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Sidetic language
Sidetic language
Sidetic language
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Sidetic
RegionAncient southwestern Anatolia
Extinctafter the third century BCE
Early forms
Sidetic script
Language codes
ISO 639-3xsd
xsd
Glottologside1240
Map showing (in red) where Sidetic inscriptions have been found.

Sidetic is a member of the extinct Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family. It is known from legends of coins, found in Side at the Pamphylian coast, that date to the period of approximately the 5th to 3rd centuries BCE, and from two Greek–Sidetic bilingual inscriptions from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE. The Greek historian Arrian in his Anabasis Alexandri (mid-2nd century CE) mentions the existence of a peculiar indigenous language in the city of Side, which is assumed to be the language of the coins and inscriptions. Sidetic was probably closely related to Lydian, Carian and Lycian.

Sidetic was written with a script of the Anatolian group. The Sidetic alphabet has 31 identified letters, a few of which are clearly derived from Greek. The script has been partially deciphered, though the phonetic values of many letters are uncertain.[1]

Evidence

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Inscriptions and coins

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Inscriptions in Sidetic language, exhibits of the Museum of Side, Turkey. Clockwise from upper left S9, S1, S3, and S4

Coins from Side were first discovered in the 19th century, which bore legends in a then-unknown script. In 1914, an altar came to light in Side with a Greek inscription and a Sidetic one, but the latter could not be deciphered. It was only after the discovery of a second Greek-Sidetic bilingual inscription in 1949, that Hellmut Theodor Bossert was able to identify 14 letters of the Sidetic script using the two bilinguals.[2] In 1964 a large stone block was unearthed near the east gate of Side, with two longer Sidetic texts, including loan words from Greek (istratag from στρατηγός, 'commander' and anathema- from ἀνάθημα, 'votive offering'). In 1972, a text was found outside Side for the first time, at the neighbouring town of Lyrbe-Seleukia. Currently, eleven Sidetic coins and several coins with Sidetic legends are known.

Citations

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In addition to the inscriptions, two Sidetic words are known from ancient Greek texts: ζειγάρη for cicada,[3] mentioned by the ancient lexicographer Hesychius, and λαέρκινον for Valeriana, cited by Galen. In addition, it is believed that some incomprehensible characters in the third book of Hippocrates' Epidemics were originally quotations of the doctor Mnemon of Side, which might have been in the Sidetic script.[4]

Catalogue of Sidetic texts

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The designated number and date of discovery are given:

  • S1 = S I.1.1 Artemon bilingual from Side (1914).
  • S2 = S I.1.2 Apollonios bilingual from Side (1949).
  • S3 & S4 = S I.2.1-2 Strategos dedications from Side (1964).
  • S5 = S II.1.1 Palimpsest bronze voting tablet (1969).
  • S6 = S I.1.3 Euempolos bilingual from Lyrbe-Seleukia (1972).
  • S7 = S I.2.3 Inscription on fragment of the rim of a pot (1982).
  • S8 = S I.2.4 Inscription on stone Heraldes relief (1982).
  • S9 = S I.2.5 A list of names,[5] also interpreted as the "Athenodoros memorial"[6] - at six complete lines (and traces of two more lines), this is the longest Sidetic inscription (1995).
  • S10 = S III 5th century BC coins with around twenty different legends (since 19th century).
  • S11 Words possibly from Mnemon,[7] a physician of Side (1983), who added notes in Sidetic to a Greek Hippocrates manuscript.[8]
  • S12 = S II.2.1 A steatite scarab, of uncertain provenance ("acquired in Turkey"); on its underside three (?) hardly identifiable signs have been carved, possibly Sidetic (2005).[9]
  • S13 = S I.2.6 Graffito from Lyrbe-Seleukia (2014).

