The Xiongnu, known for establishing a steppe empire in the 3rd century BC, and the Huns, who threatened Roman Europe during the 4th and 5th centuries AD, have been subjects of scholarly intrigue. However, their precise linguistic and ethnic identities have remained unclear due to limited written records.
Dr. Simon Fries from the University of Oxford's Faculty of Classics and Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics, along with Dr. Svenja Bonmann from the University of Cologne’s Department of Linguistics, conducted research suggesting that these groups spoke an early form of Arin—a Yeniseian language—in Inner Asia around the turn of the millennium.
"This was long before the Turkic peoples migrated to Inner Asia and even before the splitting of Old Turkic into several daughter languages," said Dr. Bonmann. She added that "Old Arin was probably the native language of the Xiongnu ruling dynasty."
The study analyzed linguistic data including loanwords found in both Turkic and Mongolic languages that appear to derive from Arin. These words refer to natural elements like 'lake', 'rain', and 'birch', showing phonological features pointing to a Yeniseian source.
Further evidence includes analysis of a rare linguistic relic recorded in a Chinese chronicle known as the 'Jie couplet'. The structure aligns more closely with Arin grammar rather than Turkic assumptions. Several personal names attributed to Hunnish rulers also fit Arin word formation patterns.
Geographical markers such as hydronyms and toponyms across Eurasia were mapped by researchers. These matched Arin lexical items tracing migration paths aligning with historical movements from Inner Asia into Europe.
"Our study shows that alongside archaeology and genetics comparative philology plays an essential role in exploration," stated Dr. Fries. He hopes their findings will inspire further research into lesser-known languages' history contributing further understanding towards mankind's linguistic evolution.
The research supports theories that link Huns as western descendants preserving continuity over centuries with Xiongnu rather than being separate groups entirely. As Dr. Fries concluded: "independently corroborate implications making case for common Arin-speaking origin more persuasive."
This work highlights interdisciplinary approaches resolving historical mysteries shedding new light on ancient Eurasian steppes’ cultural landscapes. The full study is published in Transactions of Philological Society titled 'Linguistic Evidence Suggests Xiōng-nú And Huns Spoke Same Paleo-Siberian Language'.