Hypothetical Analogy of Slovene and Celtic

Extent: 152 pages
Date: Oct 2004 – Nov 2006 (resumed to date)
Mentor: Ivan Sužnik, prof.
Review: Prof Dr M. Koletnik (senior professor at the University of Maribor)
Award: Distinction at Slovene National Young Researchers Competiotion (awarded by the NYR Comitee)

The Abstract

This research is an approaching attempt to a rational explanation of hypothetical analogy of Slovene and Celtic Language, beyond the Indo-European axiom. The attempt was to prove the past effect of Celticism on Slovene grounds, which is reflected in grammatical as well as the lexical properties of Slovene (or generally, Slavic) language. The work finds adequate theoretical comfort in The Palaeolithic Continuity Theory of Indo-European ethno genesis (Alinei 1996, 2000); the research attempts to reveal the hypothetical connection between Slovene and Celtic language by means of comparison of synchronic Celtic groups with Slovene. The comparison gives its research processes in two major segments; the first segment is grammatical and the second lexical analogy.

Due to lack of factual theory and evidentiary support of the Palaeolithic Continuity Theory on the arrival of Celts, the burden of proof subsequently falls onto alternative modules and theories. Therefore another theoretical approach was selected—Venetic theory, initiated by Matej Bor. The latter theory is not applied in research, but is solely an object of review, evaluation and reasonable critique. The discourse in its extensive (though theoretical) research gives the critique of this theory. The research assignment evidently rejects and subsequently discards the treatings of Celtic languages by Matej Bor.

I give a very general comparison on the following levels of linguistic enquiry: phonetics, morphology and syntax. The research in the first part tries to conclude the isomorphic and anomalous components of these two languages with regards to the comparison. 

In the phonetic part the assignment bases its comparisons on the basic modules: monophthongs, diphthongs and consonants; also the phonetic anomalies are outlined. This chapter also shortly reviews the proto-Slavonic phonetic development.

Introductory to the morphological chapter is the short revision of Slavonic morphology and followed by nominal and verbal morphology. The nominal module is compound of gender differentiation, declination and pluralisation; the verbal module compares the conjugation—both of the primary (i.e. auxiliary) and the regular verb. The syntacic module emphasises comparison of word order.

In the second segment, lexis of both Celtic and Slovene is compared. The probable affection of lingual analogy of Celtic to the process of Slovene toponimical and hydronimical nomenclature is researched, yielding some paradoxical features of certain etymological approaches to toponyms like Dunaj and hydronyms like Sava.

(Oct 2006)

If interested, you may look at:

• The Observational Review of the Research Disourse “Hypothetical Analogy of Slovene and Celtic” by Prof Dr Mihaela Koletnik, senior lecturer at The University of Maribor
  
• The article (in Slovene) from Gorenjski glas: regional competition merit.
• Direct Critique: Conceptualisation of Celtic in Bor’s Venetian Theory, under Papiers Linguistique on the left.

Below is a slide show of my discourse’s defense. The language of the presentation, however, is Slovene. A translation is available on demand.

Anyone eager to consult or scrutinise the work itself, do post a comment.

Copyright © 2006-2008 Moreno Mitrovic