In addition a few Sidetic words have been handed down via classical authors, though not written in Sidetic script: "laerkinon" (λαέρκινον, = the herb valerian), "zeigarê" (ζειγάρη, a cricket, cicada).[10]

Characteristics of Sidetic

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Sidetic script

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Sidetic
Script type
alphabet
DirectionRight to left
LanguagesSidetic
ISO 15924
ISO 15924Sidt (180), ​Sidetic
Unicode
Unicode alias
Sidetic
U+10940–U+1095F
 This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

Texts in the Sidetic language are written right to left in an alphabet of 31 distinct letters in inscriptions, plus another 4 characters found only on coins. Recent research is providing updates to the script: there are new letters and variants[11]

Nollé number N01 N02 N03 N04 N05 N06 N07 N08 N09 N10 N11 N12 N13 N14 N15 N16 N17 N18
glyph
(variants:) () () (?) () () () () () ()
Graz-Verona transliteration a e i o u w y p d2 m t d θ s s2 n l 𐌣
(superseded transliterations:) (v, j) (j, w) (τ, ç, φ) (z, ś) (s) (š, ṯ)
notes vowel or semivowel no consensus transliteration value uncertain; likely /ts/ or /ʃ/
Nolle number N19 N20 N21 N22 N23 N24 N25 N26
glyph
(variants:) () () () (?) ()
transliteration g χ r V k b n2 z (?)
(superseded transliterations:) (ñ) (c, ñ) (δ)
notes unknown vowel perhaps [β] probably [z]
Extended repertoire
glyph Ω
(variants:)
transliteration
(superseded transliterations:)
notes letters attested only from coins

The values of two-thirds of the letters are now firmly established, but there are still significant uncertainties: for example, while the majority view is that the frequent vertical strokes ( or ) are a character denoting a sibilant (z or s), that as a genitival ending would fit in nicely with the usual paradigms of the Anatolian languages,[5] others interpret the strokes as word dividers.[6]

Grammar

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The inscriptions show that Sidetic was already strongly influenced by Greek at the time when they were written. Like Lycian and Carian, it was part of the Luwian language family. However, only a few words can be derived from Luwian roots, like maśara 'for the gods' (Luwian masan(i)-, 'god', 'divinity'), and, possibly, malwadas 'votive offering' (Luwian malwa-; but alternative readings are possible, for example, Malya das, 'he dedicated to Malya [= Athena]'). It has been argued that there were also Anatolian pronouns (ev, 'this'; ab, 'he/she/it'), conjunctions (ak and za, 'and'), prepositions (de, 'for'), and adverbs (osod, 'there').

The declension of nouns basically follows a familiar Anatolian language pattern:[5][12]

Singular Plural
animate inanimate animate inanimate
Nominative -Ø -s (-z/ś)
Accusative -o (?)
Genitive -s (-z/ś) -e
Dative / Locative -i, -a (-o?) -a
Ablative -d (?)

No verbs have yet been securely identified. A promising candidate is ozad, 'he offered', dedicated' (twice attested with object anathemataz, 'sacrifices'), a 3rd person singular preterite with the common Anatolian ending -d.

Like the neighbouring Pamphylian language, aphaeresis is frequent in names in Sidetic (e.g. Poloniw for Apollonios, Thandor for Athenodoros), as is syncope (e.g. Artmon for Artemon).

Unicode

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Main article: Sidetic (Unicode block)

The Sidetic alphabet was added to the Unicode Standard in September 2025 with the release of version 17.0.

The Unicode block for Sidetic is U+10940–U+1095F:

Sidetic[1][2]
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
U+1094x 𐥀 𐥁 𐥂 𐥃 𐥄 𐥅 𐥆 𐥇 𐥈 𐥉 𐥊 𐥋 𐥌 𐥍 𐥎 𐥏
U+1095x 𐥐 𐥑 𐥒 𐥓 𐥔 𐥕 𐥖 𐥗 𐥘 𐥙
Notes
1.^ As of Unicode version 17.0
2.^ Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

