Questions on historical use of languages and their development.
24
votes
4answers
604 views
Are there confirmed cases where a country changed its language without being conquered?
I thought about this question and wondered: Are there any known cases where a country switched to a different language other than because of being conquered? If some country ever did this I would be ...
21
votes
4answers
2k views
What language(s) were spoken within the Holy Roman Empire?
What language(s) were considered the primary language for the Holy Roman Empire? Were there many different languages spoken due to the many different regions?
17
votes
2answers
545 views
How would slaves have addressed their masters in Ancient Greece?
In Ancient Rome, slaves addressed their masters as Dominus or Domina (male or female, respectively).
Would the slaves (or servants) of Ancient Greece have used a similar title, or would they have ...
15
votes
3answers
328 views
Why was language not utilized to establish dominance throughout England 1066 AD–1360s CE?
Why didn't the Normans enforce the use of their native tongue throughout the whole of England after William the Conqueror (of Normandy) became king of England? During William's reign as king he did ...
12
votes
2answers
131 views
What are the reasons of the ethnical fragmentation of the Caucasus?
While investigating on Albania, I kept finding peoples I never heard of before. Notwithstanding my vast ignorance, this was systematic to the point that I started investigating. Take a look at this ...
11
votes
1answer
296 views
When did the Hebrews stop speaking Hebrew and start speaking Aramaic?
The Torah was written Hebrew, and most of the old testament was written in Hebrew, although parts of Daniel were written in Aramaic. By the time of the 1st century, Aramaic was the common language for ...
11
votes
0answers
74 views
Language of early French (West-Frankish) kings
When did Old French displace Frankish as the language spoken in the West-Frankish court, and who was the first natively "French" king?
10
votes
1answer
262 views
Why did Meiji consider switching from Japanese to English?
During the Meiji restoration, the Emperor sought to switch Japan's national language from Japanese to English. Why was that? Why, ultimately, was it unsuccessful?
The Role of English and Other ...
9
votes
2answers
216 views
What was the cultural background of Burgundians?
In the Middle Ages there was a big country in Europe between France and German kingdoms, Burgundy. What language did they speak there? Were they more German or French in origin?
9
votes
1answer
241 views
In what language did Caractacus deliver his speech to the emperor Claudius?
In The Annals, the Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus wrote about the British chieftain Caractacus and how he was captured by the Romans. According to him, Caractacus was taken to Rome along with his ...
8
votes
2answers
228 views
Language of Franks vs later French
I am reading that before the 8-9th(10th?) century, Franks were a Germanic-speaking nation.
How it is possible to explain that in later centuries their language became a totally different ...
7
votes
1answer
65 views
Language in German cloisters during the High Middle Ages
I would like to know which was the spoken and literary language in German cloisters during the High Middle Ages. Is it possible to differentiate between social groups in the cloister (monks, laymen, ...
6
votes
2answers
169 views
What was the official language used across European monarchies in the XII century?
I have been reading about European history in the XII century and I am finding out that several of the modern day languages hadn't yet evolved to what they are now: Langue d'oïl was still being used ...
6
votes
1answer
98 views
How is it possible that the basque language survived until today?
The mysterious Basque is the mother tongue of only few people, spoken in Vizcaya, a northern province in Spain. It is not similar to any major European language in use today and it's origins are ...
5
votes
3answers
125 views
What language was the Charter of Liberties written in?
While researching my answer for the What was the official language used across European monarchies in the XII century? question I came upon the Charter of Liberties, or Coronation Charter, issued by ...
5
votes
4answers
210 views
Continent-wide common languages in human history
My question on rpg.stackexchange.com seems to have reached a point where a "history-person" would be quite suitable to answer it. So let me rephrase it, so as to be at least marginally suitable for ...
4
votes
3answers
176 views
Did the roman conquerors have directives/guidelines to either integrate or assimilate foreign tribes/folks?
It is likely that Romans made no distinction between today's terms integration and assimilation. They did everything that was necessary for the expansion of the Roman empire and worked from ...
4
votes
1answer
109 views
Are there any existing foreign language teaching texts from the Ancient Near East?
The various cultures of the Ancient Near East spoke a wide array of languages and we know that there was plenty of communication between cultures. We even have a language like Akkadian that served as ...
4
votes
1answer
121 views
What examples are of French and Arab cultural integration?
In the last centuries there were very close tights between the French Empire and its colonies in the Maghreb before and the immigrants and citizens of France after the decolonisation.
What are the ...
4
votes
2answers
94 views
The practice of translating foreign monarch's or noble's name
In history texts, past foreign monarchs are normally referred to by the English version of their name, e.g. Francis I (not François), Charles V (not Carlos, Karel, or Karl), Phillip II (not Felipe). ...
4
votes
0answers
38 views
Were does Tifinagh come from?
Because all of my knowledge of Tifinagh came from the Wikipedia article, I was quite puzzled to read this.
For those of you that just don't bother checking, the author describes the different ...
3
votes
1answer
171 views
What is the basis for the claims that the word “Israel” means “Exiled for their sins”?
Joseph Davidovits claims that the word "iisii-r-iar", "ysrỉar" or however you want to transcribe it, which appears on the Merneptah Stele, is an Egyptian phrase meaning "those who are exiled for their ...
3
votes
1answer
219 views
What is a mezrag-holder?
I stumbled upon this word in one of my anthropology readings. Here's the excerpt.
The robbers were from a tribe which had not yet submitted to French authority and were in open rebellion against ...
3
votes
0answers
37 views
Which is closer to Old Dutch? [closed]
The Dutch dialects spoken in Belgium and the Netherlands are diverse, but if a general statement can be made, which, as spoken today, is closer to the root of the language?
3
votes
0answers
97 views
Hebrew as the Language of America [closed]
Is it true that the Pilgrims upon coming to America,wanted to make Hebrew the spoken language as they intended to make it "the language"? (for example the Princeton emblem has Hebrew text)?
2
votes
3answers
626 views
Why did the the East-Pakistanis oppose Urdu as their national language while Indians accepted Hindi as theirs?
In 1947, Both India and Pakistan were given independence from Britain. India was able to establish Hindi as its national language with minimal problems. Pakistan on the other hand, was created with ...
2
votes
3answers
183 views
Which is the oldest language in the World? [closed]
I want to know which are the oldest languages in the world? And within those, which is still in use?
2
votes
0answers
51 views
How is Bad-Tibira written in Sumerian?
Bad-Tibira is one of the oldest recorded cities in the world. The Sumerians believed it was the second city to exercise kingship (after the more famous Eridu). I can't find the Sumerian spelling of ...
-1
votes
2answers
86 views
Is speaking Russian a privileged lingual habit in Ukraine nowadays? [closed]
Wiki says:
In independent Ukraine, although Russian is not an official language of the country, it continues to hold a privileged position and is widely spoken, in particular in regions of Ukraine ...
