Lycaonian language
Unclassified extinct language or group of languages
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lycaonian is an unclassified extinct language spoken in the former region of Lycaonia. The Lycaonians appear to have retained a distinct nationality in the time of Strabo, but their ethnical affiliations are unknown. The mention of the Lycaonian language in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 14:11–12) shows that the native language was spoken by the common people of Lystra around 50 AD.[1]
| Lycaonian | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Lycaonia |
| Region | Asia Minor |
| Ethnicity | Lycaonians |
| Era | c. 50 AD |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | None (mis) |
| Glottolog | None |
The name "Lycaonia" is believed to be a Greek-adapted version (influenced by the Greek masculine name Lycaon) of an original Lukkawanna, which would mean 'the land of the Lukka people' in an old Anatolian language related to Hittite.[2]
It is notable though that in the Acts of the Apostles, Barnabas was called 'Zeus', and Paul was thought to be Hermes by the Lycaonians.