See also

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References

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Further reading

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Sidetic language

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from Grokipedia
The Sidetic language is an extinct member of the Indo-European language family, specifically within the branch, spoken in the ancient city of Side and its surrounding region in on the southern coast of . It is attested from the BCE to the BCE, primarily through a sparse corpus of around 10 to 13 short inscriptions, including dedicatory texts on coins and stone monuments, as well as a few bilingual Greek-Sidetic examples. These inscriptions reveal a language that was in close contact with Greek, incorporating loanwords and personal names, while maintaining distinct Anatolian characteristics. Sidetic is possibly part of the Luwic subgroup of Anatolian languages, showing strong grammatical and lexical parallels to Luwian and Lycian, such as the dative plural ending -a (e.g., masara "to the gods") and the conjunction śa "and," which resembles Lycian se. Its script is a unique alphabetic system written from right to left, comprising about 29 characters derived from Phoenician influences but with distinct forms and sound values, differing from neighboring scripts like those of Lycian or Carian; this script remains partially undeciphered and was encoded in Unicode 17.0 in September 2025. Notable inscriptions include bilingual dedicatory texts like S1 (featuring the name artmon) and longer 2nd-century BCE examples such as S I.2.1 and S I.2.5, which demonstrate religious and memorial functions. The language's poor attestation has limited comprehensive grammatical analysis, but evidence suggests it influenced the local Pamphylian dialect of Greek through substrate effects, including phonological and syntactic borrowings, reflecting bilingualism in the region during the . Recent discoveries, such as Sidetic graffiti in (e.g., at Abydos), indicate potential use beyond . Ongoing scholarly work focuses on refining readings of the script and inscriptions to better elucidate Sidetic's role in the Anatolian .

Classification and Context

Linguistic Affiliation

The Sidetic language is an extinct member of the Anatolian branch of the , spoken in ancient during the BCE. Like other , Sidetic is characterized by its early divergence from Proto-Indo-European and retention of archaic features, such as the lack of a feminine and the presence of a single plural marker for nouns. Sidetic exhibits close relations to Luwian, Lydian, Carian, and Lycian, primarily through shared grammatical features and vocabulary that place it within the Luwic subgroup of . For instance, Sidetic patronymics often end in an -s , mirroring patterns in Luwian and Lycian, while its term for '' (*maśara) is with forms in Luwian (masana-), Lycian (masa-), and Carian (mas-), suggesting common lexical roots. These affinities indicate that Sidetic developed alongside these southern , with evidence of overlapping verbal stems, such as forms akin to Luwian *tuwa- 'put' in Sidetic *tuvē-. Scholars debate whether Sidetic represents a direct derivative of Luwian or an independent , with arguments centering on noun case endings and word roots. Proponents of Luwian derivation point to Sidetic's genitive-dative singular endings in -ti or -si, which parallel Luwian -ti and suggest continuity from Luwian into the in Side. Conversely, the limited number of securely identifiable Luwian-derived roots—fewer than a dozen in the sparse corpus—and unique Sidetic innovations, such as certain ablative forms diverging from Luwian norms, support its status as a distinct . This debate underscores the challenges of classifying poorly attested languages like Sidetic based on fragmentary evidence. Within broader Anatolian subgrouping, Sidetic aligns with models that divide the branch into an eastern core of Hittite and Palaic versus a western or southern group encompassing Luwian, Lycian, Lydian, Carian, and related dialects. For example, Norbert Oettinger's classification posits a western Anatolian cluster including Proto-Luwian descendants like Sidetic, contrasting with the Palaic-Hittite divide, while other frameworks, such as those by Craig Melchert, integrate Sidetic into a Luwic continuum without strict Luvo-Lydian separation. These subgroupings highlight Sidetic's peripheral position in the Anatolian family, influenced by its geographic isolation in southwestern Anatolia.

Historical and Geographic Background

The Sidetic language was spoken exclusively in the ancient city of Side, a coastal settlement in the region of on the southern shore of southwestern , corresponding to the modern site of Selimiye near in , . itself comprised a narrow, fertile flanked by the to the north and the to the south, bordered by in the west and in the east, which facilitated its role as a key maritime hub for trade and cultural exchange. The language is primarily attested during the 5th to 2nd centuries BCE, with evidence from coin legends and a small number of inscriptions, though its origins may trace back to Bronze Age migrations of Proto-Anatolian speakers into the region around the early 2nd millennium BCE, potentially linked to Luwian-influenced groups on Anatolia's southwestern periphery. Side's historical trajectory as a city-state began possibly in the late Bronze Age, with possible ties to Hittite references to the Hulaia River lands around 2000 BCE, followed by Greek colonization from Aeolian Cyme in the 7th or 6th century BCE, which introduced Hellenic influences while preserving local Anatolian elements. The city maintained a degree of independence under Lydian rule in the 6th century BCE and subsequent Persian Achaemenid control as part of the empire's first satrapy, continuing to mint its own coins and assert autonomy. During the Hellenistic era, Side submitted peacefully to Alexander the Great in 333 BCE, served as a mint under the Seleucids in the 3rd century BCE, and enjoyed full independence between 188 and 102 BCE amid Ptolemaic and Seleucid rivalries, thriving as a prosperous port. Under Roman rule from the 1st century BCE onward, it was incorporated into the province of Lycia et Pamphylia around 70 CE, granted metropolitan status and autonomy in the 2nd–3rd centuries CE, before declining amid broader imperial instability. Demographically, Sidetic was likely the vernacular of the indigenous non-Greek population in Side, coexisting alongside Greek spoken by colonists and traders in this mixed Anatolian-Hellenic community, where approximately one-third of personal names retained Anatolian forms. Recent discoveries of Sidetic graffiti in , such as at Abydos, indicate potential use of the language beyond as of 2025. The language appears to have become extinct by the early Roman period, with no attestations beyond the 2nd century BCE, as Greek dominance and later Roman administrative pressures supplanted local Anatolian tongues across the region.

