Sardinian Latin through inscriptions: a variationist analysis

The aim of this thesis is to record the distribution of graphemic alternations in Latin inscriptions from Sardinia (1st century BCE-7th century CE), verifying whether it can be associated with specific sociolinguistic factors or interference phenomena. In order to perform a quantitative and qualitative analysis of such material, an epigraphic annotated corpus has been created. The corpus gathers 1184 inscriptions from the island (14413 tokens) and is provided with extra- and metalinguistic information which allows us to analyse spelling (and possibly phonetic-phonological) variants in Sardinian inscriptions and to interpret them with reference to variables such as the dating and place of provenance of the texts. Our analysis focuses on phenomena that represent the basis for diachronic developments occurring from Late Latin to Sardinian. As far as the vowel system is concerned, the graphemic alternations <O> ~ <V> and <E> ~ <I> and the instances of syncope and vowel deletion occurring in the corpus have been analysed. With regards to the consonantal system, <B>/<V> confusion, spurious gemination, degemination and the divergent spellings for <X> have been investigated. Our results helped us to determine the salient features of the variety of Latin spoken in Sardinia, which is characterized by a high incidence of divergent spellings involving the consonantal system – mainly <B>/<V> confusions. Furthermore, our survey highlighted common linguistic and epigraphic features of Sardinia and Africa, i.e. a comparable vowel system characterized by the virtual absence of vowel mergers and syncope, which cannot be attributed to a low literacy level, and degemination in the lemma annus in the epigraphic formula vixit annis/annorum/annos.