𐦨𐦫𐦡𐦴𐦢𐦤
Meroitic
Meroitic (debated; possibly Eastern Sudanic) · historical / hidden variety
Meroitic was the language of the Kingdom of Kush, centered at Meroe (modern Sudan), from ~3c. BCE to ~4c. CE. Two scripts (hieroglyphic and cursive) were both deciphered by Francis Llewellyn Griffith (1909) — the SOUNDS are known, but the LANGUAGE itself remains poorly understood. Most attested vocabulary consists of titles, names, and ritual formulae.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Meroitic
Water
𐦠𐦴
/at/
Fire
—
/—/
Sun
𐦨𐦬
/ms/
Moon
—
/—/
Mother
𐦢𐦫𐦡𐦡
/kdke/
Father
𐦡𐦢
/qor/
Eat
—
/—/
Drink
—
/—/
Love
—
/—/
Heart
—
/—/
Tree
—
/—/
House
—
/—/
Dog
—
/—/
Cat
—
/—/
Hand
—
/—/
Eye
—
/—/
Hello
—
/—/
Thank you
—
/—/
One
—
/—/
Good
𐦞𐦢𐦮𐦤
/akheniska/
Words compared
Compared with related Meroitic (debated; possibly Eastern Sudanic) languages
| Meaning | Meroitic | Goguryeo | Nicaraguan Sign Language | Proto-Japonic-Koreanic | Messapic | Tartessian | Liburnian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 𐦠𐦴 /at/ | 買 /*mai/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Fire | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Sun | 𐦨𐦬 /ms/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Moon | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Mother | 𐦢𐦫𐦡𐦡 /kdke/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | *əma /əma/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Father | 𐦡𐦢 /qor/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | *əpa /əpa/ | ana /ˈana/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Eat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Drink | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Heart | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| House | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Dog | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Hand | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Eye | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| One | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | 𐦞𐦢𐦮𐦤 /akheniska/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
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