Sources of Evidence

Inscriptions

The primary epigraphic sources for the Sidetic language consist of inscriptions unearthed during archaeological excavations in of Side, on the Pamphylian coast of southern (modern-day ). Systematic investigations in Side began in the late , though major discoveries of Sidetic texts occurred in the early amid broader Hellenistic-era explorations. A pivotal find was the bilingual Greek-Sidetic inscription cataloged as S1, uncovered in by Italian archaeologists Roberto Paribeni and Romanelli during their campaign at the site; this text appears on a marble statue base dedicated to the deity Polias. Another significant discovery came in 1949, when the bilingual inscription S2 was found on an altar fragment, featuring personal names such as Apollonios and Mnaseas, the latter identified as the sculptor. The standard scholarly catalog lists 13 Sidetic texts (S1 through S13), of which approximately 12 are non-numismatic inscriptions and , with S10 representing legends; as of , recent identifications have expanded the non-numismatic corpus to at least 14. These texts are predominantly brief dedications, votive offerings, or simple labels from the vicinity of Side and were compiled comprehensively by Johannes Nollé in his corpus of Side's inscriptions. Key examples include S3 and S4, paired dedications from 1964 on stone bases possibly linked to a ( official); S5, an inscription from 1969; and S7, a sherd from 1982. Later finds encompass S9, a from 1995, and S13, a 2014 on stone. Recent scholarly work has identified two additional Sidetic graffiti at the Memnonium (Temple of Seti I) in , published in 2025; these short texts, consisting of personal names in the Sidetic script, were independently recognized by two research teams and represent the first evidence of Sidetic usage outside , suggesting communities. The physical forms of these inscriptions vary but emphasize durable media suited to public or ritual contexts, including stone monuments such as bases and stelai, altars for votive purposes, and occasional fragments. All dated specimens fall within the 4th to 2nd centuries BCE, reflecting the when Side flourished as a city under Greek influence, though the script—a right-to-left alphabet distinct from Greek—attests to local Anatolian traditions.

Coin Legends

Coin legends constitute a primary and relatively abundant source of Sidetic textual evidence, with approximately 20 distinct legends attested on silver staters and other denominations minted at Side in . These numismatic inscriptions span from the BCE through the , up to the 2nd century BCE, offering a chronological continuity unmatched by other Sidetic attestations. In 2023, a new Sidetic coin legend was identified from an unnoticed specimen in the Gazipaşa Hoard, consisting of five letters potentially corresponding to a Greek personal name ending in -klês. The legends typically feature short phrases denoting ethnic identity, such as the native equivalent of "Sidetes," or personal names associated with rulers or magistrates, for example, abbreviations like "po" interpreted as referring to "poloniy" (linked to the name Apollonios). They are inscribed in the Sidetic script, frequently appearing alongside Greek text on the same , which underscores the bilingual environment of Side and the language's role in civic and political expression. Sidetic coin legends have been collected since the , primarily from archaeological hoards and excavations at the site of Side, with significant specimens emerging from contexts like the Gazipaşa Hoard. Key publications documenting these finds include numismatic catalogs such as those by Nollé (2001) and earlier works by Atlan (1967), which catalog and analyze the epigraphic content for linguistic and historical insights. As portable artifacts, these legends provide the longest continuous record of Sidetic usage, illustrating its integration into daily political and economic life while highlighting patterns of bilingualism with Greek, which facilitated and administration in the . This numismatic evidence complements fixed inscriptions by preserving ephemeral yet recurrent formulas that reflect the language's vitality into the Hellenistic era.

