A Lost Language And Culture

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Gothic in Crimea

A Lost Language and Culture

Early History and Origins

Crimean Gothic was a Germanic language spoken in Crimea, with features in common with West Germanic, from the 3rd to the 18th centuries AD. The Goths, who migrated to the northern Black Sea area, established the polity of Crimean Gothia. Hitler sought to re-settle German people to Crimea and rename towns with their previous Crimean Gothic names.

Manuscript Discovery and Interpretation

The Codex Ambrosianus E and Codex Vaticanus 5750 contain eight parchment leaves of the Crimean Gothic text. Of these, leaves 1, 2, and 57 are in the Ambrosianus, while leaves 3, 4, and 8 are in the Vaticanus. The text includes the phrase "iþ þan was niuklahs swe niuklahs rodida swe niuklahs froþ swe niuklahs mitoda," which translates to "and then was the mystery as the mystery spoke, as the mystery knew, as the mystery measured."

Disappearance and Legacy

Crimean Gothic gradually disappeared as a spoken language, assimilated by other Crimean languages over time. However, its influence can still be seen in place names and loanwords in Crimean Tatar and other regional languages. The language remains an important part of the cultural and historical heritage of Crimea.