Comment by TurkishPoptart

5 years ago

It seems people in old Novgorod didn't speak a Slavic language, but something they picked up from the Varangians.

10 comments

TurkishPoptart

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rmrfchik  5 years ago

Slavic had a number of alphabets. They drastically differs, compare Glagolitic and Cyrillic scripts. Now we (I'm Russian) in Russian use Cyrillic script which was heavily modified since invention. Seems like Onfim use Cyrillic script but many letters was made obsolete (like Yus). So, Onfim speak Slavic language and use Cyrillic script.

aasasd  5 years ago

Novgorod bark notes are among primary sources for research on old Slavic language. In the very first paragraph there are two links to the page that explains what Old Novgorod dialect is.

jacobush  5 years ago

I thought the text looked almost legible. (I.e. Germanic.) But it was just an illusion because scratching in birch naturally will look rune like. Apparently Onfim used Cyrillic letters, but spoke a Germanic language. So my wrong guess was still sort of right but by accident. :-D

Edit:

but it is Slavic?!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Novgorod_dialect

Can you please say where you found it was a Varangian dialect?

Edit 2:

https://www.history.com/news/vikings-in-russia-kiev-rus-vara...

Maybe an (incorrect) assumption because "Vikings" ruled Rus for a long time.