Literary References

The literary references to the Sidetic language are limited to isolated lexical items preserved in ancient Greek texts, offering indirect glimpses into its vocabulary through outsider attestations. These mentions occur primarily in lexicographical and botanical contexts, where Greek authors recorded foreign terms encountered in regions like , highlighting Sidetic as a distinct Anatolian amid Greek linguistic dominance. Such references underscore the language's visibility to Hellenistic and Roman-era scholars, likely through trade, travel, or scholarly inquiry in Side. One key attestation is the word zeigarê (ζειγάρη), denoting '', cited in the lexicon of Hesychius of (5th–6th century CE), who glosses it as the Sidetic equivalent of the Greek tétrix (τέττιξ), specifically noting its use among the people of Side. This entry, drawing from earlier Hellenistic sources, represents one of the earliest non-epigraphic records of Sidetic, potentially dating to the BCE or before, and illustrates how zoological terminology was borrowed or glossed in Greek compilations. The term appears in a context of regional dialectal variations, emphasizing Sidetic's role in local Pamphylian fauna nomenclature. Another attested word is laerkinon (λαέρκινον), referring to the herb valerian (Valeriana), preserved as a hapax in the medical writings of Galen (2nd century CE), who describes it as a Pamphylian synonym for karpḗsion (καρπήσιον), a type of valerian used in regional pharmacology. This botanical reference, embedded in Galen's discussions of plant remedies, points to Sidetic's influence on Hellenistic and Roman herbal knowledge, with the term likely transmitted as a loanword or gloss from Side's environs. These sparse literary citations hold significance as the primary non-native evidence for Sidetic, bridging epigraphic sources with broader Greco-Roman awareness of during the and beyond. However, their limitations are pronounced: they consist solely of individual nouns without syntactic context, grammatical markers, or connected discourse, suggesting they functioned as exotic glosses rather than integrated linguistic . No full sentences or extended passages survive, restricting their utility to lexical insights and affirming Sidetic's marginal documentation outside local inscriptions.

Writing System

Script Characteristics

The Sidetic script is an alphabetic employed from the 5th to the 2nd centuries BCE in the region of Side, , southern , primarily for brief inscriptions and coin legends, with no attested examples of extended narrative compositions. It is written from right to left, distinguishing it from the left-to-right direction of the contemporary while aligning with several other Anatolian scripts. The script's origins remain uncertain, with scholarly proposals suggesting derivation either from Greek alphabetic influences or from earlier Semitic traditions, such as the Aramaic used during the Achaemenid period, rather than a direct link to . The consists of 29 distinct letters, as cataloged in standard epigraphic references (e.g., Rizza 2005), with several variant forms occasionally appearing on coins. Many letter shapes exhibit resemblances to those in neighboring Anatolian scripts, particularly Carian and Lycian, though the Sidetic includes several unique signs adapted to represent distinctive phonetic elements of the , such as aspirated . These forms are angular and linear, suited to carving on stone or minting on metal, and show a mix of shared and idiosyncratic glyphs that highlight regional adaptations within the broader Anatolian epigraphic tradition. In terms of variations, the script displays minor differences between monumental inscriptional usage and the more compact forms on numismatic inscriptions, where space constraints led to simplified or ligatured variants of certain letters. These numismatic adaptations, while preserving the core alphabetic structure, occasionally introduce shapes not found in stone texts, reflecting practical adjustments in medium without altering the overall right-to-left orientation or letter inventory. Such distinctions underscore the script's flexibility across supports, though the total corpus remains limited to short, votive, or dedicatory contexts.

