Editing Ligurian language (ancient) (section)

=== Relationship with Celtic ===
Linguists [[Patrizia de Bernardo Stempel]] and [[Xavier Delamarre]] have argued that many names of tribes described by ancient scholars as 'Ligurian' can be explained as Celtic. This includes the ''[[Ingauni]]'' (<small>Celt.</small> *''Pingāmnī''), ''[[Salyes]]'' (< *''Sḷwes''), ''[[Ligauni]]'' (<small>Celt.</small> ''līg''- or ''liga''-), ''[[Intimilii]]'' (<small>Celt.</small> ''uindi-''), [[Marici (tribe)|''Maricii'']] (<small>Celt.</small> ''maro-''), and ''[[Oxybii]]'' (<small>Celt.</small> ''oxso''- or ''uxso''-),<ref>{{harvnb|de Bernardo Stempel|2006}}; {{harvnb|de Bernardo Stempel|Arenas Esteban|2011}}</ref> as well as the ''[[Iemerii]]'' (<small>Celt.</small> ''iemur-''), ''[[Orobii]]'' (<small>Celt.</small> ''orbi-''), ''[[Segobrigii]]'' (<small>Celt.</small> ''sego-'') and ''[[Reii]]'' (<small>Celt.</small> ''*riio-'').{{sfn|Delamarre|2003}}

According to de Bernardo Stempel, such linguistically Celtic tribal names suggest that a 'Celto-Ligurian' dialect played an important role among the languages spoken in ancient Ligury.{{Sfn|de Bernardo Stempel|2006|p=46}} Furthermore, she notes that some lexical items appear to be common to Ligurian and Celtic, such as ''cotto''- (''[[Alpes Cottiae]]''), ''gando''- (''Gandovera''), ''ambi-'' (''pago Ambitrebio''), ''ebu''- (''Eburelia''), ''medu''- (''Medutio''), ''seg''- (''Segesta Tigulliorum''), ''catu''- (''Catucianum''), and ''roud''- (''Roudelium'').{{sfn|de Bernardo Stempel|Arenas Esteban|2011|pp=129–130}}

Arguing for a connection between Ligurian and Celtic languages, de Bernardo Stempel has listed the following isoglosses as common traits shared by both language groups:{{sfn|de Bernardo Stempel|Arenas Esteban|2011|pp=129–130}}

* IE *''bʰ'' > ''b'', as shown by ''Comberanea rivus'' and ''Badiennon'', from the Celtic ''badius'' 'shiny; yellow, blond'
* loss of initial ''p''-, as in ''Ingauni'' < *''ping-amn-ī''
* *''l̥'' > ''al'' before resonant, as in ''*Sl̥wes'' > ''Salues''
* lenition of voiced consonants, as in ''Ligauni'' < *''ligamni''
* unstressed *-''i̯o''- > -''je''-, as shown by ''Nitielium'' and ''Berigiema''
* ''o'' > ''u'' before labials, as in ''Leucumellus'' and ''Latumarui''
* assibilation, as shown by ''Mezu'' and ''Meśiolano''
* palatal anticipation, as in ''Airuno'', ''Airasca'', ''Airolo'', and ''Eluveitie''
* epenthesis, as shown by ''Berigiema'' and ''Alebinna''
* suffixes *-''enko''- and *-''asko''-, as in ''Bodincos'' and ''Vinelasca'' (< *''wind-el-askā'')

Amongst Celtic subgroups, common innovations are only shared with [[Lepontic language|Lepontic]], including *''ks'' > ''s'', *''nd'' > ''n(n)'', *''st'' > ''z'', ''VCi̯V'' > ''VjCV'', the analogical acc. pl. *-''aś'' > -''eś'' after the nom. pl. -''es'' (consonantal stems), gen. sg. -''j''-''os'' & -''ei''-''s'' → -''ei'' -''os'' (i-stems), gen. sg. *-''osjo'', 3rd sg. preterite in -''te'', patronymic -''alo''-, patronymic -''ikno''-, gamonymic -''iknā'', and monothematic personal names. Conversely, some innovations are shared between Ligurian and the [[Gaulish language]] of the early sources, such as gen. sg. *-''ī'', 3rd sg. preterite in -''tu'', and patronymic -''ikno''-.{{sfn|de Bernardo Stempel|Arenas Esteban|2011|pp=129–130}}