The Etruscan language is still currently
undeciphered. As the Greek historian Dionysius wrote, it was "unlike
any other." Some linguists believe it is related to the unique language
Lydian, of Asia Minor. The language is not Indo-European and is very complex
in many regards.
The Etruscan alphabet is similar to the Greek. The Greek alphabet is originally
derived from the Phoenician language. However, although the letters in the
Etruscan language are like those of the Greek, the languages themselves
are very different. Since the written language came after the oral side
was highly developed, the written language is very complicated - a Greek
alphabet with a totally different language. This is why the grammar is very
different. The Roman alphabet even derived from the Etruscans.
The evolution of Etruscan writing had three primary stages. In 700 BC a
form evolved with 26 letters. Two hundred years later, the alphabet was
narrowed down to 23 letters. Its final stage, known as it "classic
form," was created around 400 BC. It consists of 20 letters, 16 consonants
plus four vowels. Generally, it was written from right to left, like many
Middle Eastern languages. Sometimes, however, they use boustrophedon which
alternates left-right, right-left. There are no surviving literary works
and only one Etruscan manuscript. Most sample s of the Etruscan language
have been acquired from tomb inscriptions. Below is an example of their
alphabet.