Decipherment and Modern Encoding

The decipherment of the Sidetic script began in the mid-20th century, with early efforts focused on identifying letter forms and values through comparisons with neighboring Anatolian scripts and Greek influences. Helmut Theodor Bossert provided the first systematic analysis in 1950, establishing basic readings for several signs based on coin legends and short inscriptions, though without bilingual aids at the time. Subsequent work by Wilhelm Brandenstein in 1958 and especially in 1978 refined the sign inventory, proposing values for around 20 letters by drawing parallels to Greek and Lydian alphabets. A major breakthrough came in 1988 with the publication by Claude Brixhe and of a Greek-Sidetic bilingual inscription from in , which allowed for more secure phonetic assignments through direct correspondences, such as identifying Sidetic signs for personal names matching their Greek equivalents. Further advances in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, including contributions from Fred Woudhuizen (1985), Johannes Nollé (1985, 2001), and Alfredo Rizza (2005), have built on these foundations, incorporating new finds and refining interpretations, though the script remains only partially understood due to the limited corpus. Phonetic values for approximately 26 of the 29 identified Sidetic letters are now tentatively established, primarily through the bilingual evidence and assumed continuities with Indo-European Anatolian . These include straightforward assignments for like p (/p/), t (/t/), d (/d/), and s (/s/), derived from Greek parallels in the Seleucia bilingual, as well as vowels a, e, i, o, and u. Semi-vowels w and y are also recognized, reflecting possible Anatolian features. However, uncertainties persist for several signs, particularly those representing fricatives (e.g., potential /z/ or /ʃ/ variants) and some vowels, where values remain provisional due to inconsistent attestations and debates over script origins—whether primarily Greek-derived or influenced by earlier Semitic models. The standardization of the Sidetic script for modern digital use culminated in its inclusion in version 17.0, released on September 9, 2025. This addition, in the block U+10940–U+1095F (SMP, right-to-left directionality), encompasses 27 letters with shapes based on epigraphic sources, enabling accurate reproduction in digital texts and facilitating scholarly . The encoding effort originated with an introductory document by Anshuman Pandey in 2019, followed by a preliminary proposal in 2021, revisions in 2022 and 2023 addressing refinements and value confirmations, and final updates in 2025 incorporating feedback from the Script Encoding Initiative. The chart assigns provisional Latin transliterations (e.g., N01 for /a/, N20 for a chi-like ) to aid implementation, though it notes that full phonetic consensus is ongoing. Despite these developments, current challenges in fully reading Sidetic texts stem from the small and fragmentary corpus—primarily around 10 stone inscriptions (mostly dedicatory) and numerous coin legends—which restricts verification of proposed values and deeper linguistic analysis.

Linguistic Features

The phonology of the Sidetic language, a member of the Luwic subgroup of , is reconstructed primarily from the partial of its and comparisons with related languages such as Lycian and Carian, given the scarcity of attested texts. The Sidetic script was encoded in 17.0 in 2024, confirming 26 letters with established phonetic values for most, though some remain uncertain. The inventory includes stops /p, t, k, b, d, g/, with evidence for phonemic voice opposition primarily in the dental series (/t/ vs. /d/), while bilabials may lack a clear contrast (/p/ representing both voiceless and voiced values in Greek loans). Aspirated stops /th, kh/ are inferred from script letters derived from Greek theta and chi, respectively, reflecting later Anatolian developments under Hellenic influence, though their phonetic values are not fully determined. Fricatives comprise /s/ (with possible variants) and /h/, alongside nasals /m, n/, liquids /l, r/, and semivowels /w, y/, the latter confirmed by distinct letter forms in coin legends and inscriptions. The vowel system likely consists of five short vowels /a, e, i, o, u/, inferred from alphabetic signs and Greek borrowings, with possible length distinctions arising in closed syllables or through compensatory processes, though direct evidence is limited. These vowels align with the typical five-vowel system of Luwic languages, where /a/ and /o/ are prominently attested in forms like thanpiys and poloniyas. Syllable structure follows the CV(C) pattern common to , allowing optional coda consonants and permitting some onset clusters such as /tb/ or /nd/, as seen in inscriptional evidence, though stress patterns remain unknown due to insufficient data. Sidetic exhibits Anatolian-specific sound changes, including potential labiovelar preservation (e.g., /kʷ/ merging with /k/ or /p/ in some contexts) and rhotacism-like shifts affecting intervocalic resonants, akin to those in Luwian and Lycian; syncope of unaccented short vowels contributes to consonant clustering, a feature shared with other late .

