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
31 core words in Meroitic
Water
𐦠𐦶
/ato/
Fire
—
/—/
Sun
𐦨𐦯
/ˈmasa/
Moon
—
/—/
Star
—
/—/
Mother
—
/—/
Father
—
/—/
I
—
/—/
You
—
/—/
Name
—
/—/
Eye
—
/—/
Hand
—
/—/
Heart
—
/—/
Love
—
/—/
Tree
—
/—/
House
—
/—/
Dog
—
/—/
Cat
—
/—/
Eat
—
/—/
Drink
—
/—/
One
—
/—/
Two
—
/—/
Hello
—
/—/
Thank you
—
/—/
Good
—
/—/
Sources
- Griffith, F. Ll. (1911) Karanog: The Meroitic Inscriptions of Shablul and Karanog. University of Pennsylvania
Words compared
Compared with related Meroitic (debated; possibly Eastern Sudanic) languages
| Meaning | Meroitic | Goguryeo | Nicaraguan Sign Language | Tartessian | Liburnian | Proto-Hmong-Mien | Messapic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 𐦠𐦶 /ato/ | 買 /*mai/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | *ʔuwm /ʔuwm/ | — /—/ |
| Fire | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Sun | 𐦨𐦯 /ˈmasa/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Moon | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Star | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Mother | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Father | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ana /ˈana/ |
| I | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| You | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Name | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Eye | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Hand | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Heart | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| House | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Dog | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Eat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Drink | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| One | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Two | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | *ʔwei /ʔwei/ | — /—/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
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