kùr (where), Arom. kùri (whom), Toch. kwri
*lad-	hazel-bush	Alb. lethi, laithi	*lag'(h)- (P0k. aaO. 660)	Lith. lazà (lazdà), Old Pr. laxde
*laid-	mud, loam	Alb. leth (-dhi)	*loid(h) (Pok. aaO. 662)	Old Pr. laydis
*mal-	bank, shore or mountain	Alb. mal (mountain), Rom. mal (bank, shore)	*mol- (Pok. aaO. 721f)	Lat. mala (beach, shore)
*mat-	to measure, mass	Alb. mat, mas, matë	*mot- (Pok. aaO. 703)	Lith. mãtas (mass), matúoti (to measure)
*met-	year, time	Alb. mot	*mēto- (Porzig Glied. 176)	Lith. mētas (time, year), Latv. męts (space), Old Pr. mettan (year)
*skrebr-	hornbeam tree: Carpinus betulus)	Alb. shkozë	*skrēbh-ro- (Pok. IEW 943)	Lith. skrúoblas and variants, Lat. skābardis Old Pr. scoberwis	derivation: Bulg. skreba (Clematis vitalba)
*spand-	hellebore (plant: Helleborus purpurescens)	Alb. shpendër, Rom. spînz	*sponǎ(i)- (Georgiev 1965 p80)	Lat. spuóds (bright)
*staig-	way, path, passage	Alb. shteg	*stoigh- (Pok. IEW 1017)	Lat. stiga, Gothic staiga, Ger. steig
*skrumb	ash, burnt material	Alb. shkrumb, Rom. scrum	*skrṃb(h)-	Lith. skrembù (skrebti)	Old Prussian placename Scrumbayn (today Schrombehnen)
*strunga	milking-enclosure	Alb. shtrungë, Rom. strungă	*strṇgā		Dacian placename Στρὁγγες (Proc. Aed. IV.4)
*zuv-	fish	Rom. juvete (a species of fish)	*g'hduụ- (Pok. IEW 416)	Lith. žuvis Lat. dial. zuva	Dac. placename Ζουσἱδαυα

See also

• List of Romanian words of possible Dacian origin
• List of Dacian plant names
• List of Dacian names
• Dacian language
• Baltic languages
• Thracian language
• Phrygian language
• Davae
• List of ancient cities in Thrace and Dacia

Notes

1. Duridanov (1969) 90-5
2. Georgiev (1976) 276-8
3. Duridanov (1969) 12-13
4. Georgiev (1976) 277
5. Polomé 1982, p. 878
6. See Russu 1963, p. 131 and Russu 1969, p. 76. Ἀξιό^πλ is assumed to be an abbreviation for Axiopolis in the manuscripts of De Aedificiis.
7. Posner & Green 1981, pp. 71.
8. Georgiev 1977, p. 276.
9. Polome & 1982 876.
10. Fisher & 2003 570.
11. Polome & 1982 885.
12. Paliga & 1986 120.
13. Polome 1982, p. 878-879.
14. Polome 1982, p. 881.
15. Dana 2003, p. 169-170.
16. Messing 1972, p. 962.
17. Polome 1982, p. 872.
18. McKendrick (1965) 45
19. Source unless otherwise specified: Duridanov (1969) pp90-5
20. ISM I 68
21. Walde-Pokorny 1959, p. 46
22. Kitson 1996, p. 218.
23. Athanassakis 1999, p. 108.
24. Ptolemy III.8.4
25. Rav. 203.14
26. Schütte & 1917 85.
27. Parvulescu & 1989 291.
28. Russu & 1967 90.
29. Proc. De Aed IV.4
30. Proc. De Aed. IV.11
31. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 11, but Celtic according to Beševliev 1970, p. 104, cf. Aldaniae, Aldaniacus mons.
32. It. Ant. 219.4; Tab. Peut. VII.5
33. CIL III. 13743
34. Rav. IV.14
35. Proc. De Aed. IV.11
36. Duridanov (1969) 91
37. Russu & 1967 137 and 143.
38. Herod. IV.49
39. CIL III.8021
40. CIL III.917
41. Russu & 1969 150 and 163.
42. Walde et al. 110.
43. CIL III.8064
44. Walde et al. 118-120.
45. Demiraj et al..
46. Rav. 204.3; Tab. Peut. VII.3
47. Prisc. Inst. VI.13
48. Walde et al. 170.
49. Solta & 1980 22.
50. Russu & 1967 97 and 132.
51. Tab. Peut. VIII.2
52. Proc. De Aed IV.4; Hes. 122.26
53. Jord. Get. 74
54. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 84, but Celtic according to Beševliev 1970, p. 99.
55. Olteanu (2007)
56. Olteanu 2007. Θωκύωδις βία in Proc. De Aed., IV.11,15
57. Olteanu 2007. *Θουκυσιδαντικη is one of the strategies of Thrace. Θουκυσιδαντικῆς on IGB IV 2338.
58. Russu & 1969 151 and 158.
59. Walde et al. 240.
60. CIL III.835
61. CIL III.3888
62. CIL III.14507
63. Proc. De Aed. IV.4; Hes. 121, 17
64. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 151, but Latin according to Russu 1962, p. 398 and Beševliev 1970, p. 97, derived with suffix -iana.
65. Walde et al. 366.
66. Dio LI.26
67. Russu & 1967 137 and 140.
68. Walde-Pokorny, Julius 598f.
69. Pokorny 478
70. Acta SS Nov. II.155 XIII Kal. ian.
71. Walde et al. 479.
72. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 108, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, p. 106: Granditum [castellum].
73. Proc. De Aed. IV.4; H. 124, 9
74. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 109, but Latin or Celtic according to Beševliev 1970, pp. 25, 114: Gribus possibly derived from a Celtic *gravo = "sand".
75. Sluşanschi (1989)
76. Olteanu 1989. The word καγα occurs twice, in ISM II 36 and in ISM II 138, with the meaning sacrum.
77. Rav. 178, 3
78. Russu & 1969 114 and 205.
79. Poghirc & 1989 302.
80. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 266, possibly derived from a Greek name, but Celtic according to Beševliev 1970, p. 93.
81. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 291, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, p. 97: the adjective medicus.
82. Russu & 1969 134.
83. Russu & 1969 153 and 158.
84. Walde et al. 880.
85. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 461, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, p. 100: squama = "scale, metal plate".
86. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 459,461, related to the Thracian tribe Σκόμβροι, and to the mountain name Σκόμβρος, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, pp. 57, 111: scomber = "mackerel".
87. Thracian according to Detschew 1957, p. 479, but Latin according to Beševliev 1970, pp. 94, 114.
88. Polome 192, p. 888.
89. Duridanov 1969 93-5 unless otherwise stated