Grammar

The grammar of the Sidetic language remains poorly understood due to its limited attestation in short dedicatory inscriptions and coin legends from the 3rd to 2nd centuries BCE, primarily from the city of Side in . Like other late , Sidetic exhibits traits inherited from Luwian, including a synthetic morphology with fusional case endings on nouns, though strong Greek influence is evident in vocabulary and possibly in syntactic calques in bilingual contexts. No articles are used, and nouns show a common gender system without a distinct neuter, aligning with broader Anatolian patterns. Noun declension in Sidetic is attested through s and dedicatory terms in inscriptions such as S I.2.1 and S I.2.5, revealing a reduced case system typical of late Luwian-influenced languages. The singular lacks an overt ending (-Ø) for common-gender s, as seen in forms like Trataśo (a interpreted as ). The genitive singular is marked by a sibilant ending, likely -s (or variant -z in some representations), used for possession, as in southwestern Anatolian possession constructions; this is paralleled in brief forms from coin legends and aligns with Luwian genitive -aš/iš. The accusative singular ends in -n, inferred from nominal objects in short texts and consistent with Luwian accusative markers for direct objects, though direct Sidetic examples are scarce. A possible dative or locative singular -i appears in pronouns and enclitic forms, such as i- ("this"), used in dedicatory contexts to indicate beneficiaries or locations, echoing Luwian dative-locative -i. Verb forms are not securely attested in Sidetic, with inscriptions relying heavily on nominal constructions for dedications rather than full clauses; possible infinitival or participial elements remain unconfirmed due to the fragmentary nature of the texts. Syntax appears to follow a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order, inferred from the arrangement of names, objects, and implied actions in short inscriptions like those honoring deities, a trait shared with other . In bilingual Greek-Sidetic texts, Greek calques influence phrasing, such as in dedicatory formulas, while core Anatolian features like the absence of definite articles and common-gender agreement persist, though Greek loans like anaθemata ("votive offerings") introduce Hellenistic elements.

Vocabulary

The vocabulary of the Sidetic language is extremely limited, with an estimated 50 to 100 words attested across inscriptions, coin legends, and scattered literary references, primarily consisting of isolated nouns rather than extended texts. These words derive mainly from votive and dedicatory contexts, reflecting and social practices in ancient Side, with no evidence of connected or narrative prose. The core lexicon centers on semantic fields related to personal names, ethnics, and dedications, including terms for deities, family members, and offerings. Personal names frequently appear, such as Artmon (a rendering of Greek Artemon), Trataśewa (genitive singular of Tratasos), Θanm1or (Athenodoros), Θanpiw (Athenippios), and Talamoniwa (), often in possessive or dedicatory forms. Ethnics and place names include Side, denoting the city itself, while objects and concepts in dedications feature words like ssem (memorial, accusative singular), anaθemata (votive offerings, accusative plural, borrowed from Greek), and χar (thank-offerings, abbreviation from Greek charistēria). Deity-related nouns encompass anaśe (genitive plural "of the ," possibly referring to a goddess like ), maśaraśe (genitive plural "of the "), and meśar1a (dative singular "to the "). Fewer nouns denote everyday objects or natural elements, with one word preserved in ancient Greek sources: ζειγάρη (cicada, from Hesychius of Alexandria's lexicon, glossed as ho tettix para Sidētais "the cicada among the Sidetians"). Other attested nouns include wešaśe (genitive plural "of the goods"), une (dative singular "to the wife"), śeš nenarśar1a (dative singular "to his sister"), m1arr1eś (accusative plural "laws"), and powaš (inheritance, adjectival form). Verbs and adjectives are sparsely represented, with examples limited to forms like peniwa (first-person singular "I pay" or dedicate) and ub1at1 (third-person singular "he has founded"), often in ritual contexts; no adjectives beyond derived forms in compounds are securely identified. Due to the fragmentary nature of the attestations, meanings rely heavily on bilingual parallels, contextual clues from Greek equivalents, and comparisons within , resulting in ongoing scholarly debate over precise interpretations.

