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German Line From Gladiator?


skel

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Although that would seem to be the line (Ihr seid verfluchte Hunde), it is just ridiculous to assume that that is what it should sound like.

 

The line mentioned above, and maybe the one used in the film sounds like modern German, New High German. I don't think German people of today would understand the ancient "Germans". The language has changed throughout the centuries and has known several soundshifts resulting in the Germanic languages we know today (see link - the eastern Germanic languages are extinct now).

 

Germanic language tree

 

- JUG

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Indeed, while Gladiator is a fun film, anyone tring to recover actual historical fact from it is sorely misguided. Other than the great civilisations of antiquity, most other ancient languages are completley unknown and or undeciphered including Etruscan, Oscan, Gallic, Carthaginian, Germanic and so on.

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The Phoenecian language is very similar to ancient hebrew and has been partly translated. Maltese is said to be derived from Phoencian. But Carthage (originally "Karthadasht," meaning "new city) was founded by the Phoencians from Tyre around 813/14BC and they did develop their own "Punic" language over the centuries. Punic was a dialect of Phoenecian but was also influenced by the berbers and other African tribes. The Romans and the Greeks aparantly hated the Punic language as much as they hated the speakers. Despite this and Carthages destruction in 146BC, the language continued to be used orally by various north African tribes up until the 6th century AD after which it basicly diappeared.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Scanderbeg

Yea I would assume that overtime they would develop a dialect of their own but I can't imagine it being too different from its mother language. The Carthagenians are never mentioned to be too into mixing.

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Could be like English. How long has it been since Old English/Anglo-Saxon was in widespread use in England, recognisable as being Germanic? Now all you have mainly are swear words (pretty good ones too) and names that are recognisable instantly. As much as the words were similar I wonder if a modern Englishman could hold a conversation with Alfred the Great? Welsh comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for foreigner (wealas).

 

Then the Vikings went and put their oar in (excuse pun), but many Viking dialects had great similarities to the Germanic languages. Then, of course, the French/Normans popped over, and how many modern English can hold a conversation with a Frenchman? Not many at all.

 

The difference is that the Cartahginians were the dominant culture in their area. But, geographical islolation from Phoenicia and a more immediate influence from their neighbours and subjugated populations must surely have changed the tongue? You could say the Normans were like the Carthaginians, and not even our monarchy uses French as its first language anymore, although there was an interlude of German. Although French did blend into a form unrecognisable as French in England, Carthaginian must have been about as similar to Phoenician as Old French is to modern English.

 

Well, there's a logical flow to that, somewhere...... :thumbsup:

 

Jim.

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The thing about movies is, they have to make them in modern language, no matter how incorrect it may be. Otherwise, no one would understand without subtitles, and most people seem to hate having to read thier movie lol.

 

BTW the line means "you are da*ned dogs" (I speak German :thumbsup: )

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