References

Ancient

• Ammianus Marcellinus Res Gestae (c. 395)
• Dioscorides De Materia Medica (c. AD 80)
• Jordanes Getica (c. 550)
• Ptolemy Geographia (c. 140)
• Pseudo-Apuleius De Herbarum Virtutibus (5th century)
• Sextus Aurelius Victor De Caesaribus (361)
• Strabo Geographica (c. AD 20)
• Tacitus Germania (c. 100)
• Zosimus Historia Nova (c. 500)

Modern

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• Beševliev, Veselin (1970). Zur Deutung der Kastellnamen in Prokops Werk "De Aedificiis". Amsterdam.
• Fraser, P.M., Matthews (1959). Samothrace: no. 1. The inscriptions on stone edited by Karl Lehmann Phyllis Williams Lehmann. Pantheon Books.
• Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World (2000)
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• CIL: Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
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• Dana, Dan (2003). "Les daces dans les ostraca du désert oriental de l'Égypte. Morphologie des noms daces.". Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 143: 166–186.
• Detschew, Dimiter (1957). Die thrakischen Sprachreste. Vienna.
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• Price, Glanville (1998). Encyclopedia of the languages of Europe. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-22039-9.
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• Duridanov, I. (1969): Die Thrakisch- und Dakisch-Baltischen Sprachbeziehungen
• Fisher, Iancu (2003). Les substrats et leur influence sur les langues romanes: la Romania du Sud-Est / Substrate und ihre Wirkung auf die romanischen Sprachen: Sudostromania in Romanische Sprachgeschichte. Mouton De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3110146943.
• Fol, Alexander (1996). ‘’Thracians, Celts, Illyrians and Dacians’’ in History of Humanity: From Seventh Century B.C. to the Seventh Century A.D. Bernan Assoc. ISBN 978-9231028120.
• Jones, A. H. M. (1964): The Later Roman Empire, 284-602
• Kitson, Peter R. (1996). "Reconstruction, typology and the "original homeland" of the Indo-Europeans". In Fisiak, Jacek. Linguistic reconstruction and typology. Mouton De Gruyter. pp. 183–239. ISBN 978-3110149050.
• Lloshi, Xhevat (1999): Albanian in Handbuch der Südosteuropa Linguistik Band 10 (online)
• Mayer H.E. (1992): Dacian and Thracian as southern Baltoidic in Lituanus Vol. 38 no 2 (online)
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• Messing, Gordon M. (1972). "'Thrakisch-dakische Studien, I: Die thrakisch- und dakisch-baltischen Sprachbeziehungen by Ivan Duridanov' reviewed by Gordon M. Messing Cornell University Edited by George Melville Bolling". Language (Linguistic Society of America) 48 (4): 960–963. doi:10.2307/412001.
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• Papazoglu, Fanula (1978). The Central Balkan Tribes in Pre-Roman Times:Triballi, Autariatae, Dardanians, Scordisci, & Moesians, translated by Mary Stansfield-Popovic. John Benjamins North America, Incorporated. ISBN 9789025607937.
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• Russu, Ion Iosif (1962). "Les toponymes dans la péninsule des Balkans dans le "De aedificiis"". Studii şi Cercetări Lingvistice XIII: 393–403.
• Russu, Ion Iosif (1963). "Die Ortsnamen der Balkanhalbinsel in De Aedificiis". Revue de Linguistique VIII: 123–132.
• Russu, Ion Iosif (1969). Die Sprache der Thrako-Daker.
• Solta, Georg Renatus (1980). Berücksichtigung des Substrats und des Balkanlateinischen. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.
• Schütte, Gudmund (1917). Ptolemy's maps of northern Europe: a reconstruction of the prototypes. H. Hagerup.
• Sluşanschi, Dan (1989). "Kaga şi Kōgaionon. Analiză filologică şi lingvistică.". Thraco-Dacica X: 219–224.
• Walde-Pokorny, Julius (1959). The Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (IEW, "Indo-European Etymological Dictionary") and notes.
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Further reading

• http://soltdm.com/geo/arts/categs/categs.htm
• http://soltdm.com/sources/inscr/kaga/kaga_e.htm
• http://dnghu.org/indoeuropean.html Indo-European Etymological Dictionary – Indogermanisches Etymologisches Woerterbuch (JPokorny). A database that represents the updated text of J. Pokorny's "Indogermanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch", scanned and recognized by George Starostin (Moscow), who has also added the meanings. The database was further refurnished and corrected by A. Lubotsky.

External links

• Sorin Olteanu's Project: Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum – Toponyms Section