The epigraphic and linguistic situation in the south-west of the Iberian peninsula

Abstract

This chapter’s analysis of the language of the south-west Iberian peninsula concludes that it consists of five vowels, one lateral consonant, one vibrant (plus another doubtful example), one nasal consonant, two sibilants, and three stops (occlusives) although the writing system does not enable us to make more precise statements about the latter; the frequent and non-existent combinations between the different phonemes are also established. The successive attempts to decipher the language are described, special attention being paid to the most recent of them, the weak points of which are specified, and the minimal contribution of Latinized personal names is pointed out.