Ties to Anatolian Languages

The Sidetic language is classified within the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European family, specifically as part of the Luwic subgroup under the broader Luvo-Lydian division, which encompasses languages like Luwian, Lycian, Lydian, and Carian. This positioning reflects its development as a southern Anatolian offshoot, branching post-Bronze Age from the Luvo-Lydian continuum after the divergence of the northern Hittite-Palaic core. Sidetic exhibits notable parallels with Luwian, particularly in nominal morphology and . The genitive singular ending -s in Sidetic aligns with Luwian and other Luwic forms, as seen in patronymics and possessive constructions in inscriptions. roots further underscore this affinity, such as Sidetic maśa- corresponding to Luwian masana- '', and anaśe to Luwian ana- '', indicating shared inheritance within the Luwic . These features suggest Luwian influence persisted in the Pamphylian region, with Sidetic representing a late survival of Luwian elements into the 2nd century BCE. Links to Lydian and Carian are evident in script derivation and case systems, positioning Sidetic as a closely related southern variant. The Sidetic , with 29 letters, shares adaptations from the Anatolian group of scripts used for Lydian and Carian, including innovations for local phonemes while retaining core Anatolian conventions; the script was officially encoded in 17.0 as of September 2025, aiding further comparative studies. Case systems show similarities, such as the genitive -s and dative forms like -š or -a, mirroring Lydian and Carian patterns and reinforcing Sidetic's role in the Luvo-Lydian periphery. In contrast to the more northern Hittite, Sidetic displays less direct connections, though both retain Indo-European archaisms characteristic of Anatolian, including the neuter gender category. Hittite's conservative and verbal system diverge from Sidetic's later Luwic innovations, highlighting Sidetic's evolution within the southern branch rather than the central Anatolian core.

Influences and Borrowings

The Sidetic language, spoken in the ancient city of Side in Pamphylia, exhibits significant influence from Greek, particularly evident in bilingual inscriptions from the 4th to 2nd centuries BCE. These texts demonstrate code-switching, where Sidetic and Greek elements alternate, as seen in dedicatory inscriptions that pair Sidetic phrases with Greek equivalents. For instance, the bilingual inscription S I.1.2 features the Sidetic term maśara, which corresponds directly to the Greek θεοῖς πᾶσιν ("to all gods"), suggesting either a loan translation or structural borrowing in religious phrasing. Additionally, Sidetic inscriptions incorporate Greek loanwords adapted to local phonology, such as anaθemataz from Greek ἀναθήματα ("dedications") and izstratag from στρατηγός ("general"), reflecting administrative and cultic terminology under Hellenistic rule. Greek personal names, including artmon (from Ἄρτεμων), poloniw (from Πολωνίδας), and θandor (from Ἀλέξανδρος), appear frequently, indicating the integration of Hellenistic nomenclature among Sidetic speakers. Evidence also points to interactions with neighboring , particularly Pisidian, another poorly attested Luwian-related tongue spoken to the east of . While direct borrowings remain elusive due to limited corpora—Sidetic is known from only about 10 short inscriptions and legends—shared regional features suggest mutual influence, such as parallel onomastic patterns in personal names and toponyms. The Pamphylian region, including Side, likely retained a substrate of pre-Indo-European elements in place names, as exemplified by the toponym Sídē (Σίδη), which shows non-Greek phonological traits like the initial and long , possibly originating from a pre-Hellenic substrate language. This substrate may have contributed to local linguistic diversity, with Sidetic and Pisidian coexisting amid settlements. Borrowings flowed in both directions between Sidetic and Greek, with some Sidetic terms entering Greek lexicon, especially in botanical nomenclature tied to the region's flora. The Greek word σίδη ("pomegranate," Punica granatum), attested in dialects like Ionic and Doric, is proposed to derive from a pre-Greek substrate, with possible Anatolian parallels such as Hittite šaddu(wa)- for related tree names, reflecting regional linguistic exchange. Grammatical calques may also occur, as the Sidetic dedicatory formula mirroring Greek polytheistic invocations implies borrowed syntactic structures for divine address. This bidirectional exchange underscores Sidetic's role in regional linguistic convergence. The broader cultural context of , accelerating after the Great's conquest of and in 333 BCE, drove these influences and ultimately contributed to Sidetic's decline. By the 2nd century BCE, Greek had become the dominant language in Side for public and epigraphic use, leading to a gradual as Sidetic speakers adopted Greek amid urbanization and Roman integration. Surviving Sidetic texts, mostly from the 4th–3rd centuries BCE, capture this transitional phase, after which no further attestations appear, marking the language's extinction.

References

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