Iberian language
Quick Summary
The term "Iberian" refers to ancient peoples who inhabited southern and eastern Spain, giving their name to the Iberian Peninsula. These groups, distinct from later Celtic migrations, had a material culture and language that differed from northern and western regions. While some tribes, like the Bastetani and Turdetani, were prominent, cultural influences from Greek and Phoenician settlements were significant along the coasts.12
The Iberian language was a non-Indo-European tongue spoken into Roman times, written in a unique script derived partly from Greek and Phoenician. Although many inscriptions survive, few words are understood. The modern Basque language is not considered a direct descendant of Iberian by many scholars. Portuguese, on the other hand, is a Romance language that evolved from Latin and is closely related to Galician.13
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