Oscan
/ˈɒs.kən/noun
Oscan was an ancient Italic language spoken in southern and central Italy, or relating to that language and its speakers.
Did you know?Oscan inscriptions preserve ritual and legal texts, including evidence that several Italic peoples practiced religious traditions outside the later Roman literary canon.
Etymological Timeline
1st millennium BCE
Oscan
Úpsannam / related forms
“The language’s own surviving name-forms are fragmentary and difficult to interpret.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ὀσκικός (Oskikós)
“The Greek adjective referring to the Oscan people or their language.”
Classical Latin
Latin
Oscus
“The Roman name for an Oscan person, people, or language.”
19th Century
English
Oscan
“English scholarly usage for the ancient Sabellic language and its inscriptions.”
Modern English
English
Oscan
“A historical and linguistic term referring to the extinct language or its ancient speakers.”